Oaklawn Report #6

3 Stars of the Week:

-1st Star – Secret Circle (KY) – His performance in the Southwest was about as professional as you can get. He rated beautifully in second, just behind Scatman, and was able to wear him down late into the stretch for a half-length victory. He earned a 102 Beyer for the race, and probably ran the best race of his life up to this point. There are still distance questions with Secret Circle as far as the Kentucky Derby is concerned, but there is no doubting that this is a very good horse. I think he’ll get a mile and one-sixteenth with no issues. Any farther is still a question mark for me. It needs to be mentioned that second place finisher Scatman showed great promise as he almost held off Secret Circle. He’s one to keep an eye on. Also, Adirondack King should like it when the distance gets longer.

-2nd Star – Castaway (KY) – In terms of his performance this week Castaway was a clear second behind Secret Circle, but if you are looking at the Kentucky Derby picture Castaway could have a better chance to get the distance that Secret Circle. Castaway is sired by Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, and it seemed as though he barely had to exert himself to win this race. Just add his name to the growing list of Baffert Derby contenders. I look for this one to get better and better as we move forward.

-3rd Star – Absinthe Minded (KY) – This five-year old mare will get lost in the shuffle from what was an incredible Monday, but Absinthe Minded’s performance on Saturday was eye-catching. She was clearly the best when in the Bayakoa Stakes, winning by a widening four lengths over a respectable horse in Tiz Miz Sue. Absinthe Minded is clearly the best older filly on the grounds right now. The races will get harder from here on out, but she might be better primed than ever to take on the shippers in the Azeri and Apple Blossom.

Biggest Flop of the Week:

– Unbridled’s Note (KY) – Bet down to 2-1 in the first division of the Southwest Stakes; hopes were high for Unbridled’s Note. Right from the start, those hopes came crashing down. Unbridled’s Note broke slowly at the start, and to be blunt, ran slowly from there on out. It’s tough to say what they’ll do next with him. He was obviously not ready for stakes competition, but with this breeding you would think he could still be a decent horse.

Trainer Standings:

Rank	Trainer Name	Starts	1st	2nd	3rd	Earnings	Win%	Top3	Top3%
1	Allen Milligan	76	15	6	9	$271,415	20%	30	39%
2	Brad H. Cox	40	12	9	7	$197,426	30%	28	70%
3	Chris Richard	28	9	3	4	$160,083	32%	16	57%
4	Steve Hobby	32	8	7	5	$270,164	25%	20	63%
4	Steven M. Asmussen	42	8	6	7	$205,787	19%	21	50%
4	Cody Autrey	34	8	4	5	$111,796	24%	17	50%
4	Jamie Ness	24	8	4	2	$96,215	33%	14	58%
8	Ron Moquett	53	7	14	1	$194,207	13%	22	42%
9	W. Bret Calhoun	40	6	3	8	$181,860	15%	17	43%
9	Joseph R. Martin	28	6	4	6	$143,037	21%	16	57%
9	Ingrid Mason	24	6	3	5	$101,024	25%	14	58%
9	Richard D. Jackson	25	6	2	3	$98,133	24%	11	44%

Jockey Standings:

Rank	Jockey Name	Starts	1st	2nd	3rd	Earnings	Win%	Top3	Top3%
1	Terry J. Thompson	136	27	11	16	$631,525	20%	54	40%
2	M. Clifton Berry	92	20	12	10	$445,477	22%	42	46%
3	Israel Ocampo	80	14	7	12	$354,562	18%	33	41%
4	Luis S. Quinonez	85	13	16	13	$445,189	15%	42	49%
5	Lindey Wade	90	12	10	10	$286,552	13%	32	36%
5	Alex Birzer	90	12	11	10	$218,437	13%	33	37%
7	Alex Cintron	79	11	11	11	$212,081	14%	33	42%
8	Roberto Morales	80	10	5	8	$180,571	13%	23	29%
9	David Mello	76	8	10	6	$167,716	11%	24	32%
9	Joe M. Johnson	44	8	4	8	$160,177	18%	20	45%