AT THE POST
DAY 21 of 57
FRIDAY’S ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE 6,000
FRIDAY’S TOTAL HANDLE $4,141,363
FRIDAY’S ON-TRACK HANDLE $444,751
FRIDAY’S OFF-TRACK HANDLE $3,696,612
TODAY’S POST TIME 1:05 p.m. (Gates open 11 a.m.)
ADMISSION General admission, free; Reserved seats, $4.50
PARKING $2; Free after 4 p.m.
TODAY’S SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Gulfstream Park, 11 a.m.; Aqueduct, 11:20 a.m.; Laurel Park, 11:25 a.m.; Tampa Bay, 11:35 a.m.; Fair Grounds, 12:30 p.m.; Santa Anita, 2:30 p.m.; Golden Gate, 2:45 p.m.; Penn National, 5 p.m.; Turfway Park, 5:15 p.m.; Charles Town, 6 p.m.; Delta Downs, 6:15 p.m.; Daytona Beach (greyhounds), 6:25 p.m.; Derby Lane (greyhounds), 6:30 p.m.; Sam Houston, 6:45 p.m.; Southland (greyhounds), 7:15 p.m.; Los Alamitos, 8 p.m.
FRIDAY’S STARS
Ricardo Santana won two races to raise his season-leading total to 24 in 114 starts with his first victory coming via disqualification. In the sixth race, Santana rode Gallant Plunger and finished second to Wild Popit by a neck. Santana claimed foul, which led to a stewards’ inquiry. The stewards dropped Wild Popit to second after ruling that Wild Popit drifted out and brushed with Gallant Plunger on two occasions.
Gallant Plunger ($3.60, $2.60, $2.20) covered 6 furlongs in 1:10.14.
Santana also won the eighth race with Blue Moonrise ($8.80, $4.40, $3.00), covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.50.
Trainer Steve Asmussen won the sixth race with Gallant Plunger and the eighth with Blue Moonrise to increase his season totals to 19 victories in 106 starts. He trails Robertino Diodoro, who won two races to improve his season-leading totals to 27 victories in 86 starts.
Diodoro won the second race with Corrana En Limen ($15.00, $7.40, $3.40), who covered 6 furlongs in 1:11.18. He also won the fourth race with Coal Truth ($15.80, $7.00, $5.00), covering 6 furlongs in 1:10.77.
ESSEX TAKING SHAPE
Multiple stakes winner Pioneer Spirit will make his next start in the $350,000 Essex Handicap for older horses March 14, trainer Robertino Diodoro said Friday morning. The 1 1/16-mile Essex is a major local prep for the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 18.
Pioneer Spirit has won 2 of 3 starts for Diodoro since he claimed the son of Malibu Moon for $150,000 on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs. Pioneer Spirit launched his 7-year-old campaign with a front-running victory in the second division of the $100,000 Fifth Season Stakes on Jan. 25 before finishing fourth, beaten 4½ lengths by Warrior’s Charge, in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap on Feb. 17.
Warrior’s Charge is scheduled to make his next start in the Oaklawn Handicap, but stablemate Night Ops is pointing for the Essex, said Brad Cox, who trains both horses. Also targeting the Essex is millionaire Bravazo for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Bravazo ran sixth in the Essex. In his first start after being claimed, Pioneer Spirit won the $75,000 Tenacious Stakes on Dec. 21 at Fair Grounds. Pioneer Spirit has won $131,500 since Diodoro claimed the horse.
MOJICA OFF TO GOOD START
Jockey Orlando Mojica enters today with 14 victories in 89 starts. Mojica, 38, a native of Puerto Rico, is riding extensively for Robertino Diodoro.
“I’m happy with my meet,” Mojica said during training hours Friday morning. “Diodoro is my most important barn, but I’m riding for other guys, too. Last year, I didn’t have a lot of opportunities because I was new, but I was still fourth-leading rider. That opened the door more for me this year.”
Mojica already has two stakes victories at the meet, taking the second division of the $100,000 Fifth Season on Jan. 25 (Pioneer Spirit) and the $125,000 American Beauty on Feb. 1 (Special Relativity). Both were for Diodoro. Mojica is scheduled to ride the Diodoro-trained What a Fox in today’s $125,000 Spring Fever Stakes for older female sprinters. Mojica is on pace to rocket past his final 2019 Oaklawn numbers — 28 victories and $1,218,466 in purse earnings. Mojica said he will shift career gears after the Oaklawn meeting ends May 2 and will ride regularly at Indiana Grand. Mojica has been based the past few years at Canterbury Park in suburban Minneapolis.