Suddenbreakingnews (Mineshaft), off since finishing second in the Dec. 13 Springboard Mile S., stormed down the center of the track to record a dramatic 2 3/4-length victory in Monday's GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park. Breaking from the outside bar one in the 14-horse field, Suddenbreakingnews was taken in hand and angled to the rail at the back of the field going into the first turn. He was well back as Siding Spring (Warrior's Reward) took the field through fractions of :23.10 and :47.06. American Dubai was first to overtake the pacesetter, inheriting the lead after three-quarters in 1:12.30 as favored Collected (City Zip) was tipped out three wide for his bid in upper stretch. The favorite flattened out and Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) surged past American Dubai, but it was Suddenbreakingnews flying down the center of the course who soared to the lead in the final sixteenth and powered clear.
“This horse ran such a nice race today,” said winning rider Luis Quinonez. “We stayed behind everyone, which helped my horse relax and it kept us out of trouble, I could see ahead of us that there were some horses in front of us that were getting in trouble. I think it helped my horse keeping him relaxed. I let him run his race. When he started making a move, I tried inside but there was nothing there. I moved him outside and with his long stride he started picking it up quick. I told myself down the lane, 'We got this.'”
Winning trainer Donnie Von Hemel was equally confident.
“I could tell at the eighth pole that he was going to get there,” Von Hemel said. “It's very exciting. More than likely, we'll look at the [Mar. 19 GII] Rebel next.”
Mike Smith, aboard runner-up Whitmore, knew he was in for a difficult day after a delayed start.
“We stood in the gate and stood in the gate and my horse is a little ornery,” Smith said. “All of sudden, he's on but then he turns mad and sulks. I'm sitting in the gate feeling him getting mad and sure enough we got away slow then he wanted to catch up with everyone. There's nowhere to catch up, everyone was close together and he's trying to run off. I finally got him to settle somewhat and he made a good run at them, but just got tired. He's got a lot of room to improve. I really like him, he could get a lot better.”
Jimmy Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, was philosophical regarding Collected's runner-up effort.
“I would have liked to have been close to the lead, on the lead,” Barnes said of the beaten favorite. “There were a lot of horses in the race and you get shoved around. You're in the gate forever. But the bottom line is you've got to get out there and run and he didn't.”
A maiden winner at Remington Park last September, Suddenbreakingnews captured the Oklahoma track's Nov. 6 Clever Trevor S. and closed stoutly to just miss catching Discreetness (Discreet Cat) by a nose when second in the one-mile Springboard Mile S. over a sloppy track last time out Dec. 13.
Suddenbreakingnews's second dam, Party Cited, produced multiple Grade I winner Composure (Touch Gold), the dam of Saturday's GII Royal Delta S. winner Penwith (Bernardini), as well as multiple graded stakes placed Centring (A.P. Indy).
Monday, Oaklawn Park
SOUTHWEST S.-GIII, $500,000, OP, 2-15, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.14, gd.
1–@SUDDENBREAKINGNEWS, 117, g, 3, by Mineshaft
1st Dam: Uchitel, by Afleet Alex
2nd Dam: Party Cited, by Alleged
3rd Dam: Dream Play, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
($72,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Samuel F. Henderson; B-Branch
Equine LLC (KY); T-Donnie K. Von Hemel; J-Luis S. Quinonez.
$300,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-3-0, $443,032. Click for
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A.
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2–Whitmore, 118, g, 3, Pleasantly Perfect–Melody's Spirit, by
Scat Daddy. O-Robert V. LaPenta, Harry T. Rosenblum &
Southern Springs Stables; B-John Liviakis (KY); T-Ron Moquett.
$100,000.
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3–American Dubai, 115, c, 3, E Dubai–Smash Review, by Bates
Motel. ($13,000 Wlg '13 EASDEC; $35,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP;
$50,000 2yo '15 OBSMAR). O-Richard Keith; B-C. Oliver Iselin
(VA); T-Rodney C. Richards. $50,000.
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Margins: 2 3/4, HF, 2. Odds: 4.10, 3.70, 21.20.
Also Ran: Collected, Siding Spring, Synchrony, Discreetness, Z Royal, Cutacorner, Gordy Florida, Bird of Trey, War Stroll, Luna de Loco, Torrontes. Click for Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree, Equibase.com chart or TJCIS PPs. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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