What we learned: Outside runs lead to 2 wins at Oaklawn
Outside closers took both the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn Park by a narrow margin for each race.
In the case of Proxy in the Oaklawn Handicap, he benefited from the bumping and traffic to the inside of him in the stretch. Red Route One had a fast pace ahead to help him in the Bath House Row.
Did Proxy and Red Route One come away looking good in their wins despite the help? The important parts are broken down below.
Oaklawn Handicap (G2)
Proxy won the Oaklawn with a steady rally from the outside, but Stilleto Boy, Last Samurai and even Charge It went through more eventful trips.
Stilleto Boy took the lead early on and set fractions of 23.23 seconds, 47.64 and 1:12.56 while under pressure from Classic Causeway. Behind them on the outside, Charge It ran in third under a tight hold. Last Samurai cut the corner and took a cozy spot in fourth on the rail. Then came Proxy in fifth.
As Stilleto Boy rounded the far turn, he found himself facing new threats from Charge It to his right side and Last Samurai on the rail. Señor Buscador began to threaten the leaders too as he tipped out.
From there, jockey Kent Desormeaux on Stilleto Boy chose to race-ride his opponents. First, Stilleto Boy made it tight on Last Samurai on the inside, which led to Last Samurai brushing the rail and losing balance. Then Stilleto Boy came out a lane and interfered with Charge It's path.
Despite the incident, Last Samurai kept fighting Stilleto Boy along the rail. Charge It lost interest and started to fade out of the picture.
Meanwhile, Proxy surprisingly came back into the picture after looking disinterested on the far turn. Proxy made up ground steadily and got up just in time to beat Last Samurai and Stilleto Boy at the wire.
Proxy finished the nine furlongs in 1:49.68, which resulted in a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.
Even though Last Samurai did not give up, it is hard to tell how much the rail-brushing incident affected his rally. Given he lost by a head, maybe the trouble meant the difference between winning and losing.
Desormeaux rode Stilleto Boy in an aggressive manner, but it felt too aggressive with him putting Last Samurai in tight quarters and then interfering with Charge It. There is a line between riding to win and safety.
Proxy has improved as an older horse, but the trouble to his inside clearly helped him. Keep that in mind when he runs next.
Bath House Row
Red Route One mowed down Tapit Shoes and Victory Formation in the stretch run of the Bath House Row Stakes to pick up his first dirt win and end his six-race losing streak, which started when he moved to dirt racing.
With that said, he did receive some help from a fast pace scenario.
Victory Formation went to the front and led under pressure from Two Eagles River through swift fractions of 22.87 seconds, 46.95 and 1:12.06. All three of those fractional times were faster than the first three fractions of the Oaklawn Handicap, and both races were run at the same distance.
As Two Eagles River began to fade at the top of the stretch, Tapit Shoes set into striking position on the far turn and took aim at tired pacesetter Victory Formation.
Tapit Shoes eventually took a small lead from Victory Formation, who kept up despite losing the lead. Red Route One cut through the center of the field on the far turn with a huge closing move and now took aim at Tapit Shoes in mid-stretch. Although Red Route One took every step of the stretch, he caught Tapit Shoes and won by a head, with Victory Formation third and only a half-length behind Red Route One.
Red Route One completed the nine furlongs in 1:50.94 and earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.
Given the pace scenario, Victory Formation ran better than his finishing position indicates. He deserves another shot from bettors in a route.
Tapit Shoes fought gamely, although he lost with no real excuse. To give him some credit though, he runs in a more professional manner relative to his earlier races this year. He can still develop and improve more.
Red Route One won a dirt race for the first time. He has had a habit of finishing in the money without winning. Given his come-from-the-clouds style, Red Route One still feels like a runner to use underneath if he runs in the Preakness Stakes. After all, catching an undeveloped Tapit Shoes in an ungraded race is not the same as capturing the second Triple Crown leg.
If Victory Formation tries the Preakness, give him a look if he starts at big odds and the pace scenario appears soft on paper. With slow fractions, he might end up lasting longer than most bettors expect.
