NEWS
Oaklawn Park Handicap preview: Cat Thief meets Almutawakel
Posted: Friday, April 07, 2000
Cat Thief, last year's 1999 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner, will tackle 1999 Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Almutawakel in the Oaklawn Park Handicap (G1) on Saturday at Oaklawn Park. Six horses will compete in the 1 1/8-mile, $600,000 race, including veteran Budroyale and Allen's Oop.
Overbrook Farm's Cat Thief, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, has not won a race since the November 6 Classic, finishing sixth last time out in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 4 at Santa Anita Park. Almutawakel, owned by Shiek Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Shadwell Stable, finished fifth in the Breeders' Cup Classic and was seventh in the Donn Handicap (G1) on February 5 in his 2000 debut.
Veteran stakes winner Budroyale won the San Antonio Handicap (G2) on February 6 at Santa Anita Park, then returned to finish second behind General Challenge in the Santa Anita Handicap. Last Year's Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up, Budroyale is trained by Ted West for owner Jeffrey Sengara and will carry highweight of 122.
Dallas Keen-trained Allen's Oop is on a three-race winning streak, capturing the Sam Houston Sprint, Maxxam Gold Cup, and New Orleans (G3) Handicaps. He sports a record of 5-5-5 in 19 starts for owner James D. Jackson.
The field, in post-position order, with jockeys and weights:
1. Allen's Oop, Willie Martinez, 114;
2. Budroyale, Garrett Gomez, 122;
3. K One King, Calvin Borel, 112;
4. Pleasant Breeze, Jorge Chavez, 112;
5. Cat Thief, Victor Espinoza, 118; and
6. Almutawakel (GB), John Velazquez, 117.
