Oaklawn Park: Mallard's Bro by a neck in Arkansas Breeders’ Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The broodmare Y Worry B Happy has now produced the winners of two of the four runnings of the Arkansas Breeders’ Stakes after her Mallard’s Bro caught Devil and a Half for a neck win in the $75,000 race Friday at Oaklawn Park. Y Worry B Happy’s son The Mallard Man won the inaugural running in 2011.

The Arkansas Breeders’ was the first of three Arkansas-bred stakes this weekend at Oaklawn. The races coincide with Friday night’s annual banquet of the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Horsemen’s Association.

Mallard’s Bro, 4, was coupled with his half-brother, The Mallard Man, 8, in Friday’s race. Both lagged behind the pace set by Road to Saleeta, who jumped out to a clear lead and set fractions of 22.58 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.59 for the half-mile, and 1:12.78 for six furlongs. Mallard’s Bro advanced on the final turn, worked his way off the fence under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., and closed with good energy to cover the 1 1/16 miles on a sealed, sloppy track in 1:46.77.

“When I turned for home, my horse, I took him out in the clear, and he really ran,” said Santana.

Mallard’s Bro, trained by Al Cates, was making his stakes debut. He paid $9.80. Mallard’s Bro is a son of It’s No Joke bred by Rick Christian, who races the horse in the Arkansas-based partnership of Five Star Racing Stable.

Devil and a Half was seeking his third consecutive win in the Arkansas Breeders’ Stakes.