Not to be outshone by the older handicap division stars currently dueling it out in the Middle East, this year’s Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park drew a compact but quality field of seven who will race the 8 ½ furlongs for the lion’s share of the $500,000 pot.
The event is traditionally the local prep for the marquee Oaklawn Handicap (G2), which is set to be contested on April 18.
The race was inaugurated in 1960 as a $3,200 allowance event set at over 5½ furlongs (won by Cyrob). It quickly evolved and was extended to longer distances by 1961, and settled at its current length of 1 1/16 miles in 1969. It was upgraded to Grade 3 status in 1978 and briefly returned to Grade 2 in the mid-1990s.
Several horses have pulled off the Razorback–Oaklawn Handicap double in the same year, including Swift Ruler (1966), Charlie Jr. (1970), Gage Line (1972), Cox’s Ridge (1978), Temperence Hill (1981), Eminency (1982), Lost Code (1988), Opening Verse (1990), Alternation (2012), Cyber Secret (2013) and Race Day (2015).
There was a notable disqualification in 2010 after Win Willy, who was first past the wire but later demoted due to a medication violation.
Lost Code owns the stakes record of 1:40.40 set in 1988, and the largest margin of victory – 6¾ lengths – was posted by Golden Lad in 2014. Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day has the most wins with six, and trainer Joe Cantey dominated the early 1980s with four straight victories (1981–1984).
Hall of Famer Gun Runner took top honors in 2014 with a dominant 5 ¾-length win as the 1-5 favorite. The race launched his Horse of the Year campaign and 2017 champion older dirt male title after capping the year with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
Lil E. Tee was the 1992 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and carried a high weight of 126 pounds to victory in his first start as a 4-year-old. He finished second in the Oaklawn Handicap in his final career race.
In 1989, Blushing John, owned by Allen E. Paulson, took home top honors and went on to be crowned 1989 U.S. champion older male.
Future Hall of Famer Cox’s Ridge was part of the Razorback–Oaklawn double in 1978 on his way to the win in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) that year.
Magnitude tops the morning line at 9-5 as the highweight with 123 pounds and is the only millionaire besides Sandman (x-x) in the group. The 4-year-old Not This Time colt has shown strong stalker/closer tendencies and has been coming off a nice half-length win in the Clark Stakes (G2) at Churchill last November at 1 1/8 miles.
A promising sophomore last year, he took the Risen Star Stakes (G2) by nearly 10 lengths, was sidelined with an injury for the Triple Crown races, Upon his return, he romped in the Iowa Derby, then ran third in the Travers Stakes (G1) and second in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).
The Steve Asmussen trainee, who will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, owns a versatile mid-pack style that suits the expected pace, and he looks like the one to beat if he handles the local surface.
The lightly raced 4-year-old Munnings gelding Nu What’s New sits as the clear 2-1 early second choice after back-to-back Oaklawn blowouts. He broke his maiden by 7½ lengths at a mile on Dec. 26 and then crushed an allowance optional claimer by 12½ lengths at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 5. His stalking or pressing style shows he owns the ability to rate and finish powerfully at two turns, and this will be his stakes debut after a solid third in a Keeneland maiden sprint last fall. His explosive recent form makes him dangerous if the pace melts. Getting eight pounds from the early favorite, Rafael Bejarano, will be aboard for Jimmy DiVito.
Asmussen also saddles Tap Into This, who will be ridden by his son Erik, and brings closing kick and local stakes experience into the equation. The 4-year-old gray Tapit colt rallied from last to win the inaugural Coach Overnight here on Jan. 2 by a half-length at 1 1/16 miles, and he previously finished third in a Churchill Downs allowance optional claimer at 7 furlongs after a win in a Keeneland allowance at the same distance.
Impeccably bred and a confirmed closer who thrives when the pace is honest, the rail post could be tricky, but his rally style plays well at this distance. He will carry a 117-pound impost.
The social media star Sandman is the sentimental and classy horse returning home. The 4-year-old Tapit colt won last year’s Arkansas Derby (G1) by 2 ½ lengths after placing second in the Southwest Stakes (G3) and third in the Rebel Stakes (G2) and was also third in the Preakness Stakes (G1).
A typical mid-pack stalker, he was a disappointing fifth in his 4-year-old debut against allowance company here on Feb. 7. He has trained forwardly since for trainer Mark Casse and has banked nearly $1.5 million in earnings. The outside post and class edge give him every chance to rebound under 120 pounds and jockey Cristian Torres.
Kenny McPeek sends out Gould’s Gold, a 5-year-old son of Goldencents who has hit the board in multiple graded stakes but has yet to win. He broke a 26-year-old Churchill Downs track record in a 1 1/8-mile allowance last May and hasn’t won a race since, but he was third in the Charles Town Classic (G2) and Cornhusker Stakes (G3) last summer/fall. He was most recently third in the Battery Park Stakes at Delaware in September but hasn’t raced since, so there could be a fitness question. A consistent mid-pack runner with tactical speed, he has earned over $400,000 and could pick up pieces if the top choices overdo it early. Emmanuel Esquivel will be at the helm.
Woodcourt, along with Echo Again, are the longshots. Woodcourt, a 5-year-old Ransom the Moon horse, showed some upside as a 3-year-old with a 4th in the 2024 Rebel at huge odds and recent allowance placings; he is a mid-pack type with a few local wins under his belt.
Echo Again, a 6-year-old Gun Runner gelding for the Casse barn, is a veteran with wins at Oaklawn, Churchill, and Saratoga but has been off the board in recent stakes attempts. He’s another mid-pack/closer who will need a meltdown to contend.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
