Winchell Thoroughbreds' Red Route One is in the biggest race Jan. 28 at Oaklawn Park, racing in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes, but Gunite is the biggest-name horse carrying Winchell's maroon and white silks earlier in the eighth race on the 11-race program.
The 2021 Hopeful Stakes (G1) winner competes roughly an hour before the Southwest when favored at 7-5 on the morning line against seven rivals in the $150,000 King Cotton Stakes. The six-furlong King Cotton is meant to prep him for the $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) Feb. 25 in Saudi Arabia, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen told Daily Racing Form.
The homebred son of Gun Runner was also highly productive last year at age 3, compiling a 4-2-0 record in seven starts. Victorious in four stakes, including the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course, he also was second to Jack Christopher over the summer in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) there.
He also performed well in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his season finale, beaten four lengths by Cody's Wish in a two-turn mile race beyond his best distance.
Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. is reunited with Gunite, riding him for the first time since the colt's 2-year-old season. Gunite has breezed at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and Oaklawn this winter.
Stakes winners Flash of Mischief (9-5), Tejano Twist (5-1), and Miles Ahead (6-1) head the opposition.
Entries: King Cotton S.
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, January 28, 2023, Race 8
- STK
- 6f
- Dirt
- $150,000
- 4 yo's & up
- 3:50 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Tejano Twist (KY) | Francisco Arrieta | 124 | Chris A. Hartman | 5/1 |
| 2 | 2Miles Ahead (KY) | Martin Garcia | 119 | Paul J. McGee | 6/1 |
| 3 | 3Flash of Mischief (KY) | Cristian A. Torres | 124 | Karl Broberg | 9/5 |
| 4 | 4Long Range Toddy (KY) | Rafael Bejarano | 117 | Dallas Stewart | 20/1 |
| 5 | 5Gar Hole (AR) | John R. Velazquez | 124 | John Alexander Ortiz | 12/1 |
| 6 | 6Radical Right (KY) | Flavien Prat | 117 | Peter Miller | 12/1 |
| 7 | 7Gunite (KY) | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | 121 | Steven M. Asmussen | 7/5 |
| 8 | 8Ultimate (KY) | David Cabrera | 117 | Timothy E. Martin | 20/1 |
