Pish plans stable at Oaklawn meet

Danny Pish, who is in a good position to win his 10th Retama Park training title when the meet wraps Saturday night, said he plans to send a division of horses to Oaklawn this winter. It will be the first time he has had a stable at the Hot Springs, Ark., track, which opens its 54-date meet Jan. 16.

I do have three or four Arkansas-breds and one Arkansas-based client, so it makes sense, Pish said. Well go over and try.

Pish normally winters at Sam Houston, but that meet has been canceled this year due to damage sustained in Hurricane Ike. Pish also will have horses racing at the winter meet at Retama, which has picked up some of Sam Houstons dates.

Pish said he has been allotted 16 stalls at Oaklawn, and that among the horses he intends to bring is the stakes winner Hes Boy Wonder. Pish said a long-term goal for the horse is the $50,000 Dixieland for 3-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs at Oaklawn on Jan. 16. Hes Boy Wonder was second in the $150,000 Jean Lafitte at Delta Downs last weekend, and Pish said he will make his next start in the $50,000 Groovy during the Texas Champions Day program Dec. 6 at Retama.

Oaklawns stable area will open Monday, which is about two weeks earlier than last year. The track will open for training on Nov. 24, Oaklawn spokesman Terry Wallace said.

Pat Pope, the tracks racing secretary, received requests for 3,000 stalls. The stable area can accommodate about 1,500 horses. Oaklawn will race through April 11, the date of the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby.