Ben Diesel exits key race, takes on competitive field

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Ben Diesel will attempt to become the sixth next-out winner to emerge from a Jan. 6 allowance at Oaklawn Park when he runs in the eighth race on Sunday.

Ben Diesel will face a full, competitive field of 12 in the first-level allowance for 4-year-olds and up at a mile. The race will end at the sixteenth pole.

Ben Diesel was a close fourth in the key race that has since seen five of its starters win back out of it, all at Oaklawn. Midnight Rising, the winner, returned in his next start to capture a second-level allowance with a Beyer Speed Figure of 93.

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Bolzy, Harlocap, and Track Mate, the respective fifth- through seventh-place finishers, each came back to account for entry-level allowances with Beyers ranging from 89 to 90. J J’s Joker, who was 10th, won a $40,000 conditioned claimer one start later, with a Beyer of 86.

As for Ben Diesel, he’s since been working along at Oaklawn.

“He’s doing well,” said trainer Eddie Milligan Jr. “I had him in earlier, and it was real sloppy that day. I scratched him. It’s been a little bit since we got him back in, but he’s back.”

Ben Diesel owns the field’s best last-race Beyer of 84. He will break from post 3 under jockey Emmanuel Esquivel.

“Hopefully, he’ll be laying up fairly close and have something to close with on the end,” said Milligan.

Ben Diesel races for the Willis Horton Racing operation of Kevin Horton. He is a son of champion Will Take Charge, who raced for the late Willis Horton and who received his early training lessons from Milligan.

“He’s a lot like his father – a pretty big horse, a very attractive horse, and a very neat horse to be around,” said Milligan.

Midnight Rising is being pointed for the Grade 3. $500,000 Oaklawn Mile on March 30, trainer Jordan Blair said earlier this month. Horton and Milligan could have Last Samurai for that race, as the $2.2 million earner has been working right along for his first out since August.

“We may put him in there,” Milligan said Friday. “I’ve got another work I need to do this weekend and we will see after that work.”

Ben Diesel is one of two horses who have not yet run back out of the key race, which was run at a mile. The other is ninth-place finisher Magna Tap. Ben Diesel’s rivals Sunday include Late Nite Radio, who is moving back to two turns, where he is a multiple winner. Ramon Vazquez has the mount for trainer Boyd Caster.

Order of Magnitude was third in a $50,000 starter allowance last out that has become a key race. The winner, Black Apple, came back to win at the same level at Oaklawn, while the fourth-place finisher, Zap Motion, won a $20,000 conditioned claimer, also at Oaklawn. Harry Hernandez has the mount on Order of Magnitude for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Ben Franklin meets winners off a sharp maiden win at a mile Feb. 25. Julien Leparoux has the mount for trainer Kenny McPeek.

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