BY BROCK SHERIDAN
The Florida-bred pair of Outlaw Country and Extendo are among a full gate of 3-year-olds and older entered to sprint five-and-a-half furlongs on the Monmouth Park turf on Saturday in the $100,000 Wolf Hill.
While Kenwood Racing LLC and trainer Kelly Breen’s Outlaw County is making his first start against stakes company, the 4-year-old gelding comes into the Wolf Hill with plenty of credentials for a potential upset.
Outlaw Country has won four of five starts on the Monmouth Park turf including a last out victory on June 23 in a second condition, $30,000 optional claiming at five-and-a-half furlongs.
Claimed by Breen for $16,000 out of a winning effort on the Monmouth Park turf in July of last year, Outlaw Country won a $40,000 claiming for the new connections on the same course in his next start in August.
Outlaw Country has continued to produce in 10 races since, winning three with four seconds and two thirds while sprinting on turf and synthetic.
Outlaw Country is by Good Samaritan out of Leilani’s Lady by Beau Choix and was bred in Florida by Bulldog Racing. A $25,000 purchase by Vekoma Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Abbie Road Farm, Outlaw Country has earned $244,275 on the track.
Vincent Cheminaud has the mount on Outlaw Country and they have post seven. Outlaw Country is 15-1 on the morning line.
While Extendo has plenty of experience in stakes, including a second-place finish to Smithwick’s Spice in the Leinster Turf Dash at Tampa Bay in February, the 4-year-old son of Handsome Mike makes his first career start on the Monmouth Park turf.
Extendo just missed winning his last race against a field of $35,000 starter allowance, optional claiming horses at Gulfstream on June 6. He was in front at every call of the five-and-a-half furlongs on synthetic but was caught at the wire to finish just a nose shy of winning Florida-bred Sigiloso.
Claimed for $40,000 out of a winning effort at Gulfstream in October by trainer Joe Orseno, Extendo too has been productive for his new barn. He won a first level, $25,000 optional claiming in his next race in November at Gulfstream and has since finished second four times with a third in seven starts.
For his career, Extendo has five wins, four seconds and a third with earnings of $187,520. Bred by Helen and Joseph Barbarzon, Extendo is out of Jeekers, by Forest Wildcat and is a two-time OBS graduate. He first sold to Juan Garcia for $7,500 at the 2021 Winter Mixed Sale where he was consigned by Kim Harrison. He was then purchased at the 2022 OBS June Sale for $25,000 by Bell Racing out of the J. J. Thoroughbreds consignment.
Extendo is 5-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Luis Saez from post six.
Trainer Michael Trombetta will saddle 5-2 morning line favorite Arzak, who makes his third start of the year in the Wolf Hill.
The 6-year-old son of Not This Time was second to Cogburn in the Grade 1 Jairpur going five-and-a-half furlongs on the turf at Saratoga on June 8 after winning the Grade 2 Shakertown at the same distance at Keeneland on April 6.
Owned by Sonata Stable, Arzak finished last year with a sixth-place finish, but less than two lengths behind winner Nobals in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
Arzak too is an OBS alum, having sold for $575,000 to Marc Tacher at the 2020 Spring Sale out of the Julie Davies consignment. He has since earned $924,019 from eight wins, four seconds and a third in 26 career starts.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Arzak from post five.
Others entered for the Wolf Hill are Eamonn, who will be ridden by Paco Lopez; Golden Brown and jockey Samuel Marin, That’s Right with Jairo Rendon up, Alogon will have Abner Adorno in the saddle, Nothing Better and rider Jorge Ruiz, Let My People Go with jockey Frankie Dettori and Barristan the Bold (GB) will have Sammy Camacho Jr. in the irons.
