Aaron previews the 2022 Advent Stakes from Oaklawn Park, then gives his top picks & long shots. The Iowa-bred superstar Tyler’s Tribe returns to dirt while making his first racing trip to Arkansas, where he headlines the Opening Day feature. Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section!
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The track press release:
Iowa-bred sensation Tyler’s Tribe is expected to make his next start in the $150,000 Advent Stakes for 2-year-old sprinters Dec. 9 at Oaklawn, Tim Martin, the gelding’s co-owner/trainer, said Saturday morning.
Post positions for the 5 ½-furlong Advent, which anchors the first of 68 scheduled racing dates in 2022-2023, were drawn Saturday morning. Tyler’s Tribe, among nine entrants, is scheduled to break from post 5 under regular rider Kylee Jordan. First post Dec. 9 is 12:30 p.m. (Central), with probable post time for the Advent 3:46 p.m.
Tyler’s Tribe completed major preparations for a projected Advent start by working 3 furlongs in :37.60 under Jordan just after the second renovation break Saturday morning at Oaklawn.
“Just a little maintenance move,” Martin, a Hot Springs resident, said moments after watching the work from the first turn. “He’s fit. He’s been running. He ran five weeks ago, obviously. I worked him a half last week. This was six days before the race. I’ll scope him. If he’s clean, we’ll race. If he ain’t … but he looks good.”
It was the second local work for Tyler’s Tribe since he suffered his first career loss in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) Nov. 4 at Keeneland. Tyler’s Tribe was eased and vanned off after bleeding in the 5 ½-furlong race.
Martin said he also considered Tyler’s Tribe for the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1 at Oaklawn, but decided to pass because the anti-bleeder medication Lasix is prohibited in Kentucky Derby points events. The use of race-day Lasix is also prohibited in the Breeders’ Cup. Tyler’s Trible ran without Lasix for the first time in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. Horses are allowed to run on Lasix in the Advent.
“I want to take the advantage of the Lasix right now,” Martin said before Saturday’s work. “That’s kind of why I backed off. I breezed him last week and he scoped good – no mucus, no blood, no nothing. We’ll scope him again today and if everything’s good, then I’ll go. It’s 5 ½. He’ll like that.”
Tyler’s Tribe was a four-time stakes winner at Prairie Meadows – all sprints – with two of the victories coming in open company, including the $100,000 Prairie Meadows Freshman Aug. 27 by 15 ½ front-running lengths. Tyler’s Tribe has won his five starts by a combined 59 ¾ lengths.
From the first crop of millionaire Grade 1 winner Sharp Azteca, Tyler’s Tribe has won 5 of 6 starts and earned $306,294.
The projected nine-horse Advent field from the rail out: Count de Monet, Santo Sanjur to ride, 117 pounds; C. J.’s Storm, Nik Juarez, 117; Too Much Info, Cristian Torres, 117; How Did He Do That, Isaac Castillo, 119; Tyler’s Tribe, Kylee Jordan, 124; Happy Is a Choice, David Cabrera, 117; Frosted Departure, Francisco Arrieta, 124; Alto Road, Luis Quinonez, 117; and Wild Mule, Angel Rodriguez, 119.
The Advent goes as the eighth of nine races.
