Favorite looks to rebound from ‘heartbreaker’

HOT SPRINGS — Midnight Storm has won more than $1.2 million running on turf, but his past three efforts — two wins and a place — have been going long on the dirt.

The 6-year-old California shipper makes his first appearance in Arkansas in today’s $750,000 Grade II Oaklawn Handicap at the Racing Festival of the South.

In his last start, Midnight Storm led most of the way before succumbing to a late-running effort by Shaman Ghost in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap on March 1. Before that, the Philip D’Amato-trained horse had won five of his six previous races.

“That was a heartbreaker,” said Joshua Flores, an assistant to D’Amato. “It was one of those where you look like you’re going to get there and just get run down.”

Midnight Storm has won 10 of 22 races and has fin- ished in the money 15 times. He has won his only race at a distance of 11/8 miles, which is the distance of the Oaklawn Handicap. Seven of his 10 victories

have come on the turf.

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who rode Midnight Storm to a victory at Del Mar on Nov. 27, comes in from California to ride the favorite,

listed as 1-2 on the morning line in the seven-horse field for horses 4 and older.

Madefromlucky (4-1), Domain’s Rap (8-1) and Texas Chrome (10-1) are expected to challenge.

Domain’s Rap, trained by Federico Villafranco, is making his fifth appearance on the Oaklawn track this season. He has two wins, a second and a third.

Trainer Todd Pletcher’s Madefromlucky finished third in the Essex Handicap on March 18, one spot behind Domain’s Rap.

Texas Chrome is making his second consecutive appearance at the Racing Festival of the South, but he is making his first start since November. The 4-year-old finished third in the 2016 Bachelor Stakes in his first effort for trainer J.R. Caldwell. Texas Chrome has won four of seven races since his last appearance at Oaklawn.

“He is doing fantastic,” Caldwell said. “He took some time off. He had a hard campaign as a 3-year-old. He has come back as a mature 4-year-old and has been training perfectly. I just want him to show up and run the best he can. We will be happy with that.”

Rounding out the field is Inside Straight (12-1), Cutacorner (30-1) and Goats Town (20-1).