American Pharoah’s ties to Oaklawn a thrill for Cella

Oaklawn president Charles Cella has taken great care to build up the program for 3-year-olds at his Hot Springs, Ark., track, and the series reached a pinnacle last weekend when graduate American Pharaoh completed the Triple Crown.

American Pharoah launched his 3-year-old campaign at Oaklawn in March, when he invaded from his Southern California base and captured the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes. American Pharoah returned a month later to win the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby and then went on to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.

Cella, 78, watched the Belmont Stakes from his home, closing himself off from all distraction in his library on June 6.

“I thought it was spectacular,” Cella said of the effort from American Pharoah. “The horse proved something special, running into history. I must have gotten 100 calls after the race.”

American Pharoah’s athleticism and adaptability has impressed Cella, as the longtime breeder and owner noted the horse has won from both on and off the pace, and handled wet tracks.

“All these things, it doesn’t seem to bother him,” Cella said.

Oaklawn has had ties to other Triple Crown winners. Cella said he remembers Penny Chenery, owner of 1973 Triple Crown hero Secretariat, making her way to Hot Springs, Ark., after the series. He said she came to town to receive an award from local horsemen and stayed about a week in Hot Springs.

“She was a great spokesperson for racing,” Cella said.

Farther back in Oaklawn’s history, Whirlaway, the Triple Crown winner of 1941, wintered in Hot Springs in 1943.

Cella said he sent his children to New York for this year’s Belmont Stakes. His sons, John Cella and Lou Cella, are both on the board of directors for Oaklawn. Charles Cella became president of the track in 1968. His many contributions to Oaklawn’s growth include the creation of the Racing Festival of the South in 1974.

The Arkansas Derby, which was inaugurated in 1936 with purse of $5,000, anchors the festival that features a number of major stakes over the final week of the meet. Cella took the Arkansas Derby to a whole new level in 2004 when he raised the purse from $500,000 to $1 million, which has remained the standard for the race. The same year, Cella further put the spotlight on his track’s series for 3-year-olds by offering a $5 million bonus to the horse who could sweep the Rebel, Arkansas Derby, and Kentucky Derby.

It was a means to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Oaklawn. Smarty Jones cashed, and in 2005 the sportsmanship shown by Charles Cella was recognized with an Eclipse Award of Merit. But the track president did not rest on his laurels. This year, the purse of the Rebel was raised from $600,000 to $750,000 under Cella’s leadership, making the Arkansas Derby and the Rebel the richest races at Oaklawn.

“Its fun to watch the horses mature,” Cella said his drive to attract young talent to Hot Springs. “That’s what racing is all about, the 3-year-olds, to see where they’re going. The older horses turn me on as well … I just love the action!”

Some of the most notable 3-year-olds to participate in Oaklawn’s series since 2004 include Curlin, Afleet Alex, Summer Bird, and Super Saver. American Pharoah now tops the list, and earlier this week Cella was working on plans for Oaklawn to commemorate the horse’s Triple Crown.

Murray cracks three ribs

Erica Murray, the Louisiana Downs apprentice rider who has won seven races since launching her career in mid-May, sustained three cracked ribs in a racing incident Wednesday, according to one of her mentors, trainer Joe Duhon.

Duhon said Murray was expected to be released from LSU Medical Center in the Shreveport area by Sunday.

Murray was injured when a horse she was riding jumped the temporary rail in the fifth race. She had won the fourth race on the card, noted Duhon.

Razorback series tabled

The Razorback Futurity and its companion race for 2-year-old fillies, the Lady Razorback, will not be run in 2015, according to Deana Echols, executive secretary of the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Horsemen’s Association. Both races were restricted to horses bred in Arkansas.

The decision to suspend the races this year was made by a vote of the organization’s board of directors. Last year, each race had a purse of $50,000 when run in November at Remington Park. Prior to being part of the Remington stakes schedule, the Razorback races were run for 20 consecutive years at Louisiana Downs.