McPeek sends Envoutante for start in Azeri Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Envoutante on Wednesday was traveling to Oaklawn Park for an intended start in the track’s Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri Stakes on March 13, trainer Ken McPeek said. The start will be Envoutante’s first since her six-length victory in the Grade 2 Falls City in November at Churchill Downs.

McPeek also has nominated champion Swiss Skydiver for the Azeri and said she remains under consideration for the 1 1/16-mile race as well as the Grade 1, $300,000 Beholder Mile the same day at Santa Anita.

“We’re not ruling out the Azeri,” McPeek said Wednesday.

McPeek said Swiss Skydiver is scheduled to work Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

As for Envoutante, she is scheduled to work Saturday at Oaklawn. McPeek said Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount in the Azeri.

McPeek on Wednesday was sending five horses from Florida to Arkansas for various races. Oliviaofthedesert and Tabor Hall are entered in the Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee on Saturday at Oaklawn. The 1 1/16-mile race will reward its winner with 50 points for the Kentucky Oaks.

The Honeybee field of eight includes Will’s Secret, who won the $200,000 Martha Washington in January at Oaklawn. Jon Court has the mount for Arkansas-based owner Willis Horton and trainer Dallas Stewart.

David Cabrera has the mount on Oliviaofthedesert, winner of the Trapeze Stakes at a mile in her last start Dec. 18 at Remington Park. David Cohen will be aboard Tabor Hall, who was a maiden special weight winner at 1 1/16 miles in January at Gulfstream Park.

Kimari targeting Madison

Kimari has run some big races, but none bigger than the powerful performance she turned in Saturday at Oaklawn when winning the $200,000 Spring Fever.

Kimari stalked the pace, took over, then separated herself from her rivals for an authoritative 4 1/4-length win. The start was her first since September.

“She certainly ran the race of her life,” said Wesley Ward, who trains Kimari for Ten Broeck Farm.

Ward said Kimari is now being pointed to the Grade 1, $300,000 Madison for fillies and mares at seven furlongs April 3 at Keeneland.

Kimari earned a careerhigh Beyer Speed Figure of 97 for her Spring Fever win after covering 5 1/2 furlongs in the slop in 1:04.07. Past highlights from the Munnings filly include a 15-length debut win over males in 2019; a stakes victory over colts the same year in the Indian Summer at Keeneland; and a runnerup finish against males in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup last year at Royal Ascot.

“She’s a big, imposing type of filly,” Ward said. “She only had a couple of starts last year. She’s kind of filling into that big frame of hers. The race she ran the other day was sensational.”

Ward said Kimari has since been shipped to Keeneland.

‘Monomoy’ to Apple Blossom

Champion Monomoy Girl launched her season Sunday with a win in the Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn, and has come out of the race in excellent fashion, according to trainer Brad Cox.

Monomoy Girl traveled back to her Fair Grounds base Tuesday, along with champion Essential Quality. Cox said plans are for Monomoy Girl to return to Oaklawn for the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom on April 17.

Monomoy Girl was a twolength winner of the Bayakoa. She settled just off the pace, tracking Finite and Our Super Freak into the stretch under regular rider Florent Geroux.

“When they straightened up at the top of the lane and the three of them were right there, Florent really called upon her and she put some distance on them,” Cox said. “It was visually impressive.”

Geroux, who is the secondleading rider at Oaklawn, will be in California for much of the week in order to ride Maxfield in the Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday. Geroux’s agent, Doug Bredar, said protocols for jockeys during the pandemic dictated Geroux be in California on Wednesday. He will not be riding at Oaklawn again until Sunday. In addition to Maxfield, Geroux has been booked to ride Hit the Road in the Kilroe Mile on Saturday at Santa Anita, Bredar said.

Delta raising purses again

Delta Downs will increase overnight purses by approximately 10 percent starting Monday, according to Chris Warren, director of racing for the Vinton, La., track.

“Handle is going well,” he said.

The increase is the second of the meet. The season runs through April 16.

Delta lost four days of racing due to the recent winter storm system, and those lost races are being made up by adding races to existing cards, Warren said.

Remington opens Sunday

Remington Park will open its Quarter Horse meet Sunday after the season was delayed three days due to the recent winter storm. The 49-date meet runs through May 29.

The card Sunday is made up of trials. Remington also will race Monday, featuring trials for the Oklahoma Futurity, and on Tuesday, featuring a stakes double. The track reverts to its Thursdaythrough-Sunday schedule March 11.

Highlights of the season include the Grade 1, $1 million Heritage Place Futurity on May 29. The race is one of nine stakes on a card worth $2 million. The program will include the Grade 1, $250,000 Debbie Schauf Memorial Championship.

The Grade 1, $1.1 million Remington Park Futurity for Oklahoma-breds will be run April 17.

◗ Sam Houston Race Park will launch its Quarter Horse meet April 23. The season runs through June 12. Purses are projected to average more than $225,000 a program, said Frank Hopf, senior director of racing operations for Sam Houston. Stall applications are due March 10.