With Oaklawn near, ARC enacts rule changes

Using big words when necessary, the Arkansas Racing Commission sent a clear message to horsemen ahead of the 2021 Oaklawn Park season: Racing integrity, offering the proverbial level playing field, is of the utmost importance

The commission on Thursday approved 16 proposed rules changes that were developed by the Arkansas Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Oaklawn and the stewards, said Byron Freeland, an attorney for the racing commission. The local season starts Friday, Jan. 22.

The rule changes are largely “kind of a national trend” based on rule changes in other states, Freeland said.

For instance, a crackdown on the use of clenbuterol, what commission Chairman Alex Lieblong called an abused drug, was enacted. The drug would be prohibited within 60 days of an Oaklawn race, including last-out claims.

“At Oaklawn, if you claim a horse, a successful claimant would have the right to have that horse tested under that rule and avoid the claim if the horse came back positive for clenbuterol,” said Skip Ebel, an attorney representing Oaklawn.

Acting on a comment by Commissioner Steve Landers, Ebel said “someone can claim a horse at another track that doesn’t have a clenbuterol prohibition out of state and bring that one to Oaklawn. The way things are now, it would be that owner’s decision as to whether he would have that claimed horse … tested before he raced at Oaklawn. If the horse raced at Oaklawn on Feb. 1 or after opening day and thereafter and tested positive for clenbuterol .. (in violation of the

60-day rule), that is going to be a positive.”

Lower doses of the anti-bleeder medication Lasix were allowed unless a dose up to 500 milligrams is prescribed by the official veterinarian. Oaklawn would be allowed to conduct Lasix- free

3-year-old races so those horses could be eligible to accumulate Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks points, and Lasix-free stakes races as necessary for such events to remain eligible for graded status.

Horses will be required to be stabled on the grounds at Oaklawn for at least 72 hours prior

to a race. If not, it couldn’t start a race unless the owner/trainer gets the permission of the racing secretary.

Remington: In Essential Quality, the unbeaten winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, trainer Brad Cox has an early favorite for the 2021 Kentucky Derby. But that doesn’t stop the Louisville native from seeking reinforcements on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs.

Cox, a likely Eclipse Award nominee in a year that he won four Breeders’ Cup races, has a starter in the year’s biggest race for 2-year-olds at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. Joe Frazier, named after the late former heavyweight boxing champion, meets 10 rivals in the $200,000 Springboard Mile with Kentucky Derby qualifying points going to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1) in Friday night’s race.

Joe Frazier, by Distorted Humor (sire of 2003 Derby winner Funny Cide), comes off a third-place finish in a Churchill Downs allowance race Nov. 22. With Richard Eramia named aboard, he is 5-1 on the morning line. Eramia rode the Cox-trained Shared Sense to victory in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby in September.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Remington’s all-time leading trainer, has Saffa’s Day and Cowan standing side by side in stalls 7 and 8. Cowan, the 4-1 second choice on the morning line, placed second in the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Stewart Elliott, who rode career winner No. 5,000 for Asmussen earlier this year, rides Cowan, sired by Kantharos. Cowan’s owners include Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, who raced champion sprinter Mitole, and Spendthrift Farm, which raced

2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Authentic.

Saffa’s Day, by Carpe Diem, is 12-1 with Iram Diego riding and coming off a sixth-place finish in the Nyquist Stakes at Keeneland on the Sunday after the Breeders’ Cup.

Wesley Ward, especially proficient with 2-yearolds, has the 3-1 Springboard Mile program favorite in Outadore. With David Cabrera riding, he exits a third-place finish in the BC Juvenile Turf.

Others entered include unbeaten Oklahoma-bred Number One Dude (6-1), winner of two Remington stakes for trainer Kari Craddock. He attempts to become the first Oklahoma-bred winner of the Springboard since Ted’s Folly in 2011.

The Springboard Mile has produced starters in two of the last three Kentucky derbies and major

3-year-old races at Oaklawn Park. Five other stakes are scheduled Friday night as Remington on the last weekend of the 2020 season. Post time for the Springboard Mile is 10:28 p.m. CT.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette contributed to this report.