Siding Spring under consideration for Southwest

Edited Press Release

Trainer Mark Casse said Grade 3-placed Siding Spring, last seen finishing 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on October 31 at Keeneland, is under consideration for the $500,000 Southwest S. (G3) on February 15 at Oaklawn Park.

The Warrior’s Reward colt opened his career with a pair of turf races, taking his initial outing by six lengths at Kentucky Downs before finishing third in the Bourbon S. (G3) at Keeneland. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was the colt’s first try on dirt.

Siding Spring has had two five-furlong workouts this month at Oaklawn, going in 1:01.60 over a muddy surface on January 10 and 1:01.80 on a fast track January 24.

Casse said another of his three-year-old prospects, Conquest Windycity, is being pointed for an allowance race at Oaklawn.

The Tiznow colt ran fourth in the Iroquois S. (G3) last fall at Churchill Downs while still a maiden and next out would break his maiden at Keeneland while going 1 1/16 miles. Conquest Windycity worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 on January 25 at Oaklawn.

In other Southwest news, Cutacorner breezed five furlongs in company after the break on Sunday for Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg.

A gray son of Even the Score, Cutacorner was caught in in 1:01 over Oaklawn’s fast dirt. He’s already faced stakes rivals twice, finishing fourth both times in the Juvenile S. at Kentucky Downs in his only turf start to date and just 1 1/2 lengths behind in the Springboard Mile.

Cutacorner broke his maiden at Remington Park before that latter event and recently scored in a January 21 first-level allowance/optional claimer at Oaklawn.

Trainer/co-owner Ron Moquett said Whitmore looked good physically following the gelding’s 1:02 five-furlong move at Oaklawn on Saturday and continues to target the Southwest.

Moquett added that he’ll confer with co-owners Harry Rosenblum and Robert LaPenta before giving Whitmore the green light for the Southwest.

Trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said he will probably work Suddenbreakingnews Monday morning in preparation for the Southwest.