Liberal Arts brings new running style into Fifth Season

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Liberal Arts has changed his running style since last seen at Oaklawn Park and his newfound pace could serve him well Saturday when he navigates the track’s short-stretch mile configuration in the $150,000 Fifth Season.

The race for 4-year-olds and up, which will end at the sixteenth pole, is part of a Southwest Day card that features four stakes and two overnight stakes.

Liberal Arts used his closing kick to win the Grade 3 Street Sense at 2 at Churchill Downs, then opened his 3-year-old season with a late-running third in last year’s Southwest. In more recent times, the 4-year-old has won back-to-back allowances from just off the pace.

“We’ve run him twice and he’s shown a little more speed,” said trainer Brad Cox, who saddled the horse for the first time in November. “He trains forward enough. I’m thinking he can handle the mile as long as he can get a good position. I’m hopeful it will be a race that will suit him.”

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

Liberal Arts ships in from Fair Grounds, where on Dec. 26 he romped by 11 3/4 lengths in a 1 1/16-mile race. Prior to that, he won over 7 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs. In that race he defeated Banishing, who came back to take an Oaklawn allowance with a meet-high Beyer Speed Figure of 103.

Liberal Arts has earned Beyer Speed Figures of 91 in each of his recent efforts. Flavien Prat has the mount from post 8.

The field of nine includes The Wine Steward, a multiple stakes winner who ran third in three consecutive graded stakes before closing out his campaign last June with a ninth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes. Juan Hernandez has the mount from post 5 for trainer Mike Maker.

Grade 3 winners Raise Cain and Brunacini figure to draw some support, while two-time stakes winner Henro is moving back to two turns after winning a deep allowance sprint.

General MacArthur

The $145,000 General MacArthur, which goes right before the Fifth Season, features a field of eight runners who could join the handicap ranks later in the meet. The new overnight stakes for 4-year-olds and up is restricted to non-winners of a sweepstakes. Cox has the probable favorite in Kinetic.

Kinetic is 2 for 2 at the race’s 1 1/8-mile distance and enters off a runner-up finish to Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown in the Tenacious on Dec. 21 at Fair Grounds. Kinetic was making his stakes debut in what was the fifth career start. He is a full brother to Grade 3 winners Shared Sense and Comparative.

“He ran well against Saudi Crown,” Cox said. “He’s a little short on seasoning, obviously he hasn’t raced very many times, but this race made a lot of sense for him.

“I think he’s one with a big future. I think he’s a horse continuing to get better every time we lead him over and he’s got a lot of talent. Hopefully, he can get the job done Saturday.”

Prat has the mount from the rail on Kinetic, who owns the field’s best last-race Beyer, a 99.

King Cotton

Happy Is a Choice will be looking for his second win in the Oaklawn sprint series this meet when he faces a highly competitive field in the $150,000 King Cotton.

The six-furlong race for 4-year-olds and up drew Grade 3 winners Tejano Twist, Miles Ahead, and Durante, and multiple stakes winner Gulfport.

“There’s some really nice, quality sprinters in the race, which we expect,” said John Ortiz, who trains Happy Is a Choice. “When you’re coming to run at Oaklawn, you expect to run against some good horses, especially at the stakes level.”

Happy Is a Choice won the $150,000 Ring the Bell on Dec. 7 while making his first start since September. He was up for a neck win over Gulfport and earned a Beyer of 99. Happy Is Choice is part of a field of six in the King Cotton, which is another stepping-stone to the meet’s Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet.

“I think this horse likes to run with a little space between his races,” Ortiz said. “He had a pretty light campaign as far as the summer goes. We’ve been planning on having a strong winter campaign at Oaklawn, where he loves this track. I think the last race shows his true talent. I think we’re just starting to see the very best of him.”

Happy Is a Choice will be seeking his third consecutive stakes win when he starts from post 6 under Ramon Vazquez.

“We got a nice post on the outside,” Ortiz said. “I think we can expect the usual from Happy Is a Choice – get a sharp break, sit right off the leaders, and make that deciding move leaving the quarter pole.”

Miles Ahead owns the field’s best last-race Beyer, a 104 for his win in the Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 28 at Fair Grounds. Colby Hernandez has the mount from post 2 for trainer Paul McGee.

◗ Filly and mare sprinters are featured in the $145,000 Bugler, a six-furlong overnight stakes for non-winners of a sweepstakes. Royal Spa and Tanya Showers are chief contenders in the field of 14.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.