Asmussen Team Hoping Poor Trip Won’t Happen Again to It Happened Again

After an unlucky third-place finish in the Fifth Season Stakes, Maggi Moss’s It Happened Again will team with Oaklawn’s leading jockey Terry Thompson in Saturday’s $100,000 Essex Handicap.

The winner of the 2011 Razorback Handicap (G3), It Happened Again was the 4-5 favorite in the season-opening feature last month, but was stymied by traffic trouble and was unable to catch Color Me Blue or second-place Twice the Appeal.

“He’s been doing fine and very happy since the race,” said Mitch Dennison, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen in charge of the Oaklawn string. “The main thing is we hope he gets the trip that he deserves  because he loves Oaklawn.”

Apprehender Out to Capture Southwest After Flashy Debut

On a raw, stormy day, the Dream Farm LLC’s Apprehender was like a lightning strike in his debut at Oaklawn Thursday and showed he is a contender for the $250,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 20.

Calling the gelded son of Posse one of the best horses she’s ever trained, trainer Ingrid Mason needed to be convinced to race the 3-year-old in the 5 1/2-furlong maiden contest because of concerns about a muddy track and the short distance. Consider those concerns dismissed after a 7 ½-length romp under jockey Inosencio Diego.

Haran Out to Build Strong Winter at Oaklawn

Owner/trainer John Haran has made a good living for himself multitasking and keeping his options open. With a construction business, two farms and a racing operation at Oaklawn, weighing choices comes with the territory, and he is doing that with Darland, a mare he may send into Saturday’s $75,000 Pippin Stakes.

“I’ve tried three times to find a race for her, but it hasn’t worked out,” said Haran, 50, with an Irish brogue tipping where the owner of Eagle Valley Farm in Kentucky is originally from. “Depending on the size of the field I may have to go into the stakes. It’s a little bit over her head, but there just doesn’t seem to be many fillies ready to go long yet to make an easier race go.”