Mesa Moon should appreciate outside draw in allowance sprint

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Scott Young said Mesa Moon could not have drawn a more appropriate post for the featured eighth race Friday at Oaklawn Park.

The horse will start from post 10 in the first-level allowance for 4-year-olds and up. Mesa Moon will face nine others in the sprint, which will be run at six furlongs. The purse is $100,000.

“The outside post position is key this time for this horse,” Young said. “He’s not a big fan of being trapped inside. Having the outside is so much better going into this race than what we had last time.”

Mesa Moon broke from the four hole at this distance and level last out, when facing nine others in an allowance at Oaklawn. He ran third to Macron, who won in 1:09.40 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99. Macron returns to action in an Oaklawn allowance Sunday. As for Mesa Moon, the Jan. 22 race came following a dominant no-conditions allowance win over Oklahoma-breds on Dec. 4 at Remington Park in his final start at 4.

“We think he’s a pretty special horse,” Young said. “He just seems like as he gets older, he’s getting stronger. I think this year will be his best year yet.”

Mesa Moon established himself as an Oklahoma-bred of note for his competitive races against millionaire Welder and Shannon C. Shannon C is his stablemate, and the multiple stakes-winning sprinter returned to training last week after taking some time off after Remington, Young said.

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Mesa Moon also has been effective against open company, and Young is looking forward to the test for the horse Friday.

“It’s a tough race, but we feel like he had a nice maintenance breeze last week and couldn’t be doing any better right now,” Young said. “He’s going into the race sitting on a big performance. If it’s good enough to win, we’ll just have to see. I think we’ll improve from the last race, and if that’s the case, we can get it done.”

Elvin Gonzalez has the mount for breeder and owner Cimarron TTT Farms.

A C Expressway could go favored after winning a $50,000 starter allowance at Oaklawn with a Beyer of 87. It’s the best last-race number in the field, and seven points higher than the 80 earned last out by Mesa Moon.

Joel Rosario, who last week won the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey of 2021, has the mount for trainer Norm Casse.

A C Expressway is a son of Mineshaft who races for the Garden State Derby Club.

Others set to start include Outasite, an impressive maiden winner last season at Oaklawn who is making his first start since February 2021. He’s one of a number of runners returning from layoffs Friday. Francisco Arrieta has the mount for trainer Brad Cox.

The card Friday opens an extended raceweek as Oaklawn will have live programs through Monday.