HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- A double dose of circumstances took Allsox and Sal Gonzalez Jr. out of the $75,000 Southwest Stakes and put jockey Calvin Borel in the driver's seat.

Borel proceeded to ride Hot Wells from last to first Saturday, completing the one mile in 1:38 3-5 and returning $18.80, $.80 and $5.60 as the fifth choice in the field of 11.

Borel was supposed to ride Allsox in the Oaklawn Park race for 3-year-olds, but the gelding was scratched because of a fever. Trainer Tom Amoss had hired Gonzalez to ride Hot Wells in the race at Oaklawn Park, but Gonzalez was sick Saturday morning.

Amoss jumped at the opportunity to put Borel -- one of the leading riders at Oaklawn Park -- on Hot Wells and Borel guided the former claimer to victory.

WITH BOREL WHIPPING LEFT-HANDED, Hot Wells, claimed for $12,500 in August at Ellis Park, edged Whataflashyactor by a neck. It was another four lengths back to Slew the Mark.

Whataflashyactor, second choice in the field at almost 5-1, paid $6.40 and $5.20. Slew the Mark paid $11.

Shortly after the Southwest, Amoss said from Louisville, Ky., that the gelding would be supplemented to the Triple Crown at a cost of $6,000. "We'd feel awfully funny if we were caught sitting on our hands on Derby Day," Amoss said.

Six of the horses in the Southwest were Triple Crown nominees, including favored Accelerated Time, who finished last. "I can't explain it," jockey Dean Kutz said.

WHATAFLASHYACTOR, WITH CARLOS GONZALEZ aboard, swooped horses on the far turn and opened a three-length turning for home. At that point, Hot Wells was third, five lengths back.

"When Carlos sent his horse going into the turn, I turned mine loose," Borel said. "The trainer had told me he would be green, so I was able to keep him out in the middle of the track using a left-hand whip ..."

"Going into the turn, I had to make a choice of going and saving ground or just sitting there and being forced to stay seven or eight throughout the turn," Gonzalez said. "He made a big move, and when we hit the top of the lane I thought he was going to be an easy winner, but he got real tired late."

"When Carlos made that big run, it looked a little spooky," said Maurice Sanchez, who saddled Hot Wells for Amoss.

SLEW THE MARK AND DIRTY MIKE took the field through the first half mile in :46 1-5. At that point, Whataflashyactor was eighth and Hot Wells was 10th, more than a dozen lengths off the lead.

"At the beginning, I thought, 'What's Calvin up to?' " said Sanchez, who has worked for Amoss for about 10 years.

"They wanted me laying about midpack early, but he stumbled just a little leaving the gate so I took him back rather than be caught five or six wide in the first turn," Borel said.

Hot Wells did not win a race until the sixth start of his career on Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs. Three weeks later, the son of Go and Go captured an allowance race in New Orleans. On Jan. 31, Hot Wells was fourth, beaten by two lengths in the Lecomte Handicap at New Orleans.

Hot Wells earned $45,000 on Saturday, pushing his earnings past $84,000.

Amoss said Hot Wells would remain at Oaklawn with an eye on the $125,000 Rebel on March 21.