Last Samurai rallies to Oaklawn Handicap triumph
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - It could be argued Last Samurai’s win in the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on Saturday was decades in the making.
The connection between the horse’s trainer, Dallas Stewart, and his 61-year-old rider, Jon Court, goes way back.
“Jon is a good friend of mine,” Stewart said during a post-race press teleconference. “I worked for him back in the early 1980s. I was a valet. My wife babysat his kids. We’re close.”
Last Samurai ($27.80) was winning his second stakes at the Oaklawn meet behind the Poinsettia in his 3-year-old finale in December. He was always prominent in the Oaklawn Handicap, taking the field through an opening quarter in 23.94 seconds then maintaining his position from the rail as Plainsman and Fearless moved to the lead through a half-mile in 48.34 and continued up front through six furlongs in 1:12.29.
Last Samurai joined the pair on the lead after that point, began to assert himself, and went on to a four-length win over favorite Fearless. It was another neck back in third to Plainsman.
Last Samurai covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.32 and getting a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. He was cutting back from 1 1/2 miles for the race, having run second by a neck in the $150,000 Temperence Hill on April 3 at Oaklawn.
“He just came out of the race so good and came with a good work and proceeded on from there,” Stewart said. “He’s such a nice horse. Hopefully, we’ll have a big year.”
Last Samurai is a son of Malibu Moon who races for Willis Horton of Arkansas. He has now won 4 of 15 starts for earnings of $946,744. Last Samurai is a half-brother to Candy Raid, winner of the recent Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway.
Oaklawn opened its infield on a beautiful afternoon in the 70s and ontrack attendance was an estimated 35,000. Handle on the 12-race card from all sources was $11 million, according to figures from Oaklawn.