By Brian DiDonato
Major players in the handicap division from either coast descend upon Hot Springs for Saturday's GII Oaklawn H. Representing California is Melatonin (Kodiak Kowboy), who came from out of nowhere to run away with the GI Santa Anita H. at 16-1 Mar. 12. Third that day as the favorite was East Coast-based New York-bred Effinex (Mineshaft). A winner of last April's GIII Excelsior S. and the GII Suburban H. two starts later in July, the Jimmy Jerkens pupil would later finish third behind Tonalist (Tapit) in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Oct. 3 and second to American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Oct. 31. Effinex earned his first victory at the highest level in Churchill's GI Clark H. Nov. 27, but came up with a case of hives when beaten in the Big 'Cap. He fired two bullets back at Belmont after the trip to California.
Fellow New York-bred Upstart (Flatter) has the benefit of a race over this strip. Last year's GII Holy Bull S. winner and GI Florida Derby runner-up finished last as a popular longshot pick in the GI Kentucky Derby, but reemerged to be third behind American Pharoah and Keen Ice (Curlin) in August's GI Haskell Invitational S. and fourth in the GI Travers S. behind those same two foes in reverse order. Fifth in the GII Pennsylvania Derby in September, he was favored against a decidedly weaker field than this one in the local GIII Razorback H. Mar. 19, and uncorked a sweeping move to defeat Domain's Rap (Cherokee Rap) by a length. “He's at the top of his game right now. We know he really likes this track and he's been very happy since we got back here,” Melissa Cohen, assistant to trainer Rick Violette, told the Oaklawn press office. “This race came up pretty salty, but he's got that race under his belt. That day he was as game as could be even though he caught the widest trip of all. He's got that huge stride so it's pretty deceiving how fast he's going.”
Blofeld (Quality Road) annexed the GII Futurity S. and GII Nashua S. as a juvenile in 2014, but made just two starts at three–a third in the William Walker S. at Churchill in April and fifth in Belmont's GIII Dwyer S. July 4. The grey checked in fourth sprinting at Gulfstream Jan. 27, but parlayed a pocket trip into a head victory over stablemate Stanford (Malibu Moon) in the GII Gulfstream Park H. Mar. 5.
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