Oaklawn Park Barn Notes: Soldier N Diplomat To Target G3 Southwest Stakes Next

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will be chasing seven-figure stakes races for 3-year-olds on two continents in upcoming weeks.

Asmussen said Wednesday morning that Soldier N Diplomat is targeting the $1 million Southwest (G3) Jan. 31 at Oaklawn, with stablemate Obliteration headed to the $1.5 million Saudi Derby (G3) Feb. 14 in Saudi Arabia. Both races offer qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.

Facing some of the country’s top 2-year-olds, including probable Eclipse Award winner Ted Noffey, Further Ado and Buetane, Soldier N Diplomat finished fourth in the seven-furlong Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 1 at Saratoga and third in the 8 ½-furlong Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs in his last start.

Soldier N Diplomat was a debut winner at going six furlongs Sept. 1 at Saratoga and a nine-length winner in his only other start, in a one-mile allowance race Oct. 26 at Churchill Downs.

Asked what he likes about Soldier N Diplomat, Asmussen said: “How fast he is. He’s got a lot of talent.”

In advance of his 3-year-old debut, Soldier N Diplomat has had four workouts at Fair Grounds since the Kentucky Jockey Club.

“He’ll work Saturday at Fair Grounds and then come up here if the weather clears,” Asmussen said.

Asmussen, a three-time Southwest winner, trains Soldier N Diplomat for the nationally prominent St. Elias Stable (Vinnie and Teresa Viola), which purchased the son of unbeaten Grade 1 winner Army Mule for $950,000 at the OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training. St. Elias Stable campaigned Army Mule with future Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The Southwest is Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races and will offer 42 total points to its top five finishers (20-10-6-4-2, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the Southwest and three other stakes races Jan. 31, including the $300,000 Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies.

In addition to Soldier N Diplomat, the Oaklawn racing department listed nine other early probables Wednesday morning for the Southwest – Baytown Dreamer for trainer Paul McEntee, Circle Tap (Dallas Stewart), D’code (H. Ray Ashford Jr.), Rancho Santa Fe (Brad Cox), Reclamation (Chris Davis), Silent Tactic (Mark Casse), Silver Prince (Ron Moquett), Sleepingonfreedom (Kenny McPeek) and Strategic Risk (Casse).

Strategic Risk and Silent Tactic, who finished first and second, respectively, in Oaklawn’s $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3, both worked five furlongs over a good-rated surface Wednesday morning. Silent Tactic went in 1:01.60, Strategic Risk in 1:02.40.

Earlier on the Jan. 3 card, Obliteration, in his return to dirt, was a 7 ½-length winner of the $150,000 Renaissance Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 furlongs. The one-turn Saudi Derby is 1,600 meters (about 1 mile) on dirt.

“He flies out of Miami on (Feb. 2), runs on the 14^th,” Asmussen said.

Grace Is Free

Grace Is Free is scheduled to make her two-turn debut in the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 31, trainer Robert N. Cline said Tuesday morning. The 1 1/16-mile Martha Washington is Oaklawn’s first of three qualifying races for the Kentucky Oaks (G1), which is the country’s biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies.

The Martha Washington will offer 42 total points to its top five finishers (20-10-6-4-2, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks.

Grace Is Free races for her breeder, retired trainer Larry Jones, a three-time Kentucky Oaks winner. Grace Is Free gave Cline and longtime significant other, jockey Kelsi Harr, their first Oaklawn stakes victory in the six-furlong $150,000 Mockingbird Jan. 4.

“She’s doing good right now,” Cline said. “The first few days you could tell she exerted herself a little bit, but she’s back to charging and screaming like she’s ready to attempt it again. We nominated to the Martha Washington and we’re kind of pointing there. Back pretty quick, but she ought to be plenty fit for that. Family suggests she can go long. We’ll see.”

Grace Is Free is by American Freedom, a two-time stakes winner at 1 1/16 miles. Jones, as a trainer, won the second division of the 2008 Martha Washington with Eight Belles, whose margin of victory (13 ½ lengths) remains the most lopsided in race history. The Martha Washington was run at one-mile in 2004-2021.

In addition to Grace Is Free, the Oaklawn racing department listed four other early probables Wednesday morning for the Martha Washington – Counting Stars for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, Hit Parade (Brad Cox), Search Party (Casse) and Spitfire (Kenny McPeek).

Counting Stars is seeking her third stakes victory this season at Oaklawn. She won the inaugural six-furlong $135,000 Astral Spa Overnight Stakes Dec. 14 (Grace Is Free was fourth) and the one-mile $150,000 Year’s End Dec. 27. Counting Stars worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 Wednesday morning under two-time Oaklawn riding champion Francisco Arrieta. The track was listed as good.

Search Party, a blowout maiden winner Dec. 27 at Oaklawn, worked five furlongs in 1:01 Wednesday morning under former jockey Autumn Lavertu.

Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the Martha Washington.

Finish Lines

Oaklawn’s 64-day split season resumes Jan. 30. The 51-day Classic racing season runs through May 2. … Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Friday for the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses at one mile. The Fifth Season closed with 43 nominations, including 2025 Southwest Stakes winner Speed King, and Arkansas Derby winner Sandman … Oaklawn stakes winners Banishing and Skippylongstocking and Oaklawn-raced Madaket Road are entered in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The Pegasus is for older horses at 1 1/8 miles and goes as the 13^th and final race on the card at 4:39 p.m. CST. Other Oaklawn graduates on the Pegasus Day card at Gulfstream include Indy Bay and Jody’s Pridein the $225,000 Inside Information Stakes (Race 11, 3:18 p.m.), a seven-furlong dirt race for older fillies and mares.