Full Field (Minus One) for Southwest

A field of 12 sophomore colts and geldings was entered for Monday’s GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park, but that number was quickly reduced to 11 when trainer Tom Amoss announced that Loooch Racing Stables and Christopher Dunn’s GIII Lecomte S. runner-up War Story (Northern Afleet), who had drawn post 11, would return to New Orleans for next Saturday’s GII Risen Star S. 

“It’s been well-documented that that post is tough to win from,” Amoss said early Friday afternoon. “And the weather forecast combined with that–it’s just too much.” 

Cold temperatures are expected to creep into Arkansas early next week. 

The Southwest, the second of a three-race lead-up to the GI Arkansas Derby, has attracted the top four horses home from the Jan. 19 Smarty Jones S.–the victorious Far Right (Notional), the over-achieving Bayerd (Speightstown), Mr. Z(Malibu Moon), who drifted badly in that race, and Private Prospect (Discreet Cat). 

Drawn on the fence for his first start against winners is Don Dizney’s J S Bach (Tale of the Cat), who ran into a buzz-saw named R Limo Joe (Kantharos) in his 5 1/2-furlong debut Dec. 19 at Gulfstream Park, but knocked out his maiden with a front-running success going two turns in Hallandale Jan. 17. 

Yet another new shooter is Gary Barber’s Kantune (Kantharos). The bay colt was not embarrassed in a half-dozen California appearances while facing the likes of future GSW Lord Nelson (Pulpit), J “TDN Rising Star” J Punctuate (Distorted Humor) and talking horse Prospect Park (Tapit). The Mark Casse runner made light work of a group of local maidens going this distance Jan. 23.