HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has two sons actively riding for his stable at Oaklawn Park. In Thursday’s featured eighth race, each will be aboard leading contenders for their father, as Keith Asmussen rides Ripped and Erik Asmussen has the mount on Perfect Magic. The horses meet in a competitive first-level allowance for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs. Oher chief contenders in the group of 11 include Run Jalen Run, Pokerknightatvees, and Classic Time. Perfect Magic enters off back-to-back allowance wins at Remington Park. Both victories came under Erik Asmussen by a combined margin of 6 1/2 lengths. Perfect Magic won the sprints on the front end and figures to again be prominent from post 2. Perfect Magic, who last year was stakes-placed twice at Oaklawn, races for Mike McCarty. Ripped owns the field’s co-highest last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 85, for a $75,000 conditioned claiming win Dec. 21 at Oaklawn. He will be reunited with Keith Asmussen, who won a maiden special weight with Ripped in November at Churchill Downs. For that effort, the horse earned a career-high Beyer of 89. Ripped could get a stalking trip when he starts from post 6 for BC Stables. Steve Asmussen, who is the all-time leading trainer by wins in North America, grew up in a racing family. His father, Keith, is a retired jockey; his mother, Marilyn, is a retired trainer; and his brother, Cash, was a five-time champion jockey in France. :: Live racing action at Oaklawn Park! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Steve Asmussen has won more than 400 races with his sons, who are at the beginning of their careers. “They’re really good horsemen,” Steve Asmussen said. “It’s funny. They both remind of me of my father. They do. They can get one to do something that other people can’t, with less effort. It’s really impressive how much they understand and know about horses.” Earlier on the card, Keith and Erik both have mounts for their father in the third race, a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. Keith will be aboard Violence in Red from post 2. Erik has the mount on Gun Bolt from post 7. Violence in Red, a chestnut by Violence, was a $450,000 auction purchase who races for McCarty. Gun Bolt is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Bourbonic who races for Calumet Farm. Unauthorized, who starts from the rail, and Coming Soon, who starts from post 4, are other leading contenders in the field of eight. Oaklawn’s nine-race card is the start of a Thursday-through-Sunday racing schedule that continues for the remainder of the classic meet. There are two exceptions to the calendar: There is no racing on April 5 in observance of Easter Sunday, and the meet closes on a Saturday, May 2. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.