Strong Mandate---WOW!!!
John Greenhaw
Senior Member
As you all know by now, I try to keep my eye on what's happening at Oaklawn Park. Just like most years, and 2014 is no different, the OP surface is a little dull in Jan/Feb and will not get that "Good Bounce" to it until it warms up. Nevertheless, Strong Mandate went out on Monday and blitzed 5f in 100.40, clearly best of the works at that distance, and appears to be coming into the Feb. 15 Southwest Stakes in top form for the Coach. The Assman is keeping Tapiture in New Orleans where he will work before vaning up to Oaklawn for the Southwest. SW is shaping up to be a hell of a prep race. If anyone plans on going, let me know and I'll be glad to show you around!!!
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Hot Springs has been very fortunate this winter compared to the rest of the country, but it could not escape another round of Artic air that closed Oaklawn's track for training Tuesday and delayed the opening Wednesday until 10 a.m. (CST).
Several trainers, aware of the weather, sent their horses to the track Monday for workouts, including Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas who sent his Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest hopeful Strong Mandate out for a bullet workout.
The bay son of Tiznow covered five furlongs in 1:00 2/5, the fastest of 60 at the distance. It was his fourth work this year as he prepares to make his seasonal debut in the February 17 Southwest. Strong Mandate, who won the Hopeful at Saratoga last September, has not started since closing out his two-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 2.
"In light of the track surface and the way the track was playing that day, I was very impressed," Lukas said. "His gallop out was extremely strong. He got the fastest time of the day and I couldn't have been any happier with how he went."
Also working toward the Southwest Monday was Dunkin Bend, now in the hands of trainer Brad Cox. The Dunkirk colt, who most recently finished second in the Big Drama at Delta Downs on January 4, clocked a half-mile in :49 4/5.
His biggest win as a two-year-old came last September when he captured the Sapling at Monmouth Park. After closing out the year with two off-the-board performances, Dunkin Bend appears to be rounding back into that form.
"He hadn't had a work since his race at Delta, so we gave him an easy half-mile maintenance work and he'll go five-eighths next week," Cox explained. "He's being pointed toward the Southwest for his next start."
Trainer Cody Autrey, who has gotten off to a fast start with 10 wins over the first 12 days of racing at Oaklawn, could have two starters in the Southwest with Smarty Jones winner Tanzanite Cat and his regular workmate Paganonl, who broke his maiden in impressive fashion at Oaklawn on January 11. Paganol moved one step closer to his stakes debut by turning four furlongs in :50 1/5 Monday.
"It was a nice rhythm for an easy half mile," Autrey noted. "We had to move back the work a day because of the weather. We'll definitely get more serious over the next couple of weeks as we get closer to the race."
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Velazquez gets first win since spill
STRONG MANDATE 4f 48 3/5 1/76
"Just Awesome" quote from the Coach!
I sure hope he stays healthy!
Will Take Charge went 4f in a careful 49 4/5-- but he has never been a great work horse.