Oscar Nominated upsets Spiral, will have to be supplemented to Kentucky Derby

Apr 03, 2016 by James Scully/Brisnet.com

Oscar Nominated rallied wide into contention on the far turn and wore down Azar in deep stretch, posting a 23-1 upset in Saturday’s $500,000 Spiral (G3) at Turfway Park. The Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier offered 50 points to the winner, but Oscar Nominated will have to be supplemented for a $200,000 fee after not being nominated to the Triple Crown.

Owned by Ken & Sarah Ramsey, the Mike Maker-trained Oscar Nominated was ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. The son of Kitten’s Joy completed the 1 1/8-mile race on Polytrack in 1:51.12.

Ramsey said he plans to run Oscar Nominated in the May 7 Kentucky Derby.

With the neck decision, Oscar Nominated has now earned $371,860 from a 7-3-2-0 record. He was claimed for $75,000 from a maiden win at Belmont Park last October and entered the Spiral off a victory in the grassy Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Azar held second by a neck and it was another neck back to Surgical Strike, who experienced an extremely wide trip rallying for third. It was another neck to Two Step Time, who edged Rali by a nose for fourth in a very tight finish.

Photo courtesy of Turfway Park/Coady Photography