Best of Greeley sentimental choice in Thursday feature

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Best of Greeley will be a sentimental favorite in a competitive Thursday feature at Oaklawn Park. The $92,000 conditioned allowance is led by the stakes-placed Star of Kodiak, the undefeated Strike That, and the Southern California invader Jungle Warfare.

The horses are part of a 12-horse field in the non-winners-of-three sprint over six furlongs.

Best of Greeley’s breeder and owner, Millard Seldin, died on Oaklawn’s opening day, Jan. 24, in Arizona. A businessman whose interests included an ownership stake in the Phoenix Suns, Seldin raced such noted stakes winners as Golden Yank and Greeley’s Conquest. Seldin was 93, according to an obituary from Legacy.

“He was my best friend,” said trainer Gary Thomas. “They’re not going to make any more like him. He was good and smart and loved his horses. Loved racing.”

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Thomas trained for Seldin for more than 30 years, and on Thursday will saddle Best of Greeley for the Millard R. Seldin Revocable Trust. The horse will be making his third start off a layoff when he breaks from post 3 under Walter De La Cruz.

Best of Greeley’s sire, Greeley’s Conquest, was a four-time stakes winner for Seldin and Thomas. The horse ran second in the Grade 1 Forego in 2008 at Saratoga and second in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap in 2009 at Oaklawn.

Golden Yank, a homebred for Seldin, won five stakes under the tutelage of Thomas, including the Oklahoma Derby and Zia Park Derby. The horse earned $936,584.

“Golden Yank, Greeley’s Conquest, those were the two best I had for him,” said Thomas.

Star of Kodiak will vie for favoritism Thursday on the move back into the overnight ranks off a fifth-place finish on turf in the $100,000 Colonel Power on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds. In his last start on the main track, he was second in an off-the-turf allowance at Fair Grounds for which he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 89.

Ricardo Santana Jr., who won four races last Saturday at Oaklawn, has the mount from post 6. Chris Davis trains Star of Kodiak for Dare to Dream Stable.

Strike That has won both of his starts, his latest a $50,000 starter allowance Feb. 9 at Oaklawn. The Beyer Figure of 82 that he earned is the best last-race number in the field Thursday. Strike That will break from post 9, with David Cohen to ride for M and M Racing and trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Jungle Warfare was second in an optional $50,000 claiming race Feb. 1 at Oaklawn in his first start since May. Tyler Baze has the mount from post 12 for West Point Thoroughbreds and trainer John Sadler.