Arkie-bred filly bids rivals 'bye, bye'

Owner Alex Lieblong isn't sure about the immediate future of Bye Bye J but has a firmer fix on her career beyond racing.

The Arkansas Racing Commission owner, from Conway, has horses at Oaklawn Park with a number of trainers. Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen handles Bye Bye J, winner Saturday of the $125,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders' in her 4-year-old debut.

Chatting with reporters in the runway to the paddock, Lieblong more than once dropped the name of The Big Beast, a Grade 1 winner he previously raced and who currently commands a $6,000 stud fee in Ocala, Fla.

"If we can get one like her from The Big Beast, maybe one a little bigger, we should be in good shape," Lieblong said.

Odds-on favorite against seven fellow Arkansas-bred females, all with more recent racing, Bye Bye J won her first start since May over the surface that she won twice as a 3-year-old. The stakes victory is her third, following the $75,000 House Party at Gulfstream Park in her 2-year-old season for trainer Ronald Spatz and the $100,000 Rainbow Miss last April at Oaklawn for Asmussen.

After such a long vacation, Bye Bye J passed the needed class and conditioning tests demanded of her. Pressing the pace with Ricardo Santana Jr., she put away Matapan on the turn and drew clear to beat the pacesetter by a length and a quarter. Georgia's Reward, the 2018 Rainbow Miss winner, flattened out in the stretch after a strong three-wide move, placing third.

"I was really holding my breath because I knew she wasn't cranked down," Lieblong said. "These are some nice horses, and when you step up to this, you need to be cranked down a little bit. But, Steve and the team did a marvelous job."

Purchased privately by Lieblong last year after four starts in Florida, Bye Bye J (by Uncaptured-Red Pine) derives speed from paternal grandsire Lion Heart (2004 Kentucky Derby runner-up to Smarty Jones) and endurance from maternal grandsire Awesome Again (1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner). Bred at McDowell Farm in Sparkman, Bye Bye J went six furlongs Saturday in 1:10.50 and paid $3.20, $3.20 and $2.20.

Proud Victoria, a meet winner for Ron Moquett, placed fourth in her stakes debut. Dixie Flyer, Blushing Bella (a last-out $8,000 claim by leading trainer Robertino Diodoro), Dutch Treat and All About Clara completed the field. Sekani (a debut winner Monday for Will VanMeter and Hot Springs owner-breeder John Ed Anthony, who also campaigns Dutch Treat), Superstar Bea and Tiger Bait (owned by Hot Springs horseman Staton Flurry) were program scratches.

Bye Bye J, now 5 for 9 lifetime, bumped her earnings to $308,105 with $75,000 from the Downthedustyroad. She has many options, including against open company or around two turns.

"We only started her back in training about eight weeks ago," said Lieblong, whose wife, JoAnn, shares program credit for ownership (she was clutching the postrace trophy and other hardware while her husband gave interviews). "We weren't sure she was fit as she needs to be but decided to go with what she had and hoped that it was enough."

Notes: Stakes-placed last time in her 3-year-old debut, filly O Seraphina broke her maiden for a second time in Saturday's 10th race. Leading from gate to wire under Joe Talamo, 7 1/4 lengths in front at the wire, the Congrats filly went a fast-rated mile and sixteenth in 1:44.33. She is the second Joe Sharp trainee to win at Oaklawn after testing positive for illegal medication following a Fair Grounds (New Orleans) victory. [Sycamore Run, a 3-year-old Street Sense colt, won by 5 1/4 lengths Feb. 15 at six furlongs with Martin Garcia up.] O Seraphina, in her stakes debut, finished almost four lengths back in second behind the ill-fated Taraz in Oaklawn's $150,000 Martha Washington at one mile Feb. 1.

Knicks Go, a Grade 1 winner at 2, opened his 4-year-old season in fine style with a 7 1/2-length romp in Oaklawn's seventh race Saturday. The Paynter colt, formerly trained by Ben Colebrook, gives new trainer Brad Cox another major player in the older male division in light of the triumphant 4-year-old debut by Warrior's Charge in Monday's Grade 3 $500,000 Razorback Handicap. Briefly on the road to the Triple Crown last year, Knicks Go had lost 10 in a row since winning the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland by a widening 5 1/2 lengths in October 2018.

Previously 7-0 at Oaklawn, Hoonani Road had his aura of invincibility shattered when second in his 5-year-old debut Saturday, his first start since November at Churchill Downs. K J's Nobility won by two lengths going six furlongs in 1:10.25 in an Arkansas-bred allowance for older horses, the third victory of the meeting for the Borel brothers (Hall of Fame jockey Calvin, trainer Cecil) and Hot Springs owner Carson McCord. Hoonani Road, purchased privately by Hot Springs native Jerry Caroom from breeder Bobby Lee Hall, has three stakes wins over the track for trainer Wayne Catalano.

Sports on 02/23/2020

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