AT THE POST
DAY 28 of 57
THURSDAY’S ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE 3,000
THURSDAY’S ON-TRACK HANDLE $254,812 THURSDAY’S OFF-TRACK HANDLE $3,094,488 THURSDAY’S TOTAL HANDLE $3,449,300 TODAY’S SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Laurel Park, 11:30 a.m.; Gulfstream Park, 11:35 a.m.; Tampa bay, 11:35 a.m.; Aqueduct, 12:20 p.m.; Fair Grounds, 1 p.m.; Golden Gate, 2:45 p.m.; Santa Anita, 3 p.m.; Penn National, 5 p.m.; Turfway Park, 5:15 p.m.; Delta Downs, 5:40 p.m.; Charles Town, 6 p.m.; Daytona Beach (greyhounds), 6:25 p.m.; Derby Lane (greyhounds), 6:30 p.m.; Sam Houston, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY’S STARS
Jockey Rayan Gazader and trainer Daniel Peitz teamed for a pair of victories Thursday. The two took Tiz Funny ($14.60, $6, $5.40) to the finish line first in the fifth race and Mutajaded ($7.80, $3.80, $3.20) to the winner’s circle in the seventh.
AMY’S CHALLENGE TO HONEYBEE
Unbeaten Amy’s Challenge moved a step closer to her scheduled twoturn debut in the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes for 3-year-old fillies March 10 at Oaklawn by working over a fast track after the renovation break Tuesday morning for trainer Mac Robertson.
Amy’s Challenge was credited with 6 furlongs in 1:13.80 after breezing around 1½ turns. It was the third work back for Amy’s Challenge since moving to 3 for 3 in the $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes on Jan. 20, her 2018 debut and first start against females.
Jareth Loveberry has ridden Amy’s Challenge throughout her career and regularly works her, but Robertson said he had exercise rider Ernesto Lopez breeze the daughter of Artie Schiller Tuesday morning.
“I thought it was a good work under weight,” Robertson said. “I wanted a little weight on her. She got a little tired today, but I was happy with the finish. Galloped out pretty good, kind of seen that turn.”
SATURDAY’S STAKES
Oaklawn’s nine-race card Saturday includes the $125,000 Spring Fever for older filly and mare sprinters and the $100,000 Nodouble Breeders’ for Arkansas-bred male sprinters.
Probable post time for the 5½-furlong Spring Fever, which goes as race 8, is 4:38 p.m.
The projected Spring Fever field from the rail out: Barbary Hall, Channing Hill to ride, 115 pounds; Okie Diva, Luis Quinonez, 119; Golden Mischief, Fernando De La Cruz, 115; Defy, David Cohen, 115; Thoughtless, Alex Canchari, 115; Natural Wonder, Ty Kennedy, 115; Marquee Miss, C.J. McMahon, 115; Chanteline, Ricardo Santana Jr., 115; Swing and Sway, David Cabrera, 122; Scotty’s Model, Luis Contreras, 119; and My Miss Chiff, Ramon Vazquez, 122.
Probable post time for the 6-furlong Nodouble, which goes as race 7, is 4:09 p.m.
TRACK RECEIVES HIGH PRAISE
Veteran jockey agent Scott Hare said Thursday morning that for a while he thought he was representing riders at Emerald Downs, a joking reference to the track located near Seattle, noted for being one of the country’s rainiest cities.
Hot Springs couldn’t be far behind in 2018.
According to the National Weather Service in Little Rock, Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport received 13.76 inches of rain in February — the most on record for the month — breaking the previous mark of 10.11 in 1989.
Despite a monsoon-like February, Oaklawn never missed a day of racing during the month, a credit to the work of track superintendent Kevin
Seymore, several trainers and jockeys said. “Amazing,” said trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs, who saddled his first Oaklawn winner in 1985. “Hat’s off to the crew. They did a tremendous job.”
Jockey Alex Birzer echoed Hobby’s comments about Seymore and other track maintenance officials.
“I think all the track crew, they’ve done an excellent job,” Birzer said. “How much water have we actually had? I mean, it’s insane how much. Wettest February I remember. I’ve been coming here for almost 20 years. I haven’t ever seen anything like that. I can’t say enough on how good a job they’ve done.”
PULLING RANK
Major stakes winner Colonelsdarktemper is targeting a mid-March allowance race for his 4-year-old debut, trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs said Tuesday morning.
Colonelsdarktemper, who is owned by auto racing legend A.J. Foyt, hasn’t started since running fourth in the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 24 at Remington Park after emerging from the race with a stress fracture in a front leg, Fires said, necessitating a minor surgical procedure to promote bone growth.
The well-traveled Colonelsdarktemper made 10 starts last year, winning his career debut at Oaklawn, an allowance race at Churchill Downs and the $750,000 West Virginia Derby on Aug. 5 at Mountaineer.
“He’s doing good,” Fires said a day after the Colonel John colt worked a half-mile in :48.40 under regular rider Jon Court, the trainer’s son-inlaw. “Hopefully if he runs well, we’ll start looking at some stakes down the road.”
Monday’s work was the second recorded breeze this season for Colonelsdarktemper, who has been based at Oaklawn for approximately two months.