Whelen Springs got up in the final strides to nail favored Cogburn and capture the Listed Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn Park by a neck on Saturday, 30 April.
The Bachelor was the second straight Stakes win for the three-year-old son of Street Sense, after taking the Rainbow Stakes over the same strip earlier in the month. The win also extended Whelen Spring’s winning streak to three straight races.
Breaking alertly under jockey Emmanuel Esquivel, Whelen Springs prompted the pace from the start, sitting just off the flank of the leader, Cogburn. The Shortleaf Stable color-bearer continued to track Cogburn through the far turn but fell back slightly while drifting as they entered the homestretch. Whelen Springs then re-rallied, responding to the vigorous urging from his rider, to just get up in the final strides to post the victory.
Whelen Springs was bred in Arkansas and races for his owner, Shortleaf Stable. He is out of the Pure Prize mare, Holy Nova, winner of the G3 Ballerina Stakes. Holy Nova is a half-sister to Stakes-placed Spitfire Wind, and hails from the family of Graded Stakes winners Kyle’s Our Man (G2) and Aspen Rose (G2).
In addition to Whelen Springs, Street Sense is represented this year by the exciting Speaker’s Corner, who is undefeated in three starts in 2022 (all in Graded Stakes). His most recent victory was a dominating five-length win in the G1 Carter Handicap on 9 April. Street Sense is also the sire of Heaven Street, winner of the Listed Columbia Stakes and Home Brew, winner of the Listed Oaklawn Stakes.
Street Sense is standing the 2022 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $75,000, stands and nurses.
