Midwest represents on Oaks Day at Churchill Downs

Its Churchill Downs on the first weekend in May, so what are all these horses, trainers and owners from the Midwest doing in Louisville, KY.?

They’re involved in some pretty darn good racing, for sure, on a weekend when the world’s spotlight is on horse racing at the most famous racetrack on the planet!

The Midwest will be well-represented this weekend underneath the most famous Twin Spires in the world.

Let’s start with Wayne Catalano, the Chicago-based trainer and winner of nine training titles at   Arlington Park between 2000 and 2010. “Cat Man” brings four horses to post on May 4, Oaks Day.

On a day known for the biggest three-year old filly race of all, Catalano enters Sacristy, a gal out of Pulpit, whose six race lifetime record is a puffy 6/2-3-1. With a Grade III win (Old Hat), a third in the Grade II Forward Gal and second in her last race in another Grade II, the Beaumont, she has a winning resume. Yet, Sacristy, with Mike Smith in the saddle, is 50-1 out of the 7 post.

Catalano enters last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf champ, the exciting Stephanie’s Kitten in the Edgewood (8^th race), a $150,000 turf race for three-year old fillies. Stephanie’s Kitten, owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, finished third in the 2012 Ashland at Keeneland on April 7, her lone start of the year.

Another Ramsey contender, Catalano-trained Coalport, who made a bit of a splash as a two-year old in 2011 in a few graded stakes, goes to the $200,000 (Grade II) American Turf for three-year olds. A son of Kitten’s Joy, Coalport draws the one-hole with Garret Gomez aboard at odds of 12-1. Coalport won a $50,000 turf allowance at Keeneland in his last race on April 13.

The first Catalano entrant on the day is Double-Crossing (IRE) in the second race. The son of Cape Cross draws the 12 post at 15-1 in a $53,000 maiden special for owner John A. Fike. The three-year old tries the turf for the third time having finished in fourth place last out at Keeneland.

Trainer Grant Forster’s Cal Dela Casa goes in the third race, a 7 furlong $75,000 optional claimer for three-year old fillies. Jim Geiger, a noted Chicago-based owner, is included among the contingent of Living the Dream LLC whose ownership group stretches from California to Arkansas and Louisiana. The daughter of Limehouse draws second at 8-1 morning line odds.

Trainer Mike Lauer is a consistent winner at Indiana racetracks. The Kentucky-based trainer brings the talented Scatman to the turf course for first time in the American Turf. The son of Scat Daddy has won more than $162,000 and sports a career record of 7/2-2-1. Shaun Bridgmohan rides at morning line odds of 20-1 and a seven post.

Among the riders competing on Friday who have marked their territory at Midwest tracks are Leandro Goncalves, Indiana’s perennial standings leader, and James Graham, who has been among the leaders for a number of summers at Arlington Park. Graham rides Karlovy Vary in the Kentucky Oaks.

Jesse Campbell, who grew up in the Chicago area and has made Chicago tracks his home off and on for the several years, rides contender Nates Mineshaft in The Alysheba (Grade II, $300,000) on Oaks Day. 

 

Fairmount Park is represented on Oaks Day, too, as Siggy Golibrzuch takes the reigns in 11th race aboard Dolcetto for trainer Vernon Obermeier in a $53,000 maiden special.

Midwest Thoroughbred and mwtmag.com will be reporting all weekend long on the Best of the Midwest, their challenges and successes. Please send your emails to me at mike@mwtmag.com with your comments and suggestions.