Cosmic Evolution among workers for festival stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.– Cosmic Evolution, who finished third in the Grade 3 Honeybee at Oaklawn in her two-turn debut March 12, breezed right after the track opened for training here Wednesday. She went five furlongs in 1:01.80 on a surface rated fast. Clockers had her galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.20.

Trainer Lon Wiggins said Cosmic Evolution will run next in the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy for 3-year-old fillies on April 9 at Oaklawn. The race offers qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks on May 6.

The Fantasy opens the Racing Festival of the South at Oaklawn, when the track runs nine stakes over the final week of the meet. The festival concludes with the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on closing day, April 16.

◗ Creator worked toward a start in the Arkansas Derby on Tuesday, going a half-mile in 51 seconds. Haveyougoneaway, who is being pointed to the Carousel Stakes on April 14, worked five-eighths in 1:00.60 after the break Wednesday.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said he could have starters in the Arkansas Derby and the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap, also on April 16.

◗ The blacksmith Steve Norman has been named the recipient of the sixth annual Garth Patterson Horsemanship Award. Norman, who has shod a handful of Kentucky Derby winners, is based in Kentucky. He is scheduled to receive the award, which is a saddle, during Derby Week at Churchill Downs. Past winners include Lynn Whiting, Don Von Hemel, and Larry Snyder. The award is named for the late jockey and is administered by a group of his friends.

◗ Oaklawn will have Wednesday cards on April 6 and April 13.