7/2/26 Barn Notes
Compiled by Robert Yates
Six Oaklawn-raced horses are entered in the $500,000 G2-Suburban Stakes Saturday at Saratoga.
The Suburban, a 1 ¼-mile event for older horses, is the eighth of 11 races, with probable post time 3:42 p.m. CDT.
The 4-1 second choice in the program is Forged Steel, who is seeking his third consecutive victory for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Forged Steel finished third in the 1 ½-mile $200,000 Temperence Hill Stakes for older horses March 28 at Oaklawn. The 4-year-old gray son of Vekoma then scored a front-running one-length allowance victory at one mile May 2 at Oaklawn.
Forged Steel exits a powerful 9 ½-length victory in the G2-Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes at 1 ¼ miles May 25 at Santa Anita. Two-time Eclipse Award winner Flavien Prat has the return call on Forged Steel, who is scheduled to break from post 2 in the 11-horse field.
Temperence Hill winner Parchment Party (8-1) is seeking his third consecutive victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. In his last start, Parchment Party won 1 ½-mile the Isaac Murphy Marathon Stakes April 29 at Churchill Downs.
Mott, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1986, is also scheduled to start Stars and Stripes (6-1). Stars and Stripes is also riding a two-race winning streak, taking a 1 1/8-mile allowance March 8 at Oaklawn and the 1 3/16-mile G3-Ben Ali Stakes April 18 at Keeneland.
Other Oaklawn-raced horses entered in the Suburban are Hit Show (5-1) for trainer Brad Cox, Original Sin (10-1) for trainer Brendan Walsh and Tiztastic (12-1) for all-time Oaklawn leading trainer Steve Asmussen.
Hit Show, one of North America’s all-time leading career money winners, captured an entry-level allowance race for 2-year-olds in 2022 at Oaklawn.
Original Sin, then with Cox, finished third in a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds in 2024 at Oaklawn.
Tiztastic ran in two Kentucky Derby qualifying races in 2025 at Oaklawn, finishing third in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) and fifth in the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2).
Tiztastic won the G2-Louisiana Derby in his next start and ran 10th in the Kentucky Derby.
Finish Lines
Oaklawn stakes winner Two Seven O, Oaklawn allowance winner Spun D M C and Oaklawn-raced Tiz Mary’s Comet are entered in the $175,000 Dade Park Dash Stakes for 3-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Saturday at Ellis Park. … Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Viking is entered in the six-furlong $100,000 Smile Sprint Stakes for 3-year-olds Saturday at Gulfstream Park. … Oaklawn stakes winner Kinetic (main track only) and Oaklawn-raced Maycocks Bay are entered in the $225,000 G3-Kelso Stakes for older horses at one mile on the turf Sunday at Saratoga. … Oaklawn-raced Woodstock is entered in the $175,000 Pea Patch Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Sunday at Ellis Park. … Oaklawn-raced Victory Music and Carolyncaroline are entered in the $100,000 Monmouth County Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Sunday at Monmouth Park. … Multiple Oaklawn winner Mischievous M (main track only) is entered in the $200,000 Harvey Pack Stakes for older horses at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Sunday at Saratoga.
