Break Even stays perfect with front-running Purple Martin win

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Break Even ran her career record to 3 for 3 on Saturday, when she wired the field in the $150,000 Purple Martin for 3-year-old fillies at Oaklawn Park.

Break Even won by 4 1/2 lengths over Lady T N T, while it was another three-quarters of a length back to Tomlin in third.

Break Even ($5.60) entered the six-furlong Purple Martin off a pair of sprint wins at Fair Grounds, taking a maiden special weight Jan. 1 and a first-level allowance Jan. 28. She was with the pace in those races and moved to the lead soon after the start in the Purple Martin.

Break Even set fractions of 22.28 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.64 for the half-mile, with Lady T N T chasing in second. The eventual winner increased her advantage in the stretch while covering the distance on a track rated good in 1:10.15.

“She broke very strongly,” said winning rider Colby Hernandez. “After that, I just sat on her. She was the driver.”

Brad Cox trains Break Even for Klein Racing. She is a daughter of Country Day and she was bred by Richard Klein and Bert Klein.

Attendance ontrack Saturday was an estimated 15,000.