Fulsome rallies wide and pulls away in Oaklawn Stakes
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Fulsome is establishing himself as a dirt horse of note. The 3-year-old who has spent the bulk of his young career on turf is now 2 for 2 on the main track after winning Saturday’s $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths over stablemate Warrant.
The 1 1/8-mile race carried a Preakness berth for the winner, but Fulsome was not eligible for the berth Saturday because he is not currently nominated to the Triple Crown.
The Oaklawn Stakes closed the meet on an afternoon in the mid-70s. The infield was open for the 12-race program, and the estimated attendance was 20,000.
Fulsome ($4.60) was content to let the pace go, settling in fifth as Causeway Jones jumped out to the lead and set fractions of 23.50 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.28 for the half-mile, and 1:12.94 for six furlongs. Fulsome advanced three wide on the final turn, four wide into the stretch, and was part of a four-horse charge to the wire, moving to the fore late while covering the distance on a fast track in 1:50.01.
“When he decided to run, he went on easy,” winning jockey Martin Garcia said during an interview broadcast by Oaklawn. “He was playing. He was jumping shadows.”
:: Join DRF Bets and get ready to watch and wager on the Preakness with a $250 first deposit bonus
Game Day finished a nose behind Warrant in third, while it was another neck back in fourth to Scarred.
Garcia was aboard the winner for Juddmonte Farms and trainer Brad Cox. Within the previous half-hour, Cox finished second and fourth in the Kentucky Derby with Mandaloun and Essential Quality.
Fulsome is a son of Into Mischief who won a maiden special weight at 1 1/8 miles on turf in his third career start Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds. He then was fourth in the $75,000 Black Gold over the same course on Feb. 27 before making his dirt debut in an off-the-turf allowance April 10 at Keeneland. Fulsome was a 3 1/2-length winner, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 90 that he earned was the best last-race and career number in the Oaklawn Stakes. The effort made him the favorite Saturday.
Fulsome has now won 3 of 6 starts for earnings of $282,716.