Local stars face stiff challenge from invaders Fearless, Idol in Oaklawn Handicap
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The locals Plainsman and Rated R Superstar divided up the first two legs of Oaklawn Park’s route series for older horses this meet. But the final leg on Saturday has drawn a pair of stakes-winning shippers in Fearless and Idol who might give the local stars all they can handle.
They have invaded for the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race that continues the $5.4 million Racing Festival of the South, which features major stakes throughout April. The card also includes the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap, which drew champions Letruska and Ce Ce, and the $150,000 Oaklawn Stakes, which offers its winner a berth into the Preakness.
Fearless and Plainsman are co-highweighted at 121 pounds for the Oaklawn Handicap. A Gulfstream Park invader, Fearless comes off a six-length win in the Grade 3 Ghostzapper, a 1 1/8-mile race run April 2 and named for his sire.
“That was a fitting victory,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains Fearless for CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm.
“It was a race in which he was the overwhelming favorite, and expected to win, but that doesn’t always mean it’s going to happen,” Pletcher said. “We were pleased with his performance. He’s doing well, came out of it with good energy, and we decided to come back on three weeks’ rest for the Oaklawn Handicap. He’s a big, strong gelding, seems to take his races pretty well.”
Last year, Fearless was second by a half-length in the Oaklawn Handicap. This year, Fearless will break from the outside in post 8 under Jose Ortiz.
“He’s been showing a little bit of tactical speed,” Pletcher said. “From the outside post, hopefully we’ll get into a good stalking position going into the first turn and take it from there.”
Idol, weighted at 119, won last year’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap over 1 1/4 miles. He will break from post 4 under Ramon Vazquez.
Idol usually comes from the back of the field, and trainer Richard Baltas expects no change for the Oaklawn Handicap.
“There’s a couple of horses in there that look like they have speed,” Baltas said. “That being said, this track, I think, is pretty fair. You can win from anywhere.
“The thing about Idol, he’s got a very big, long, beautiful stride. You just let him do his thing and push a button when you’re ready to push a button.”
Idol had been training toward a start in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, but sustained a muscle injury and was given time off, Baltas said. He runs Saturday for the first time since October.
Idol has prepped for his return at the San Luis Rey training center in Southern California.
“That track has been really good to me,” Baltas said. “He hasn’t missed a beat since I brought him down there. He’s been working well.
“He needs to get running. I think he’s pretty ready. Obviously, you can always be a little more ready. But he’s been working really well.”
Idol, who races for Calvin Nguyen, is by Curlin and a full brother to Nest. She won the recent Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland and is a leading contender for the Kentucky Oaks.
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Plainsman won the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on Feb. 12 and in his most recent start was second in the Grade 3 Essex Handicap on March 19. Joel Rosario has the mount from post 6 for Shortleaf Stable.
“He’s going to be up close,” trainer Brad Cox said. “It will be his third run off a little bit of a break. I thought he ran extremely well first off the layoff. His last race he ran really hard. He tried hard. For whatever reason, speed wasn’t as good at Oaklawn that day.
“I’m expecting a big run out of him.”
Plainsman is one of three millionaires in the field alongside Rated R Superstar and Super Stock.
Rated R Superstar, weighted at 120, opened his 9-year-old season with a win in the Fifth Season on Jan. 15 at Oaklawn. In his last start, the closer won the Essex. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount for Danny Caldwell and trainer Federico Villafranco.
Super Stock, weighted at 118, won last year’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at the same distance as the Oaklawn Handicap. He comes off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic on March 26 at Fair Grounds. Isaac Castillo has the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Thomas Shelby, weighted at 117, was second in the Razorback and fourth in the Essex.
Oaklawn officials plan to open the infield if the weather is favorable. AccuWeather is calling for partly sunny skies and a high of 80 degrees. The 12-race card starts at 12:10 p.m. Central.
Oaklawn Stakes
Stellar Tap will start as a top contender in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Stakes off a troubled runner-up finish in a one-mile allowance April 1 at Oaklawn. He will break from post 2 under Joel Rosario in the field of seven 3-year-olds.
Stellar Tap has hit traffic in a number of his races, at times being steadied or bumped.
“Hopefully, he gets a clean trip, which has been very rare for him at this point,” trainer Steve Asmussen said.
Asmussen, who trains the son of Tapit for L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds, said Stellar Tap should not have a problem with the extra furlong of the Oaklawn Stakes.
Home Brew comes into the Oaklawn Stakes off a 10th-place finish as the favorite in the $250,000 Smarty Jones on Jan. 1 at Oaklawn. It was Home Brew’s fourth start and the first time he failed to finish first or second. Jose Ortiz has the mount from post 4.
“I think this is a decent spot to get him back going,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We entered him in different allowance races last month that didn’t go. We were looking for something he qualified for.”
Home Brew is a homebred son of Street Sense for Gary and Mary West.
The Skipper Too owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 81 for his runner-up finish to We The People in an Oaklawn allowance March 12.
Happy Boy Rocket was a troubled third last out in an Oaklawn allowance and will add blinkers in what is a high-percentage equipment move for trainer Bill Mott, according to statistics from Daily Racing Form. Martin Garcia has the mount for Frank Fletcher.