Coolmore win Southwest Stakes with Castaway
Report: USA, Monday
Oaklawn Park: Southwest Stakes (two divisions, both Grade 3) 1m, dirt, 3yo
THE trainer/jockey partnership of Bob Baffert and Rafael Bejarano jetted in from California to sweep an oversubscribed Southwest Stakes, split into two divisions on the Presidents' Day bank holiday meeting at Oaklawn Park.
Castaway scored for the Coolmore team before inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Secret Circle stretched out around two turns to take the second leg of this major trial for the Arkansas Derby.
Castaway, carrying the purple Derrick Smith colours, is a son of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense who had broken his maiden last month at Santa Anita.
He stalked the pace before pulling away in the stretch to score a comfortable victory by almost four lengths in a time of 1m38.0s as a near 7-1 shot.
Soon afterwards, 3-5 favourite Secret Circle made light of stamina concerns to overcome Scatman in the closing stages. His time of 1m37.08s was nearly a second faster than Castaway.
Also on Monday
Santa Anita: Buena Vista Hcap (Grade 2) 1m, turf, 4yo+ f/m
A promising effort from US debutante Strawberrydaiquiri as the 2010 Royal Ascot winner finished fourth for her new trainer Ben Cecil after making the lead three wide in the stretch.
The race went to 8.5-1 chance City To City (Jerry Hollendorfer/Corey Nakatani), who was getting a weight break after failing as favourite in similar company on her last two starts.
Laurel: General George Hcap (Grade 2) 7f, dirt, 3yo+
TrainerRick Dutrow landed a one-two as Yawanna Twist (Mike Luzzi) landed his first stakes victory by a half-length over stable companion This Ones For Phil, who had won a $100,000 claimer at Aqueduct as recently as Friday.
Another half-length back in third was Toby's Corner, showing up well after a ten-month layoff following a hind-leg injury after his victory over Uncle Mo in last year's Wood Memorial.
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