Ransomed vs. Tyfosha in allowance sprint

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Ransomed and Tyfosha, who have both spent time racing in Southern California, meet in Thursday’s featured eighth race at Oaklawn. The optional $16,000 claiming sprint for fillies and mares carries first-level allowance conditions. It will be run at six furlongs and it drew a field of 11.

Ransomed made her Oaklawn debut on March 2, finishing third at this level. She was with the pace throughout in what was her first race since December. Her last win came in October in a starter handicap over six furlongs at Santa Anita. David Cohen has the mount for Oaklawn’s leading owner, M and M Racing, and trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Tyfosha is back at Oaklawn after winning a race at the track last year when trainer Doug O’Neill kept a division in Hot Springs. She is coming off a rare turf start at Santa Anita, finishing a troubled 10th on the downhill course Feb. 22. Prior to that race, she was third in a six furlong allowance Feb. 2 at Santa Anita. Ricardo Santana Jr., who won five races Saturday at Oaklawn, has the mount for O’Neill.

◗ Super Steed upset the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes last month at Oaklawn, and has now seen three horses who finished behind him return to win stakes races. Cutting Humor, the seventh-place finisher, was the latest, taking the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Park Derby on Sunday. In addition, Gray Attempt, who was 11th in the Southwest, came back to take the $125,000 Gazebo on Saturday at Oaklawn, and Long Range Toddy, who was third in the Southwest, came back to take a division of the Grade 2 Rebel on March 16 at Oaklawn. Trainer Larry Jones said Super Steed is recovering nicely in Kentucky from bone bruising in an ankle and he would like to see him develop into a candidate for 3-year-old stakes later this year at either Saratoga or Monmouth.

◗ A box at Churchill Downs for this year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks fetched $7,000 during a live auction benefit for the Racetrack Chaplaincy program in Arkansas, according to chaplains Rich and Robi Heffington. Overall, the live auction raised more than $30,000, according to the Heffingtons. Other top sellers included a private infield tent for 30 on Arkansas Derby Day, which brought $4,500; a Justify halter signed by jockey Mike Smith; and a Monomoy Girl halter signed by jockey Florent Geroux.