Oaklawn: All About Allie unbeatable against Arkansas-breds

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- All About Allie remained perfect in Arkansas-bred company on Sunday, when she won her third such stakes in the $50,000 Downthedustyroad at Oaklawn Park.

The race for fillies and mares was one of two Arkansas-bred stakes on the card, with The Mallard Man taking the $50,000 Arkansas Breeders.

All About Allie ($3.20) and regular rider Cliff Berry pushed Bikini Bella through an opening quarter in 21.95 seconds. They then moved on even terms with Bikini Belle after a half-mile in 45.46, battled between horses at the top of the stretch, and went on to cover the six furlongs in 1:11.39.

“She likes to go head and head with them and just skirts away,” said David Whited, who trains All About Allie for Sanders Brothers.

All About Allie won last year’s $50,000 Lady Razorback for Arkansas-breds at Louisiana Downs. She then took the $50,000 Rainbow for statebreds at Oaklawn in February before facing older rivals for the first time Sunday in the Downthedustryroad.

All About Allie’s other career stakes win came against open company in the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial at Remington Park. She is a daughter of Storm and a Half.

The Mallard Man ($7.60) fired one of the best races of his career in the Arkansas Breeders, when he closed from last to become a stakes winner. He was content to let the speed go under jockey Calvin Borel, as Destinare put up fractions of 23.26 and 46.83,while pushed along by Our Brother Steve. The Mallard Man began to pick up steam approaching the three-eighths pole, split horses with a furlong to go, and moved on to a three-length win over Devil and a Half, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.38.

“He had been training really good,” trainer Al Cates said of The Mallard Man. “This was his third race back from a pretty good break. We freshened him.”

Cates also said Rick Christian, one of the co-owners of The Mallard Man, made a key equipment suggestion, to reduce the severity of the blinker cup on The Mallard Man. So the horse wore French cup blinkers Sunday after having previously raced in full cup blinkers.

The Mallard Man, who races for Five Star Racing Stable, has now won 3 of 22 starts and $109,187.