Essential Quality’s next stop undecided after Southwest

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Champion Essential Quality emerged from his win in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest at Oaklawn Park in good order, trainer Brad Cox said Sunday, while plans for the horse’s final Kentucky Derby prep race are still being determined.

Essential Quality made his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest. He stalked the pace, moved to the fore into the stretch, and barreled home to remain undefeated in four career starts. The start was his first since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6, and for the effort he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

“He’s really good, doing great,” Cox said Sunday. “No decision on his next race.”

Essential Quality was to return to his Fair Grounds base later in the week, Cox said.

“We’ll give him a few days to chill out,” he said.

Essential Quality is a Godolphin homebred by Tapit. Races being considered include the Blue Grass at Keeneland, the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn.

Cox said one of Essential Quality’s best qualities is his stamina. It was apparent as he finished strongly in the slop in the Southwest – after a wide trip in what was his first start in nearly four months. It was run over 1 1/16 miles, the same distance of his wins in the Breeders’ Cup and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity last year at Keeneland.

“He stays on,” Cox said. “He’s got a tremendous amount of stamina, never seems to get tired. Training, he does all his works well in hand. It just comes so easy for him.”

Essential Quality started his career with a maiden special weight win over six furlongs in

September at Churchill Downs.

“He’s just an exceptional talent that was able to win going three-quarters his first time out – probably not what he wants to do. Or even what he’s bred for, bred to do.”

Spielberg, winner of the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity, invaded from Southern California for the Southwest and finished second, 4 1/4 lengths behind Essential Quality.

Spielberg spotted the field several lengths when he broke last on Saturday.

“After that horrendous start, I was really happy with how he ran,” Baffert said Sunday. “He might have been closer, but he wasn’t going to beat the winner.”

Baffert said no decision has been made on the next start for Spielberg. He said the horse would return home to Santa Anita and be nominated to a number of different races.

Jackie’s Warrior eyes Pat Day

Jackie’s Warrior will cut back to one turn for his next start following a third-place finish in Saturday’s Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday.

Asmussen said Jackie’s Warrior will target the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs.

Jackie’s Warrior on Saturday set the pace in the Southwest Stakes, which was his second start at two turns following a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

The horse is unbeaten at one turn, winning both the Grade 1 Hopeful and Grade 1 Champagne at the configuration, the latter with a Beyer Speed Figure of 100. It was the top number put up by a 2-year-old in 2020. Jackie’s Warrior also won last year’s Grade 2 Saratoga Special at one turn and a maiden special weight at five furlongs at Churchill Downs.

Jackie’s Warrior will return to Asmussen’s division at Fair Grounds.

“He came out of the race really well,” he said. “He’ll go to Fair Grounds on Tuesday.”

Big Beyer for Mystic Guide

Mystic Guide earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 108 for his Saturday win in the Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park, tying the highest figure assigned to a horse so far in 2021.

Knicks Go earned a 108 Beyer for his win in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park, after also getting a 108 in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November 2020.

Mystic Guide earned the number in his seventh career start. He emerged from the race with good energy, according to trainer Michael Stidham.

“He came out of it in great shape,” Stidham said Sunday. “He was dragging me around the shed this morning. He’s really good – bouncing.”

Mystic Guide is a Ghostzapper homebred for Godolphin. Stidham said plans for the horse’s next start being discussed include the Dubai World Cup, the New Orleans Handicap, and the Oaklawn Handicap.

Stidham said if the team wants to point to the Dubai World Cup, the decision would come in the very near future because of the procedures for traveling to the overseas race.

Mystic Guide was to return to his Fair Grounds base Monday. The Razorback was run over 1 1/16 miles, a distance Stidham considers less than optimum for Mystic Guide. Mystic Guide won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy last year at Saratoga at 1 1/8 miles and finished his season with a close second in the Jockey Club Gold

Cup at Belmont over 1 1/4 miles.

“A mile and an eighth, a mile and a quarter is even more up his alley,” Stidham said. “So, I think the sky’s the limit for him. The way we spaced him out as a 3-year-old, gave him the time, brought him back now, and this race to start out his 4-year-old year is huge.”

Mystic Guide won by six lengths and was the 121-pound highweight on Saturday. He is out of the A.P. Indy mare Music Note, who won five Grade 1 races and earned more than $1.7 million.

Senor Buscador sidelined

Senor Buscador, who won the Springboard Mile and was fifth most recently in the Risen Star Stakes, emerged from a recent workout in preparation for the March 13 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn with what appears to be a minor injury and will be given time to recuperate, trainer Todd Fincher said Monday from Sam Houston, where Senor Buscador has been training. Fincher said the issue is with Senor Buscador’s right front leg.

“We’re not 100 percent sure, he hasn’t had a full evaluation yet, but he wasn’t completely sound when he jogged and he palpated just a touch on that suspensory,” Fincher said. “You could do things to keep going, but it wouldn’t be the right decision for the horse’s sake, or anyone else’s. He’s about to tear his stall down. But he’s just not right. You have to do the right thing. It’ll pay off in the long run.”

Senor Buscador will be sent to Elgin Veterinary Hospital in Elgin, Texas, in coming days for a full workup by Dr. Tommy Hays, Fincher said.

News of his injury was first reported by horseracing.net.