Bob's Edge blows by leaders to take Whitmore Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bob’s Edge is developing into a sprinter to be reckoned with after winning his second straight stakes of the Oaklawn Park meet in the Grade 3, $200,000 Whitmore on Saturday.

Bob’s Edge finished a length in front of runner-up Tulane Tryst, while it was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third to Greeley and Ben.

Bob’s Edge ($7.60) could see the field early, as Hollis, Greeley and Ben, and Kneedeepinsnow dueled through fractions of 21.81 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.07 for the half-mile.

Hollis and Greeley and Ben came into the stretch together, with Bob’s Edge advancing on the turn and angling out widest of all into the lane. The eventual winner rolled home under Luis Quinonez, to cover six furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.42.

“We did think there would be speed and the race may set up for us,” winning trainer Larry Jones said in a post-race interview broadcast by Oaklawn. “We asked ourselves, ‘What would Whitmore do?’ And this is what Whitmore would do.”

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Whitmore, the champion sprinter of 2020 who used his closing kick to win numerous stakes at Oaklawn, is now retired and was honored with the race in his name Saturday.

Oaklawn billed the program “Whitmore Day” and the large crowd on hand on a sunny afternoon in the 70s were treated to a Whitmore sighting as he led the post parade under Laura Moquett, the wife and assistant to trainer Ron Moquett. There were also giveaways, and the infield was open in a party atmosphere Saturday.

Bob’s Edge came into the Whitmore off a win in the $150,000 King Cotton on Jan. 29 at Oaklawn. In that race he defeated stakes winners Hollis and Nashville, who both came back in their next starts with impressive allowance wins, with Hollis scoring at Oaklawn and Nashville at Fair Grounds.

Bob’s Edge was winning his first stakes in the King Cotton. He is a 4-year-old son of Competitive Edge who races for Michael Freeny, Patricia and Taylor Freeny, and Jennifer Grayson.

Bob’s Edge will be considered for the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 16 at Oaklawn.

Bob’s Edge has now won 6 of 13 starts for earnings of $516,428.

The Whitmore is the former Hot Springs Stakes, which Whitmore won a record four times. He also was a three-time winner of the Count Fleet. He won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2020 and retired with earnings of $4.5 million.