Racing returns to Ocala on Tuesday, January 26th as the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company holds its 27th annual Day of Champions. The races feature large, well matched fields along with a star studded roster of trainers and riders that includes 2015 Eclipse Award winning jockeys Javier Castellano and Tyler Gaffalione.
Held in conjunction with the OBS Winter Mixed Sale for the third 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 colt and geldings 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.
Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Pinstripe as the 7-2 morning line favorite in a field of thirteen in the day’s second race, the $50,000 OBS Sprint for colt and geldings. The colt by High Cotton, who will be ridden by Javier Castellano, was a convincing five length winner of his only start, a Gulfstream maiden special weight test on December 30th.
Second choice at 4-1 is Three Diamonds Farm’s Oscar Mike, a winner over the turf course at Belmont Park in his last start on November 15th. The colt by U S Ranger is trained by Mike Maker and will be ridden by Joel Rosario. Leonard C. Green and Robert McLynn’s Lazarus Project, a winner in fast time at Aqueduct in his last start, is 5-1 with Joe Bravo aboard for trainer Joe Orseno.
Jose Lezcano will be aboard John C. Oxley’s 6-1 Our Nation for trainer Mark Casse and trainer Bill Kaplan returns to Ocala with Michael G. Bernard’s 8-1 Danbury, a son of Kantharos who will have the services of Eddie Castro.
Here’s the field in post position order: Oscar Mike; Get Away Farm’s I’m No Secret, Aaron Gryder, 10-1; Mighty White Stallion LLC’s Dioscuri, K. J. Coa, 15-1; Pinstripe; A. Delaperriere Stables’ Brassy Ben, Scott Spieth, 10-1; Danbury; Our Nation; Alexis Lopez-Cordero’s G.A. Betting, Ricardo Feliciano, 10-1; Lazarus Project; DB DOJO LLC’s Silver Starship, no rider, 12-1; Sandra New’s Drama Club, Edgard Zayas, 10-1; Golden Legacy Stable LLC’s American Luxury, Emisael Jaramillo, 15-1; Ridenjac Racing’s Royal Almighty, Jose Ferrer, 10-1. All will carry 122 pounds.
Leonard C. Green’s stakes winning Hi Holiday headlines a field of eleven in the third race, the $50,000 OBS Sprint for fillies. The daughter of Harlan’s Holiday, trained by Joe Orseno, won the Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park in September after a runaway victory in her debut two weeks earlier. Joe Bravo will ride.
She’ll be tested by Bell Racing LLC’s Kandoo, who comes into the race off a third place finish in Tampa Bay’s Sandpiper Stakes in December. Tyler Gaffalione will ride the daughter of Kantharos for trainer Ralph Nicks.
The field also includes Patricia’s Hope LLC’s stakes placed Moms Choice, a filly by Kitten’s Joy trained by Larry Rivelli and ridden by Jose Valdivia. In addition, trainer Bobby Persad will send out Richie Rich Racing Stable’s Fabulous Dream, a stakes placed daughter of Magna Graduate with Pablo Morales aboard. In an unusual twist, Quintessential Racing’s Wicked One is in pursuit of a stakes win before she enters the OBS sales ring on Thursday as Hip No. 526 in the Horses of Racing Age section of the Winter Mixed Sale. The filly by In Summation, who broke her maiden last time out for trainer Mark Casse, will have Jose Lezcano aboard.
The field in post position order: Flying Finish Farm’s Emma Missouri, Jose A. Garcia; Kandoo; Hi Holiday; Sandra Henson’s Pyrite Tonight, Eduardo Nunez; Moms Choice; Tommy G. Ligon and Anthony Granitz’s Fast Justice, Antonio Gallardo; Fabulous Dream; DB DOJO LLC’s Sunrise Ruby, no rider; Wicked One; Martin Silver & Mike and Martha Borchetta’s Scrammy, Geovany Garcia; WinStar Farm LLC’s Social Butterfly, Scott Spieth. All carry 120 pounds.
