A strong lineup of stakes winners and well known trainers and riders is on tap as the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company holds its 26th annual Day of Champions race card on Tuesday, January 27th .
Held in conjunction with the OBS Winter Mixed Sale for the second straight year, the five-race card again offers pari-mutuel wagering on the first two races. The day gets underway with a $10, 000 allowance 440 yard dash for quarter horses followed by the six furlong $50,000 OBS Sprint Stakes for 3-year-old fillies who have gone through the ring at an OBS Sale.
The entire card will be streamed live via the OBS website at obssales.com as well as the DRF and Blood-Horse websites. Post time for the first race is 1:00 p.m.
Averill Racing LLC, Silver Oak Stable and Gregory Kaufman’s R Sassy Lass is the morning line favorite in a field of seven in the OBS Sprint for fillies. The original field of nine was reduced with the scratches of Vandelita and Perpetual Novena. Second to fellow OBS graduate Ekati’s Phaeton in Gulfstream’s Old Hat Stakes (G3) in her last start, R Sassy Lass took Tampa Bay Downs’s Sandpiper Stakes in December. Trained by Kirk Ziadie, the daughter of Exclusive Quality will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.
Second choice in the Filly Sprint is Ranlo Investments’ Lady Shipman, impressive winner of her last two outings. Trained by Kathleen O’Connell, she’ll be ridden by Eduardo Nunez. Raul Bahena’s Happy to Go is returning from a layoff after her victory in the Paxson Memorial Stakes at Presque Isle in September. Joel Rosario has the riding assignment for trainer Armando de la Cerda.
Here are the horses and riders in post position order: Happy to Go, Hallmarc Racing’s Gold Value, Corey Lanerie; Golden Legacy Stable’s Polly My Love, Luis Contreras; R Sassy Lass; John Eaton, Steve Laymon and Mark Sayeg’s Hangover Saturday, Abdiel Jaen; Lady Shipman; Ten Broeck Farm’s Cool Comfort, Rafael Hernandez. All carry 120 pounds.
White Wabbit Wacing and Marco Thoroughbreds’ It’s Not Me and Stanley S. Moles and Starr Stables’ Charlie’s Brother headline a field of nine set to go in the third race, the six furlong $50,000 OBS Sprint for colts and geldings.
Supplemented to the race by trainer Jorge Navarro, It’s Not Me was claimed by his current connections in October and two starts later took the Buffalo Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park West. Third last time out in the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream, the son of D’wildcat will be ridden by Edgard Zayas.
Charlie’s Brother was third behind fellow OBS graduate Catalina Red in his track record performance in Tampa Bay Down’s Pasco Stakes after chasing him home in the Inaugural Stakes over the Oldsmar oval a race earlier. The colt by With Distinction, trained by Lynn Scace, will be ridden by regular rider Harry Vega.
Here are the horses and riders in post position order: Brent Fernung, Eugene P. Cahalan and Michael B. Sebastian’s Never Give In, Gary Boulanger; It’s Not Me; John G. Allen’s Go Pita Go, Keiber Coa; Northwind Thoroughbreds’ Copper Hill, Jesus Rios; J. Armando Rodriguez Racing Stable’s Tiger of Wales, Joel Rosario; Charlie’s Brother; Rontos Racing Stable’s Social Request, Luis Contreras; Arturo Rodriguez’ Vakeesh, Luis Garcia; Buddy Jones’ Really Blue Moon, Alexis Batista. Less Than Perfect has been scratched. All will carry 122 pounds.
A field of eleven will go in fourth race, the $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes for fillies, after Quality Rocks was scratched. Her connections opted to run in Gulfstream’s Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3) on Saturday where she finished a strong second in her 2015 debut.
Leonard C. Green and Crush Racing Stable’s Save Rock and Roll rates top billing in the mile and a sixteenth test based on her third place finish in Aqueduct’s Tempted Stakes (G3) in November. Fourth in the Matron (G2) at Belmont in October, she’ll be ridden by Joe Bravo for trainer Joe Orseno.
Two fillies have been supplemented to the race. Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out Bortolazzo Stable’s Back Flip and Gary Contessa has entered CJP Thoroughbreds, Winning Move Stable, McConnell Racing Stable and Green’s More Than Rainbows. Back Flip will be ridden by Javier Castellano; Paco Lopez will be aboard More Than Rainbows.
Here are the horses and riders in post position order: Back Flip; More Than Rainbows, Kenwood Racing’s Titanium Joe, Edgar Prado; Book Buddy LLC’s Our Sister Ania, David Carstens; Ruben A. De Jesus’ Danube River; Edgard Zayas; Save Rock and Roll; Michael Laurato’s Rue Royale, Ronnie Allen; G. Watts Humphrey’s B Rockett, Corey Lanerie; Kenwood Racing’s Jersey Jules, Antonio Gallardo; Jeff Drown’s Magnificent Margo, Joel Rosario; John L. Moirano, Nehoc Stables and Alan Sokol’s Arctic Ocean, Rafael Hernandez. All will carry 120 pounds.
Skychai Racing, Charles Kevin Warner and Sand Dollar Stable’s Firespike headlines a field of seven in the finale, the mile and a sixteenth $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes for colts and geldings. The son of Flower Alley captured the Juvenile Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park West in November for trainer Mike Maker and will be ridden by Joel Rosario. He’ll be tested by James Covello, Thomas Coleman and Sand Dollar Stable LLC’ Royal Squeeze and West Point Thoroughbreds’ Toasting Master. Royal Squeeze was second in the In Reality division of the Florida Sire Stakes for trainer Chad Brown, and Toasting Master scored in two straight races at Churchill Downs for trainer Dale Romans.
The field in post position order. Murray Stroud’s Big Yum, Paco Lopez; Firespike; Royal Squeeze, Jose Lezcano; DiBello Racing’s Prince Vincenzo, Antonio Gallardo; Chris B. Seaman’s Andy Po Po, Luis Contreras; Toasting Master, Corey Lanerie; Silver Leaf Stable’s Bordini, Rafael Hernandez. All will carry 122 pounds.
Donald L. Ming’s five time winner I See Visions is the 2-1 morning line favorite in a nine horse field for the first race, a 440 yard quarter horse allowance event. The 5-year-old horse, trained by Cleveland Wheeler, will be ridden by Juan Ramos and carry 124 pounds. Co-second choices at 5-1 are S and L Racing’s four time winner Vision Quest Corona, ridden by Miguel Martinez and Steven P. Miller’s James Mt Man, with Sue Martin aboard, a five length winner of his last start at Delta Downs. Both carry 124 pounds.