Air Combat back at best distance in allowance

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Air Combat will be making a key distance move Sunday when he returns to racing over six furlongs in a second-level allowance sprint at Oaklawn Park.

“The six furlongs hits this horse right between the eyes,” trainer John Ortiz said.

The allowance goes as the ninth race and carries a claiming option of $62,500. It shares top billing with the eighth race, a 1 1/16-mile race that also is a second-level allowance with the same claiming price option. Both races are for 3-year-olds and up and carry a purse of $106,000.

Sunday’s card also includes a trio of races for 2-year-olds in what wraps up the first week of racing at Oaklawn.

Air Combat is 2 for 2 at six furlongs, having won a maiden special weight at the distance in July at Ellis Park and a first-level allowance at the trip in September at Churchill Downs. He last raced Nov. 11, finishing second by a head in a second-level allowance over five furlongs at Churchill.

“The last race was a little too short for him,” Ortiz said. “We had a difficult time getting a race to go in Kentucky, and when one finally went, we had to be there.”

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Air Combat earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94, and it’s the best last-race number in the field Sunday. He faces 11 others, including Edge to Edge, who ran one of the best races of his career over last season’s opening week at Oaklawn.

The stakes winners Chipofftheoldblock and Gar Hole are on the also-eligible list. Gar Hole is one of a slew of sprint winners Ortiz sent out last year at Oaklawn, where he won 27 races from 125 starts and compiled $2.6 million in stable earnings. Ortiz won four stakes during the meet – including three sprints – and saddled Hollis to set a track record for 5 1/2 furlongs at Oaklawn.

He has 38 horses in place for the new meet, led by Arkansas Derby runner-up Barber Road.

“We’re fully loaded this year,” Ortiz said. “Last year, we came prepared. Hopefully this year, we’re overprepared.”

David Cabrera has the mount on Air Combat from post 12. The 3-year-old by Blame races for Gary and Mary West.

In the ninth race, Keystone Field ranks as the one to beat for his back-to-back wins. His latest score came in the $200,000 Claiming Crown Jewel, and the Beyer of 92 that he earned in that race on Nov. 12 at Churchill is the best last-race number in the field.

Francisco Arrieta has the mount from post 9 for Three Diamonds Farm and trainer Mike Maker. Keystone Field is a full brother to millionaire Candy Boy.

Major General, who won the Grade 3 Iroquois in 2021 at Churchill, makes his Oaklawn debut off a third-place finish in a second-level allowance route at Churchill.

Alejandro shortens up in distance from 1 1/2 miles, and he is a winner at this distance. The son of Curlin is from the Grade 1-winning mare Rachel’s Valentina.

Racing resumes Friday.

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