A field of twelve will go in fourth race, the $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes for fillies, headed by Mario Silva’s Bonita, third in the Hut Hut Stakes at Gulfstream Park West after breaking her maiden at first asking in October. Trained by Chad Stewart, the Bluegrass Cat filly will be ridden by Jose Caraballo.
Larry Rivelli has cross-entered Moms Choice, and Ralph Nicks sends out Averill Racing LLC and Silver Oak Stable LLC’s R Kinsley Doll, fourth in Gulfstream Park West’s Juvenile Filly Sprint Stakes. The Big Drama filly will have Tyler Gaffalione aboard.
The field in post position order: Juan Francisco Landaeta’s Vieja Luna, Emisael Jaramillo; R Kinsley Doll; West Point Thoroughbreds’ Awesome Dame, Luis Saez; Lou Dunn Diekemper Trust’s Sweet Angel Roan, Geovany Garcia; Moms Choice; Lightner Color LLC’s Toother Belle, Gary Boulanger; Town and Country Farms’ Vroomvroomvroom, Edgard Zayas; Michael Dahir and Sandra Bromagen’s Cinder, Javier Castellano; Roger L. Justice’s Will Be Magical, Eddie Castro; John L. Moirano, Alan Sokol, Nehoc Stables and Robert Chimienti’s Dean’s Ticket, Joel Rosario; Evergreen Stables LLC’s Silver Magnolia, Fernando De La Cruz; Bonita. Carrie L Brogden’s Try Your Luck has been scratched. All carry 120 pounds.
Warner Thoroughbreds et al’s Swagger Jagger and John L. Moirano, William Achenbaum, Monty Foss and Steven Wecker’s Extinct Charm headline the fifth race, the $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes for colts and geldings.
Swagger Jagger, by Crown of Thorns, came from off the pace to win the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park West in November. He’ll be ridden by Eddie Castro for trainer Mike Maker. Aaron Gryder will ride Extinct Charm for trainer Gary Contessa. The son of American Lion scored in Aqueduct’s Damon Runyon Stakes in his last start on December 26th.
The field in post position order: DB DOJO LLC’s Isofass, Javier Castellano; Get Away Farm’s Two Step Time, Joel Rosario; Gary Barber’s Chief Admiral, Paco Lopez; Swagger Jagger; Golden Legacy Stable LLC’s Golden Ray, Emisael Jaramillo; Thomas D. Foley’s Volt, Pedro Monterrey, Jr.; Four Horsemen Racing Stable and Lady Lindsay Racing Stables’ Bullet Gone Astray, Luca Panici; Prestonwood Racing and Preston Racing Stable LLC’s Ganges, Ronald Hisby; Extinct Charm; Jason DaCosta’s Unbridled Trick, Fernando De La Cruz; Gary Barber’s Whatawonderflworld, Jose Lezcano; Tim Mawhinney and Kathleen O’Connell’s Gone Local, Eduardo Nunez. All carry 122 pounds.
Irma Mirabal’s stakes winner Cootinks Flying Ace is the 2-1 morning line favorite in a field of five for the first race, a 440 yard quarter horse allowance event. The 6-year-old gelding, trained by Hernan Parra, will be ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo. Randy L. Thompson’s multiple stakes winner Air Born Leader is the 3-1 second choice. Gerardo Garrido has the riding assignment for trainer Tom Mosley.
The field in post position order: Air Born Leader; Alma D. Barraza’s Gold In This Lane, Fernando Fonseca-Soto, 8-1: Joshua R. Henderson’s Two Karat Nahlee, Dale Beaty, 6-1; Cootinks Flying Ace; Bobby McKibben’s Of Royal Decent, Pedro Monterrey Jr., 8-1. All carry 124 pounds. Charlton Hunt’s Eyeowa Cyclone has been scratched.
For more information regarding the OBS Championship Stakes, please call (352) 237-2154 or visit the OBS website at obssales.com