Wells Bayou Works, Possible for Arkansas Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

Wells Bayou (Lookin at Lucky) returned to the work tab for the first time since his Mar. 21 GII Louisiana Derby victory with a four-furlong drill in :49.80 (32/56) at Oaklawn Park Monday. With the GI Kentucky Derby postponed until September and no new date yet released for the GI Preakness S., the bay colt could make his next start in the May 2 GI Arkansas Derby.

“We’d love to win the Arkansas Derby,” co-owner Lance Gasaway told the Oaklawn Park media team after watching Wells Bayou train Saturday morning. “Everything now is all based on what they do with the Preakness. We have no idea. We just don’t know. And, we want him here. Trust me, we want to run here in Arkansas. We love it here. But, it’s like [trainer] Brad [Cox] always says, ‘You want to do what’s best for the horse.’ That’s what we’ve got to look at.”

Gasaway and his father Clint, both Arkansas natives, are majority owners of Wells Bayou. Bloodstock agent Liz Crow of BSW Bloodstock purchased the colt on their behalf for $105,000 at last year’s OBS March sale and brokered a deal before the Louisiana Derby to bring in BSW clients Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables and Marc Lore’s Wonder Stables as partners in the Triple Crown hopeful.

“I think it’s on the table, for sure,” Crow said of the Arkansas Derby. “Everybody’s in agreement that it’s completely Brad’s decision. If he wants to run there, then we’ll run there. If he doesn’t, then we’ll wait.”

The uncertainty of the racing calendar makes planning starts extra difficult this spring.

“We really don’t know what’s going to happen with Churchill,” Crow said. “They haven’t made an announcement of when they’re going to open their meet. Do you sit and wait for something? What’s going to happen with the Preakness? You don’t know what’s going to happen with any of these races. It’s crazy.”

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