Oaklawn Park: Little Miss Flurry back with Arkansas-breds for Rainbow Miss
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Little Miss Flurry will be seeking the second Arkansas-bred stakes win of her young career at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, when she runs in the $75,000 Rainbow Miss. She is part of a seven-horse field for a sprint for 3-year-old fillies that also drew impressive maiden special weight winner Delta Flower.
“It’s a short field, but it’s a very, very competitive group,” said Brad Cox, who trains Little Miss Flurry for the Flurry Racing Stable operation of Hot Springs businessman Staton Flurry.
Little Miss Flurry won the $50,000 Lady Razorback Futurity for Arkansas-breds in her second career start last September at Louisiana Downs. The race, as well as the Rainbow Miss, have been goals for the daughter of Awesome Again and the stakes-winning mare Belle’s Appeal since she was purchased as a 2-year-old last year during an Ocala Breeders’ Sale auction in June. She was a $25,000 buy, and will be making her third start of the year in the six-furlong Rainbow Miss.
“This has been her winter goal since the beginning of the meet,” Cox said.
Little Miss Flurry started her 3-year-old season with a fifth-place finish in a first-level allowance at Oaklawn on Jan. 24. She faced open company, and set a pressured pace before being overtaken. One start later, Little Miss Flurry ran a big second to the well-regarded Bread and Butter in an optional $62,500 claimer in which she was 19-1. She’s back in the Arkansas-bred ranks for the first time this year, and will break from post 6, under jockey Jon Court.
“I feel like she’s a filly that needs to be forwardly placed,” Cox said. “She’s going to put herself in the race.”
Delta Flower faced open company in her second career start March 8, and won the maiden special weight by three lengths. For the effort she earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 77, which is the best career number in the Rainbow Miss. Terry Thompson has the mount for trainer Stanley Roberts.
Pink Flash exits the same optional claimer as Little Miss Flurry and finished third. Ivy Joe won her maiden over statebreds last out at Oaklawn, while K J’s Sweetater is out of the mare K J’s Girl, who is a past winner of the Rainbow Miss.
◗ Fabulous Kid, among the late nominees to the Triple Crown, will make his career debut in the eighth race Saturday. He is a son of Congrats. Joe Martin trains Fabulous Kid for his breeders, K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman, who raced champion Summer Bird.