Cash Back handles surface switch in Instant Racing

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Cash Back pushed her record to 4 for 4 while conquering dirt in her first attempt on Saturday, when she powered to a two-length win over favorite Durango in the $150,000 Instant Racing Stakes at Oaklawn Park. It was another neck back in third into Simple Surprise.

The Instant Racing, a six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, was the first of four stakes being run on the Arkansas Derby Day card.

Cash Back ($6.60) was always prominent, tracking Simple Surprise through an opening quarter-mile in 22.67 seconds and a half-mile in 46.74. She overtook Simple Surprise in the stretch and went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:11.30. Irad Ortiz Jr. was aboard the winner for owners Richard Klein and Bertram Klein and trainer Brad Cox.

Cash Back had won all three of her starts up to Saturday’s race on turf, including a stakes at Gulfstream Park.

“She opened up a lot more doors, obviously,” Cox said. “We thought she’d run on the dirt, but you never know until you do it. Lots of times people start horses out on the dirt and move them to the turf. We started her out on the turf and moved to the dirt, so we kind of did things a little opposite the normal way.”

Cox said he thought Cash Back’s effort on dirt Saturday was her best effort to date. He said she could move on to the Miss Preakness at Pimlico or the Eight Belles at Churchill Downs.

“I would say this is her best race,” said Cox. “This was a big effort. She ran a big race.”

Cash Back earned $90,000 for the win in the Instant Racing. She has now banked $180,105. She is a daughter of Congrats and was bred by Bert Klein, Elaine Klein, and Richard Klein.