Oscar's Hope wins Ozark as Ewing comes up flat in return

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oscar’s Hope cut back to one turn for the $150,000 Ozark Stakes for 3-year-olds on Monday at Oaklawn Park and was strong through the stretch for a 1 1/2-length win over Tiz Mary’s Comet. It was another length back in third to Swung.

Ewing, the winner of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special, was making his first start since August and finished sixth.

Oscar’s Hope ($7.20) tracked leader Tiz Mary’s Comet, who took the field through an opening quarter in 22.01 seconds and a half-mile in 45.37 while pushed along by Swung. The eventual winner moved past the leaders in the stretch and went on to cover six furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.34.

Luis Saez was aboard for trainer Tom Amoss.

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“We tracked the speed,” Saez told track publicity. “We were right behind it, and when we came to the top of the stretch, he gave me a big turn of foot. I knew there was some speed inside, so I tried to let the speed go and sit behind. I knew [Ewing] had a lot of speed, but I felt like he missed the break, so I took advantage of that.”

Oscar’s Hope had run in a pair of two-turn stakes leading up to the Ozark. He won one of those races, the Jean Lafitte at Delta Downs. He is a son of Twirling Candy who races for Michael McLoughlin.

Ewing had won both of his career starts heading into the Ozark.

“He was flat,” jockey Cristian Torres told track publicity. “He broke a step slow, but he never got into the bit, never engaged in the race. I started working on him early, going into the turn, but [he] never responded.”

One race prior to the stakes, jockeys Johan Rosado and Francisco Arrieta were unseated from their mounts in a one-horse spill. Both riders were taken to a local hospital and were undergoing tests during the early evening hours Monday.

Ruben Munoz, the agent for Rosado, was at the hospital with the riders and said they were up and about and talking.

Rosado’s mount, Anthonian, fell on the final turn and ultimately had to be euthanized due to a fractured left front cannon bone, according to the stewards. The 5-year-old gelding was an earner of more than $100,000.

Arrieta’s mount, The Warden, ran through the wire Monday.

Racing resumes Thursday. There is a pick six carryover of $9,959.

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