HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Ain’t Life Grand will launch his 5-year-old season Sunday in an Oaklawn Park allowance race that also drew Grade 2 winner Silver Prospector and Grade 3 winner Great Escape. The card also includes an appearance by Olivier, the full brother to Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Flightline who makes his two-turn debut in the race 8. Ain’t Life Grand’s name popped up in the entries earlier this week, in the Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback Handicap that was to have been run on Saturday. His connections ultimately opted for Sunday’s one-mile race for the seven-time stakes winner, who is making his first start since July. “I think the main thing is it’s just his first out of the year,” said trainer Kelly Von Hemel. “The Razorback drew a big, full, deep field and I think he fit in there, but being first out of the year, I’d personally just as soon run him in the allowance race to start and go from there.” Ain’t Life Grand was third, beaten two lengths, as the favorite in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap in his last start July 8 at Prairie Meadows. Skippylongstocking, the runner-up, returned in his next start to win the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. Ain’t Life Grand, who was sidelined with a bone bruise, returned to training in October. Over the winter, he’s worked regularly here, among his moves five-eighths in a bullet 1:00 on Feb. 9. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. “He’s training really good,” Von Hemel said. “He’s a very happy horse right now and we’re excited to get him started and see where he takes us this year.” Ain’t Life Grand is a son of Not This Time who races for his breeders, RPM Thoroughbreds. The horse registered his most significant stakes win in the $300,000 Iowa Derby and last year captured the $150,000 Lake Ouachita at Oaklawn with a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 100. Martin Garcia has the mount from post 8. “We need a little bit of a pace,” Von Hemel said. “Hopefully, we can be mid-pack and see if we’re good enough after that.” Silver Prospector is returning to the overnight ranks after finishing a close third in the Fifth Season at a mile Jan. 27. The winner of the race, Promise Keeper, was to have started as the co-highweight in the Razorback. Silver Prospector, an earner of $1.4 million, has made half of his bankroll at Oaklawn, He raced with the pace last out in the Fifth Season. Keith Asmussen has the mount from post 4 for Ed and Susie Orr and trainer Steve Asmussen. ◗ Olivier goes in a maiden special weight at a mile. The 4-year-old by Tapit is making his second start after finishing a troubled sixth in his debut Jan. 28. Francisco Arrieta has the mount from post 11 for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.