Haulin Ice nominated to Derby City Distaff, but next race is undecided
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Haulin Ice has returned home to South Florida after her win in the $250,000 Matron at Oaklawn Park, and plans for her next start are to be determined, according to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Haulin Ice, who is the reigning Arkansas-bred of the year, was a five-length winner of the Matron. She defeated open company in the race and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 101. Haulin Ice covered six furlongs in 1:09.20.
“She’s amazing,” Joseph said. “She just loves Oaklawn. Going into that race, we thought [Almostgone Rocket] would be very heard to beat. We would have been happy to run second. Obviously, [Almostgone Rocket] didn’t break very good, so we were able to get an easy lead and she just ran huge.”
The score came following a six-length victory over Arkansas-bred fillies and mares in the Downthedustyroad Stakes at Oaklawn. Earlier in her career, Haulin Ice won the Azalea at Gulfstream Park.
“We’ll come up with a plan,” Joseph said of a race for Haulin Ice. “We’d obviously love to win a graded stakes with her. She’s won all these stakes already and if we could add a graded stakes to her résumé, it would be huge. Where and when? We don’t know yet.”
Joseph said Haulin Ice would be nominated to the Grade 1, $1 million Derby City Distaff for fillies and mares at seven furlongs May 3 at Churchill Downs. He said she also would be considered for the $150,000 Natural State for Arkansas-bred fillies and mares at a mile but it seemed unlikely she would run in the two-turn race April 27 at Oaklawn.
Arkansas-bred awards
Haulin Ice’s dam, She’s Smoke, was honored as the 2024 broodmare of the year during the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Horsemen’s Association banquet in late March, according to executive secretary Deana Echols.
Haulin Ice also was honored at the same banquet, as the state’s horse of the year. She was bred by Eugenia Thompson-Benight. Haulin Ice now races for C2 Racing Stable, Paul Braverman, Miller Racing, and Timothy Pinch.
Others receiving awards at the banquet included McDowell Farm, which was recognized as the breeder of the year for 2024, and Street Strategy, who was the stallion of the year for 2024. Street Strategy is owned by Randy Patterson.
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