Call Pat upsets Untapable in Azeri; Upstart a Razorback winner in seasonal bow

Everyone expected champion Untapable to prevail in the $350,000 Azeri (G2) while making her five-year-old debut at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.

However, Call Pat ended up running down the heavy 2-5 favorite to score back-to-back graded wins at the Arkansas track.

Call Pat had already made her 2016 bow a winning one in the Bayakoa (G3) on February 14, and was primed to add the Azeri to her resume under jockey Joe Rocco Jr.

The duo bided their time in last as High Dollar Woman led the way through the opening half-mile in :23.11 and :47.83. Sarah Sis pressed while down on the inside and Untapable was tugging hard in the third spot.

Untapable was finally given a loose rein and ranged up to take command entering the turn. Sarah Sis was putting in her own rally inside of High Dollar Woman along the rail, and those three matched strides for a moment before Untapable finally took firm control.

Though she appeared tired in the lane, Untapable still looked the winner until, suddenly, Call Pat came flying to her inside. The Brad Cox trainee split rivals and collared Untapable to secure a neck victory in a final time of 1:44.44 for 1 1/16 miles over the fast dirt.

Call Pat paid $12.20 as the 5-1 second choice in the eight-distaffer field. Untapable held second by a half-length over Streamline, who in turn was only a neck in front of Theogony on the wire.

Call Pat is no stranger to Oaklawn, having now compiled a 4-2-1 mark from 11 starts at the track. She finished fifth behind Untapable in last year’s Apple Blossom H. (G1) and the pair are expected to meet back up in that race on April 15.

Following the 2015 Apple Blossom, Call Pat went on to earn her first career stakes win in the Groupie Doll (G3) at Ellis Park. The Lawyer Ron mare also placed in three other stakes in 2015, including the Turnback the Alarm H. (G3) and Falls City H. (G3).

Call Pat – who now boasts a 30-7-5-5, $614,589, career record – is the first registered stakes winner out of the Rahy mare First Song.

While Untapable was unable to get the win in her return to action, Upstart had no problem taking home the trophy in the $350,000 Razorback H. (G3) one race later.

Trained by Richard Violette Jr. for Ralph M. Evans, the Flatter ridgling was making his four-year-old debut following a fifth-placing in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2) last September. He settled in midpack while four wide when the gates opened on the Razorback as Shotgun Kowboy post fractions of :23.15, :47.50 and 1:12.94 up front.

Upstart continued his wide trip in the lane when moving into the five path to begin his rally. With jockey Joe Bravo aboard, the dark bay New York-bred stuck his head in front and continued motoring to be a length clear of Domain’s Rap on the wire as the 5-2 favorite.

Idolo Porteno finished third a half-length behind Domain’s Rap while holding Shotgun Kowboy to fourth by that same margin.

Upstart paid $7.20 for improving his career line to 12-4-3-2, $1,460,280. He captured the Funny Cide S. in just his second career outing and would go on to place in both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Champagne (G1) as a juvenile in 2014.

Last year Upstart captured the Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream Park while placing in the Haskell Invitational (G1), Florida Derby (G1) and Fountain of Youth (G2).

Upstart is the first registered stakes winner out of the unraced Touch Gold mare Party Silks

Call Pat & Upstart photos courtesy of Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography