Mr. Soul tops 10 in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. - The four-day Festival of Racing at Omaha's Horsemen's Park comes to an end Sunday, with the $50,000 Omaha Stakes closing out the meet as the final event on a five-race card. The program also includes the $27,500 Skunktail Stakes for 3-year-old Nebraska-breds.

A field of 10, headed by the Hugh Robertson-trained Mr. Soul, has entered the one-mile Omaha. Mr. Soul is coming off a win in optional claiming company at Arlington Park. Mr. Soul has drawn the outside post and should be part of a contentious early pace. It may take some early maneuvering by jockey Ken Shino to get position going to the first of three turns on this five-eighth-mile oval without being hung wide.

Robertson will also send out Snowblind Friend as part of an uncoupled entry.

The Nutz, winner of the $75,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes earlier this year for trainer Steve Hall, will break from post 9. The Nutz employed a stalking style in the Bosselman, then returned to win the State Fair Board Stakes at Lincoln on the lead. If he chooses not to contest the lead, The Nutz's rider Don Herber could find himself in a good stalking position.

Ravensworth, the dedicated closer in the field, comes in from Arlington for trainer Doug Matthews. He turns back a bit in distance off a fast-closing fifth in allowance company going 1 1/8 miles over Polytrack. He will be seeking his first win since a $32,000 claiming victory at Oaklawn in February.

Tellin on You is the likely favorite in the one-mile Skunktail Stakes.

Trained by David Anderson, Tellin on You is coming off a solid second in the State Fair Derby on June 21. Before that he won the State Fair Breeders' Derby, also at a mile. Yuri Yaranga will be aboard from post 6.

Mike Kirby brings in Blumin Won from his base at Canterbury Park for his first try at a mile. Blumin Won was second to Ittakestwobaby in the Fonner Park Special going six furlongs this spring. Tellin on You finished third in that race.

Rains dampen opener

Horsemen's Park got off to a stormy start Thursday evening after a heavy rainstorm rolled through the southwest part of Omaha, soaking the racetrack and hurting attendance.

The rains began nearly an hour before first post and dumped approximately an inch of rain in the area. A lightning strike near the first turn camera tower knocked out power to the infield tote board and the tote area located near the first turn. The tote board was back in operation before the second race, but tote machines did not get back up and running in that area.

An estimated 5,000 turned out for the card, and the atmosphere was festive as several hundred fans watched the races from the rail despite intermittent light showers. The ontrack handle of $99,991 was a significant drop from last year's $128,946.

Jane of Arcadia ($32.60) stole the show in the featured $29,100 Fantango Lady Stakes for 3-year-old Nebraska-bred fillies, as she wore down 8-5 favorite Deputy's Whirl in the final sixteenth of a mile in the one-mile test. Jane of Arcadia won by 1 1/2 lengths. Jane of Arcadia, ridden by Luis Ranilla for trainer Ron Westermann, covered the mile in 1:41.60.