What’s On Track: Automatic Preakness Berths, Graded Stakes Aplenty up for Grabs

TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon

Red Route Redemption

After putting an end to a five-start winless drought with a fine performance in March’s New Orleans Classic (G2), Red Route One’s (7-2) redemption arc continues this Saturday at Oaklawn Park. The 4-year-old colt is set to square off against 10 challengers for a shot at the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2).

It’s been an up-and-down 18-race tenure for the Steve Asmussen trainee, who’s spent the majority of those near 20 starts (14) competing at the graded level. To date, Red Route One’s greatest conquest remains the New Orleans, which he took by two lengths at 4-1.

That would change, however, should the Joel Rosario mount be successful in his first appearance at Oaklawn since Apr. 22, 2023.

.500 Ball

Everybody misses the cut at some point in their lives. Well, maybe not Scottie Scheffler, but he’s on another planet right now. Any who, the point is it doesn’t matter if you miss the cut, what matters is how you bounce back.

That’s exactly what 5-year-old Missed the Cut did after a dismal 12^th place outing in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. The John Sadler trainee can score a third consecutive graded title with a win in this Saturday’s $350,000 Elkhorn (G2T) at Keeneland.

Following the Breeders’ Cup debacle, Missed the Cut ran to second in the San Gabriel (G2) before churning out back-to-back victories in the San Marcos (G3) and San Luis Rey (G3).

Sitting at 7-2-0 through 15 career starts, the Irad Ortiz Jr. mount can reach the 50 per cent win mark on Saturday at 4-1.

Find your Footing

Dynamic One (8-1) has been anything but lately, missing the podium in four straight starts. The 5-year-old’s fifth chance to get back on track comes this Saturday in the second graded event on Keeneland’s Saturday card, the $300,000 Ben Ali (G3).

It hasn’t been all bad for Dynamic one, though. The Todd Pletcher charge has won three stakes in 10 attempts, including last July’s Suburban (G2) at Belmont. What has been a struggle, however, is sustaining the momentum from the Suburban.

As alluded to earlier, those four straight podium misses directly followed the fruitful Belmont romp. Despite the recent downturn, the Kentucky-bred still finds himself atop the podium at a 50 per cent clip (16: 4-3-1).

Rabbit Out of a Hat

After a successful gate-to-wire run in his most recent optional-claiming run, Maximus Magic’s connections decided it was time for a promotion to the stakes level. Following in the footsteps of some of Major League Baseball’s finest young talents, the 3-year-old colt’s ascent up the ranks finds him at Oaklawn Park for Saturday’s $200,000 Bath House Row Stakes.

The 1 1/8-mile contest is no ordinary event, either. The winner will earn an automatic berth into this May’s Preakness at its usual home venue of Pimlico Race Course in Maryland.

With their sights clearly set on higher ambitions, Maximus Magic and Co. will first need to find success in the Bath Row House, which represents the Norman McKnight protégé’s stiffest challenge to date.

Maximus Magic enters at 4-1.

Best of Three

Desert Dawn enters this Sunday’s $200,000 Santa Maria (G2) with a shot at a 3-0 series sweep of Coffee in Bed on the line.

The pair is scheduled to meet at Santa Anita for the third time in 91 days, and if their two previous matchups are any indication of who will come out on top, prospects are dim for Coffee in Bed.

In their first clash, the La Canada (G3), Desert Dawn captured the top spot by one length over Coffee in Bed. Not 50 days later, the foe’s reacquainted for the Beholder Mile (G1). While neither was victorious, nor found the podium for that matter, the 5-year-old Desert Dawn (fourth) still maintained an edge over her 4-year-old counterpart (sixth).

Desert Dawn is 3-5-5 through 20 career starts, while Coffee in Bed is 2-2-1 from 8.