Arkansas-bred horses ready to tangle in two stakes today
HOT SPRINGS — The guest list in one Arkansas-bred stakes race today at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort is quite familiar to fans at the track.
Oaklawn patrons know to expect something good when Connie K., Kaboom Baby and Summer Shoes clash swords. Summer Shoes is defending champion in the $150,000 DowntheDustyroad Breeders’ for state-bred older female sprinters but don’t count on any of her eight rivals to concede anything.
Trainer Randy Morse sees nothing amiss with a onetwo finish by Street Strategy home-breds he co-owns with Kansan Randy Patterson. Kantex won by 3 1/4 lengths against a stakes-caliber lineup in a Jan. 13 Oaklawn allowance. The 5-year-old mare keeps Rafael Bejarano aboard and might get the fast track she lacked when sixth Feb. 3 in another $100,000 allowance for Arkansas-breds at today’s distance, six furlongs. She is 4 for 9 with seven board finishes with all of her victories coming from six local starts.
Uncoupled stablemate Connie K. took a one-length victory Feb. 4. It’s doubtful they’ll let Emmanuel Esquivel get away with six furlongs in 1:11.41 again. The 6-year-old has bankrolled more than $488,000 from 20 starts, winning six. She was third in this race last year,
The Downthedustyroad honors the Arkansas-bred winner of the Grade I La Brea at Santa Anita Park late in her 3-year-old season for Bob Baffert. She got noticed at Oaklawn when Rick Jackson trained the filly for owner/ breeder Tommy Walls. This is the 16th Downthedustyroad Breeders, one of six Oaklawn stakes for Arkansas-bred horses.
Summer Shoes won this race this year by 1 1/2 lengths over Kaboom Baby with Connie K. third. Chel C-Bailey keeps the mount for Tom Swearingen, whose 6-year-old Commander’s Shoes mare races for John Carver.
Kaboom Baby, like others in the race, goes off Lasix. She received anti-bleeder medication when first in the $150,000 Natural State Breeders’ mile race at Oaklawn on May 4. With Luis Quinonez aboard, the Hightail mare could jump-start the meet for Ozark trainer Ernie Witt II after numerous seconds and thirds. Kaboom Baby, with all but a 2023 Lone Star Park stake on her 18-race record coming at Oaklawn, has earned $480,559, twice finishing second at the meet.
Breeder Jerry Caroom’s 4-year-old Mozingo, by Too Much Bling, also eschews Lasix for trainer Robertino Diodoro. She scored one of the Hot Springs owner’s 16 meet wins last year with her rider today, track leader Cristian Torres.
Hot Springs Bling, bred by Caroom and Texan Danele Durham (who trained stakes winner Too Much Bling), is 1 for 17 at Oaklawn and 3 for 30 overall. Jon Court rides for Jerry Donaldson, who trains the Race Day filly for Chris and Sherry Tillman. Also entered is five-time winner Rivercrest Girl, winner of her past two for trainer Danny Pish and Lewis Hall.
Rivercrest Girl won locally in May and December last year, here getting Walter De La Cruz aboard.
Fly Like the Wind, a Hightail 4-year-old, has a win in five career starts, all at Oaklawn. Nik Juarez, with eight meet victories starting the week, rides for trainer Bret Calhoun and co-breeder Brandon Trosclair. With Juarez up, the May foal was beaten two lengths when fourth in the Rainbow Miss last April.
Count It All Joy represents Arkansas Derby-winning rider and stakes-winning trainer David Whited, now an active breeder. Ricardo Santana Jr. rode the Double Irish 4-yearold to her maiden victory Dec. 30 over the track.
Post time is 4:50 p.m.. for the ninth of 10 races on the card starting at 12:30 p.m.
King Peanut, last year’s Rainbow winner for trainer Dan Peitz, goes in race seven, the $150,000 Nodouble Breeders’ for older Arkansas-bred sprinters. Reigning Arkansas Breeders’ champion winner Willow Creek Road represents Mac Robertson and owners including Jack Dickerson (of Superior Storm fame) and Gary Thomas (1986 Arkansas Derby winner Rampage).
Nodouble, the 1968 Arkansas Derby winner for Verna Lea Farms and late trainer Bert Sonnier, has held the career earnings record for a state-bred male since 1970.