Gar Hole, Summer Shoes wire respective Arkansas-bred stakes
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Speed horses ruled during the Arkansas-bred stakes double Saturday at Oaklawn Park, with Gar Hole wiring his rivals in the $150,000 Nodouble and Summer Shoes doing the same in the $150,000 Downthedustyroad.
Both races for 3-year-olds and up were run over six furlongs. The Downthedustyroad for fillies and mares. The track was fast for the first time in over week.
Gar Hole ($2.80) jumped out to a clear lead from the bell and set fractions of 22.64 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.53 for the half-mile. He proceeded to cover the distance in 1:10.
Ricardo Santana Jr. was aboard the winner for trainer John Ortiz.
Gar Hole was winning the Nodouble for the second year in a row. He was a length and a half clear of runner-up Twisted Dixie, while it was another length and a quarter back in third to Bandit Point.
Gar Hole is a homebred son of Tekton for the Shortleaf Stable of John Ed Anthony. He has now won 6 of 10 starts for earnings of $451,124.
Gar Hole was moving back into the Arkansas-bred ranks after finishing fourth to Grade 1 winner Gunite in last month’s King Cotton.
Summer Shoes ($6.40) broke on top and proceeded to set fractions of 22.43 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.80 for a half-mile. She went on to cover the distance in 1:10.68.
Chel-c Bailey was aboard and achieved her first stakes win with Summer Shoes on Saturday, according to statistics from Daily Racing Form. Bailey’s first career winner came on Feb. 28, 2020, at Oaklawn.
Summer Shoes won by a length and a half over Kaboom Baby, while it was another 2 ¼ lengths back in third to favorite Connie K.
Summer Shoes is owned by John Carver and trained by Tom Swearingen. She is a daughter of Commander’s Shoes and the Grade 3-winning mare Summer Symphony. Summer Shoes has now won 4 of 6 starts for earnings of $285,050.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.