Math Wizard resurfaces in Oaklawn’s Razorback Handicap field of 11

Math Wizard has followed the money to Monday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park. Connections will hope he proves the effort could have been worth more.

Overlooked for the $20 million Saudi Cup, the son of Algorithms will make the 1 1/16-mile Razorback his 4-year-old debut as well as his first outing since a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

A former claimer scooped out of a Gulfstream Park victory last year by trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., Math Wizard went on to earn a pair of Grade 3 placings before running to an upset of the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) — Joseph Jr.’s first attempt at a Grade 1 race.

Math Wizard’s large ownership group including John Fanelli, who encouraged Joseph Jr. to ship for the Pennsylvania Derby last year, had also considered the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup (G1). But a break in his work pattern due to a minor setback led them to focus on the world’s richest race in Saudi Arabia.

Math Wizard, however, didn’t make the invitation list, with Joseph Jr. saying recently that “it’s a little bit of a farce how they’ve handled it.”

Connections have to be expecting a big effort, then, with jockey Javier Castellano up from post No. 2. Math Wizard figures to content for morning line favoritism with Joevia and Warrior’s Charge.

Joevia, third in the 2019 Belmont Stakes, didn’t race again as a sophomore after setting the pace in the third leg of the Triple Crown. He returned in style on Jan. 17 to win an allowance optional claiming race around one turn at Aqueduct.

Warrior’s Charge similarly factored on the front end of a class race last spring, running fourth in the Preakness Stakes. He, too, missed time before coming back to win a Dec. 18 allowance optional claiming event at Fair Grounds.

Guest Suite and Pioneer Spirit are previous winners at the current Oaklawn meet having taken separate divisions of the Fifth Season, while Bravazo, Snapper Sinclair, Bankit and Rated R Superstar exit those same races back on Jan. 25.

The Razorback’s other contender, Campaign, has shipped in for trainer John Sadler. He won multiple stakes last season at marathon distances before easing in the Marathon Stakes (G2) on Breeders’ Cup weekend. The 5-year-old shows a series of swift works at Santa Anita entering Monday.

The Razorback, carded as Race 8 with post time 5:09 p.m. ET, will be joined on Oaklawn’s Presidents Day card by the Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds and Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares.

Remaining for older males this season at Oaklawn are the $350,000 Essex Handicap on March 14 with the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 18.