Racing Festival of the South kicks off with Hot Springs Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – There are white tents dotting the infield at Oaklawn Park. The work tabs are littered with stakes horses, and the weather is starting to break.

It all means one thing – it’s once again time for the Racing Festival of the South.

The collection of major stakes held over the final stretch of the meet each season begins on Thursday with the $200,000 Hot Springs. The one-mile race for 3-year-olds drew Triple Crown nominees Desert Gate, Bricklin, Strategic Risk, and Soldier N Diplomat.

Desert Gate is the probable favorite for his Southern California form that includes a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 American Pharoah in October at Santa Anita. He set the pace after breaking from the rail that afternoon and drew the fence for the third straight time Thursday.

Last summer at Del Mar, Desert Gate won the Grade 3 Best Pal over Pavlovian, who went on to win the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby and run a close second in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. Flavien Prat has the mount on Desert Gate for trainer Bob Baffert.

"I think he wants a mile," Baffert said. "I think that's probably a good spot for him. If he runs well, he might be a Pat Day Mile horse."

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Soldier N Diplomat could track Desert Gate when he breaks from post 7. He showed speed when third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in November at Churchill Downs. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Strategic Risk also could be prominent, as he was forwardly placed when he captured the Smarty Jones in January at Oaklawn. He won that race over Silent Tactic, who would go on to win the Grade 3 Southwest, finish second in the Rebel, and is entered back in the Arkansas Derby. Javier Castellano has the mount on Strategic Risk for trainer Mark Casse.

The field is completed by recent maiden winners Race Ready and Top Level. A hot pace could set the table for Top Level, who closed for second to Exosome last out in a first-level allowance at Oaklawn. Exosome is entered back in the Arkansas Derby.

Bricklin, who was third last out in the Sunland Derby, is cross-entered in the Arkansas Derby and will run in that race, according to his trainer, Rodolphe Brisset.

Lincoln’s Law, a debut winner at Gulfstream Park and a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick, is cross-entered in a first-level allowance at Gulfstream on Friday.

Thursday’s nine-race card has several other races of interest, including a first-level allowance route for 3-year-old fillies and an Arkansas-bred allowance route that drew the talented 3-year-old Honey’s to Blame.

Thursday’s card also ushers in a week of stakes racing. Friday is led by the Grade 2, $1 million Fantasy and $250,000 Matron, and Saturday’s card includes the Arkansas Derby; the Grade 3, $500,000 Oaklawn Mile; and the $200,000 Temperence Hill at 1 1/2 miles. Oaklawn will be dark on Sunday.

The festival stakes action resumes April 11 with the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap and Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap. The April 18 card features the Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap and two supporting stakes. From there, Oaklawn has scheduled six more stakes and two additional overnight stakes through the May 2 end of the meet.

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