4/17/26 Bathhouse Row/Valley of Vapors Stakes Advance
By Robert Yates
$200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes – Saturday, April 18
Western Warrior tries to become a four-time winner at the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting in Saturday’s $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
The Bathhouse Row is the sixth race on the 12-race card, with probable post time 3:27 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:45 p.m. The Bathhouse Row winner, if Triple Crown nominated, earns automatic entry into the Preakness May 16 at Laurel.
The Bathhouse Row drew eight entrants, with Western Warrior the 8-5 program favorite for breeder/owner Tracy Farmer and dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Western Warrior, a gelded son of champion Essential Quality, is making his stakes debut after winning his three starts at the meeting by a combined 17 ½ lengths.
Western Warrior broke his maiden for a $35,000 claiming tag Jan. 2 and won starter/optional claimers Feb. 26 and March 26 under Ramon Vazquez, who retains the mount for the Bathhouse Row.
“We always liked him ever since he came into us in April at Keeneland,” said assistant trainer Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse’s Oaklawn division. “We always thought he was a real nice horse and he just didn’t really show much talent early. Kind of a late bloomer. We gelded him when we got to Oaklawn and that kind of worked for him. Ever since we gelded him and got to Oaklawn, he’s three-for-three and looks like a real nice horse. He’s got some good momentum going into the Bathhouse Stakes.”
Casse also trains another three-time winner this season at Oaklawn in Counting Stars, who is scheduled to make her next start in the Kentucky Oaks. Casse is seeking his record-tying 11th stakes victory at the meeting.
Thebabeslayer, Chad Allan, Khon Han, Highly Connected, Honey’s to Blame, Crupper and Royalamerican complete the Bathhouse Row field.
Arkansas-bred Honey’s to Blame (3-1) returns to stakes company after finishing a closing second against state-bred company in a 1 1/16-mile third-level allowance March 26 for co-owner/trainer Kenny McPeek. Honey’s to Blame was beaten a neck following an awkward start.
“Should have won last time,” McPeek said. “Stumbled to his knees leaving the gate. That was unfortunate. He was, I think, 1-5. Bridge jumpers didn’t like me that day.”
Honey’s to Blame finished seventh in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 1, a 1 1/16-mile race that was Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby qualifying event.
The only Triple Crown nominees entered are Khon Han (10-1) for trainer Bernardo Lopez and Crupper (20-1) for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel.
The fashionably bred Crupper exits a third-place finish in a Feb. 28 entry-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles. The winner, Exosome, made his next start in Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race, the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 28. Crupper broke his maiden at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 6.
Von Hemel trains Crupper for his breeder, Tulsa, Okla., optometrist Robert H. Zoellner. Crupper is by Candy Ride out of She’s All In, a millionaire multiple stakes winner campaigned by Zoellner and Von Hemel. She’s All In has produced multiple stakes winner She’s All Wolfe and Grade 2 runner-up Bolzy for the duo. She’s All In died foaling last year, Zoellner said.
“Wasn’t good, but she really has created quite the family for Dr. Zoellner,” Von Hemel said. “I think (Crupper) is going to like the mile and an eighth. His mama and his siblings have all exceled the farther you go and looking forward to running this weekend.”
Crupper is named after Keith Crupper, Zoellner’s Kentucky farm manager.
Khon Han (two-for-three overall) will be making his first start outside Florida. He exits a three-length first-level allowance victory at 1 mile and 40 yards Feb. 16 at Tampa Bay Downs.
$200,000 Valley of the Vapors Stakes – Saturday, April 18
Knickleandime can add to her already impressive return on investment in the one-mile $200,000 Valley of the Vapors Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Oaklawn.
Probable post time for the Valley of the Vapors, the ninth of 12 races, is 5:07 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:45 p.m.
Knickleandime races for owner Richard Bahde and trainer Randy Morse, who campaigned millionaire Grade 2 winner Taxed after they claimed her for $50,000 out of a maiden victory as a 2-year-old in 2022 at Churchill Downs. Knickleandime is following a similar path after being claimed out of maiden victory Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. Knickleandime, from the first crop of 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go, has bankrolled $158,400 in four starts this season at Oaklawn. She exits a front-running 6 ¾-length first-level allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles March 26 under Rafael Bejarano, who retains the mount Saturday.
“She ran well,” Morse said.
Knickleandime also finished second, beaten a length, in the six-furlong $150,000 Mockingbird Stakes Jan. 4 and third, beaten just three-quarters of a length, in the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 6. The 1 1/16-mile Martha Washington was Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Oaks qualifying race. Taxed ran second in the 2023 Martha Washington.
The 5-2 third choice in the program, Knickleandime is scheduled to break from post 8 in the eight-horse field. Spitfire, Holly’s Holiday, Grace Is Free, Miss Call, Scot’s Law, Sticker Shock and Jolly Jolene are also entered.
Sticker Shock, the 9-5 program favorite, exits a disappointing fourth-place finish in the $1 million Fantasy Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 27 for trainer Brad Cox. Sticker Shock, who was favored throughout much of the wagering, was beaten 21 ½ lengths by Counting Stars in Oaklawn’s third and final Kentucky Oaks qualifying race.
The robust Sticker Shock edged the diminutive Scot’s Law by a length in a Feb. 26 entry-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles. Scot’s Law, unraced since, finished third behind Counting Stars in the one-mile $150,000 Year’s End Stakes Dec. 27. Scot’s Law is 2-1 in the program.
“Tiny, but mighty,” said John Ortiz, who trains Scot’s Law. “She’s a whole lot of attitude in a small package. It’s a good spot for her. We’ve been pointing for this race, pretty much, from February. She ran a fantastic race last time. We decided to skip the Fantasy to give her some time and be prepared for the Valley of the Vapors.”
Mockingbird winner Grace Is Free ran seventh in the Martha Washington – her two-turn debut – and sixth in her last start, the $750,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 1. The 1 1/16-mile Honeybee was Oaklawn’s second Kentucky Oaks qualifying race.
“Been working great,” said Robert N. Cline, who trains Grace Is Free for Larry Jones, the now-retired three-time Kentucky Oaks winning trainer. “We gave her a little time after the Honeybee and feel like she’s doing good. We’re going to be dodging a lot of those things we’ve been running against.”
