Ivan Fallunovalot triumphs, quickly

It looks like that 108 Beyer Speed Figure Ivan Fallunovalot earned 16 days ago on Jan.22 was no fluke.

Ivan Fallunovalot, the oddson favorite, cruised to the lead when asked to run by jockey Calvin Borel on Saturday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs and pulled away to win the King Cotton Stakes by 23/ lengths in a meet-best time of 1:08.94.

The final time is the fastest 6-furlong running of the King Cotton, which has been run at 51/ and 6 furlongs over the years, since Rapid Gray won in 1:08 in 1984.

Ivan Fallunovalot, trained by Tom Howard, broke alertly from the rail under Borel and stayed just inside pacesetter Brewing through an opening quarter in 21.17, one of the faster splits posted at Oaklawn in recent years.

Borel allowed Brewing to open a length as the field reached the half-mile mark in 44.18. Then, Borel waited, allowing eventual runner-up Alsvid to make his move on the outside of Brewing as the horses neared the head of the stretch.

But when Borel asked Ivan Fallunovalot to swing into full gear, the 5-year-old gelding son of Valid Expectations disposed of Alsvid inside the 5-furlong mark and drew away under a right-handed whip from Borel.

Howard said afterward it was possible that Ivan Fallunovalot, claimed by Howard from trainer Jack Bruner last March for $25,000, could return in the Hot Springs Stakes in March and maybe even in the Grade III Count Fleet Handicap during the Racing Festival of the South.

“It depends on him,” Howard told Oaklawn paddock reporter Nancy Holthus. “He’ll tell us.”

Ivan Fallunovalot has won 5 of 6 starts since being claimed by Howard for owner Lewis Mathews, including three victories without a loss at Oaklawn. Ivan Fallunovalot is 4 for 4 at Oaklawn lifetime, with earnings of $151,800.

Howard described Ivan Fallunovalot as a low-maintenance horse and was nearly speechless when asked to describe Saturday’s effort.

“It was great,” he told Holthus. “He just relaxes and does his job.”