Nash cuts back to a mile in Hot Springs Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The talented Nash will attempt to nail down his first stakes win Saturday in the $200,000 Hot Springs at Oaklawn Park.

The race is for 3-year-olds at a mile. It will end at the sixteenth pole. The Hot Springs shares a card with the Grade 3, $600,000 Essex. The field of nine includes stakes winners Otto the Conqueror and Magic Grant, the talented Carbone, and the well-bred Mena.

Nash has been racing at 1 1/16 miles in his last four starts, starting with a maiden special weight win by more than 10 lengths on Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs. From there, he made his way to Fair Grounds and was second in the Gun Runner and third in the Grade 3 Lecomte – both won by Louisiana Derby morning-line favorite Track Phantom. Nash last raced Feb. 17 and was second in a first-level allowance won by Tuscan Sky.

“A cutback to a mile, we’re going to see if that can get him to the winner’s circle,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We’re trying to get him some confidence. I thought it was a very good race on paper, a very competitive race, and he’s got to step up. Hopefully, he gets a good trip and he can be there at the end.”

Nash is a son of Medaglia d’Oro and the Grade 2-winning mare Sara Louise. He races for his breeder, Godolphin. Nash owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, a 91.

“He’s a very talented horse,” Cox said. “He’s always run well. He’s just come up a little short in his last few. He’s run against some very good horses down at the Fair Grounds this winter, had three starts. Obviously, we were beaten by a very good horse in his first two, in stakes. Then we backed up to an allowance race and it looks like we ran into another really good horse. His last run was a very good run, a very good race, just didn’t quite get there. This is where we are right now in his career, hoping to get him back in the win column.”

Florent Geroux, the regular rider of Nash, has the mount from post 6.

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Nash might get a tracking trip behind a few of his rivals, Otto the Conqueror and Carbone, who both have shown speed in their starts. The Steve Asmussen trainees will break to Nash’s inside, from posts 1 and 2.

Otto the Conqueror is returning to the distance of his biggest win, the $300,000 Springboard Mile in December at Remington Park. Keith Asmussen has the mount from the rail for Three Chimneys Farm.

Carbone also was a winner the last time he raced at a mile, taking a first-level allowance in December at Oaklawn. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount for the partnership of Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Staton Flurry.

A quick pace would serve the cause of Magic Grant, who closed from last to win his maiden in the Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park.

Trainer Kenny McPeek sends out the capable pair of Footprint and Count Dracula. The field also includes Mena, a full brother to stakes winner Caddo River. Frost Free and Mr Fillip enter off sharp sprint wins at Oaklawn.

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