April 30, 2024

By My Standards wins third straight in Oaklawn Handicap

By My Standards Oaklawn Handicap
By My Standards wins the 2020 Oaklawn Handicap (Coady Photography)

Getting a trip similar to his winning performance in the Mar. 24 New Orleans Classic (G2), By My Standards made it three in a row to start 2020 when taking Saturday’s $600,000 Oaklawn H. (G2) under Gabriel Saez.

Sitting second while Warrior’s Charge carved out fractions of :23.02, :46.91, and 1:10.67, By My Standards ranged up alongside that determined foe in upper stretch and steadily edged clear late to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The final time for 9 furlongs over a fast track was a solid 1:47.80.

“He broke sharp and put me right in the race where I wanted to be. I wanted to stalked the leaders,” Saez said “Around the backstretch I was kind of cruising behind the ones in front of me and just waited for the right moment to make my move. When I asked him, he really responded.”

Owned by Allied Racing Stable and trained by Bret Calhoun, By My Standards returned $11 as the 9-2 third choice. Warrior’s Charge held second by a half-length over 3-1 favorite Mr Freeze, who was followed by Tacitus, Tax, Captivating Moon, Sky Promise, Chess Chief, Night Ops, Combatant, Bravazo, Identifier, and Trophy Chaser.

This was the third stakes win in four such appearances for By My Standards, who entered the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) picture with a 22-1 upset victory in last year’s Louisiana Derby (G2) coming off a maiden win in his fourth career start.

Placed 11th in the Kentucky Derby after a rough trip, By My Standards subsequently dealt with foot issues, including a quarter crack, and was not seen again until a Feb. 9 allowance at Fair Grounds, which he won by six lengths. His subsequent score in the New Orleans Classic was by three lengths. By My Standards now sports a record of 9-5-2-1, $1,281,910.

Bred in Kentucky by Don Ladd, By My Standards most recently sold for $150,000 as an OBS April juvenile. He’s out of Grade 2-placed stakes winner A Jealous Woman, by Muqtarib.