Up-and-coming Super Cruise earns stakes try in General MacArthur

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The developing Super Cruise will take on a sharp First Division in the $135,000 General MacArthur on the Southwest Stakes undercard Friday at Oaklawn Park.

The race is one of two overnight stakes on a 12-race card that features the Grade 3, $1 million Southwest and $300,000 Martha Washington. First post is 11:30 a.m. Central.

The General MacArthur, which is named for the Arkansas native who served at the highest levels in the U.S. Army, is a 1 1/8-mile race for 4-year-olds and up who have never won a non-restricted stakes. The race drew 11, but Sir Greylind will be scratched, according to his trainer, Kenny McPeek.

Super Cruise last raced Jan. 3 at Oaklawn and was up for a neck win in a first-level allowance over 1 1/16 miles. For the effort, he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 92 – and a chance at the General MacArthur.

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“It’s a very competitive race,” trainer Ray Ashford Jr. said. “That’s a good race that he’s in, but I think he’s going to love the mile and an eighth. I think the farther that he goes, the better.”

Super Cruise, 2 for 4, will break from post 3 under Rafael Bejarano.

“He’s a closer,” Ashford said. “He likes to lay back and make a big run. And that’s a little bit why I think the farther the better.”

Tom Durant owns the son of Uncle Mo and the stakes-winning mare Sensitive who brought $575,000 at the Keeneland November sale in 2022.

“He’s a nice horse,” Ashford said. “The first time we ran him he kind of surprised the rider when he nudged on him a little bit – he just took off and zoomed up and got a couple [lengths] in front going mile and a sixteenth his first out. He got a little bit green on the [front] end, then a pretty nice horse ran him down. But he’s a nice horse.”

First Division won a first-level allowance Dec. 12 at Oaklawn, then came back and ran second by a half-length in the track’s $135,000 The Coach, an overnight handicap Jan. 2.

“He’s in with a big chance,” said McPeek. “Crazy about how he’s doing right now. Really nice horse. I think he’s going to fire a big shot.”

Manny Esquivel has the mount from post 11.

Bugler

It could be argued nobody fits the conditions of the $135,000 Bugler better than Blue Fire.

“It’s a non-winners of a stakes other than restricted and she’s got four Louisiana-bred stakes wins,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “I think it’s a very good spot for her.”

The Bugler is for fillies and mares at six furlongs. It drew 12.

Blue Fire, who tends to win races in pairs, enters off a victory in the Bob F. Wright Memorial at Fair Grounds.

“She’s just very competitive,” Asmussen said. “She’s definitely a nice filly.”

Jose Ortiz, who was aboard last out, has the mount from post 8 for Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel.

Others set to start include Tapit Quick, who enters off a third-place finish in the Poinsettia at Oaklawn. Luis Saez has the mount for trainer Dallas Stewart.

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