Oaklawn Park: Gentlemen's Bet, Hogy skipping King Cotton

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Gentlemen’s Bet and Hogy were among the most exciting prospects for the $100,000 King Cotton at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, but neither ended up in the entry box when the field for the six-furlong race was set on Wednesday.

Gentlemen’s Bet had been expected to make his first start since runnin g third in the $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2, but the promise of more of the winter weather that has gripped Oaklawn the last week led to a decision to pass the race, said trainer Ron Moquett.

“We want to do what’s best for the horse,” said Moquett, who trains Gentlemen’s Bet for Harry Rosenblum. “It’s the frozen weather conditions. I just don’t want to worry about if it’s a heavy track or a hard track [due to temperatures]. I don’t want to run him if everything isn’t perfect.”

Moquett said the next move with Gentlemen’s Bet is to be determined, but he is a candidate for the $100,000 Hot Springs at Oaklawn on March 8.

“I’ll talk with Harry,” Moquett said Wednesday. “We were both looking forward to this race, until we got the latest weather report today. I know we do want to run in Arkansas. We want to run at Oaklawn.”

Gentlemen’s Bet remains a long-term candidate for the Grade 3, $300,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap here April 10.

That race is also an option for Hogy, a Grade 3 winner of more than $500,000 who had been under consideration for the King Cotton. But those plans were derailed after the horse had to be scratched from last month’s $75,000 Champion Energy Services at Sam Houston.

“He bruised a heel in his hind foot,” said trainer Scott Becker. “It set us back about 10 days. He’s back in light training.”

Becker said there is no definite spot picked out for Hogy’s return. The horse last raced in October, and finished eighth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile that was moved to the main track at Keeneland. Prior to that start, he won the $250,000 Presque Isle Downs Mile and missed by a head in the $100,000 Arlington Park Sprint.

Becker said later this year, he would like to see Hogy, who races for William Stiritz, defend his title in the Grade 3 Hanshin, an Arlington Park race he won with a career-high Beyer Figure of 100 last May.

The King Cotton ultimately drew a field of seven older sprinters for Saturday. From the rail, the lineup is Mico Margarita, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Wildcat Country, Alex Canchari; Anillo, Norberto Arroyo Jr.; Alsvid, Ken Tohill; Heaven’s Runway, Jesus Castanon; Black Bear, Cliff Berry; and Picko’s Pride, Seth Martinez.

Alsvid and Black Bear will be coupled for Black Hawk Stable and trainer Chris Hartman.

Sisterly Love eyes Bayakoa

Sisterly Love, a Grade 3 winner who was fourth in last year’s Grade 1 Spinster, arrived at Oaklawn last week and is being pointed for the $100,000 Bayakoa at the track on Feb. 16, said her trainer, Mark Casse.

The race will be Sisterly Love’s first since finishing sixth in the Grade 2 Chilukki at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2.

Casse is also debating a Bayakoa start with Dixie Strike. She’s an earner of more than $1 million who races for John Oxley.

Sisterly Love, who is 5 for 11, is owned by Gary Barber.