Repeat of last may be all Holyfield needs in Oaklawn feature

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. –Trainer Tony Dutrow won with his first-ever Oaklawn Park starter on Monday and can keep the barn’s momentum going in Friday’s eighth race. He will send out Holyfield in a second-level optional $35,000 claiming race at six furlongs, and the recency the horse has on all but one of his six rivals makes him a chief contender.

Dutrow’s stable is a strong addition to the Oaklawn meet. Double Threat won a $35,000 optional claimer for the barn on Monday, and Holyfield looks just as good on paper. The horse captured a first-level allowance at Parx Racing on Dec. 21, and the Beyer Figure of 83 that he earned is the best last-race number in the field Friday.

Jeremy Rose, who was aboard Double Threat, has the mount on Holyfield.

Holyfield and Bell by the Ridge are the lone horses in the field not returning from layoffs.

Archarcharch eyes Southwest

Bluegrass Bull and Archarcharch, who finished third and fourth in the $100,000 Smarty Jones on Monday, are both headed next to the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest at Oaklawn on Feb. 21, said their trainer, Jinks Fires.

Archarcharch was the even-money favorite in the Smarty Jones after winning his maiden in the $56,000 Sugar Bowl at six furlongs at Fair Grounds. He was making his two-turn debut Monday, and was part of a four-way pace battle over a laboring kind of track.

“He got bumped two or three times in the race and it made him more aggressive,” Fires said Tuesday. “He was more aggressive than we really wanted him to be.

“He came back great, but seeing he hadn’t been around two turns, he just hadn’t had the seasoning.”

Fires said Archarcharch was quite leg-weary following the Smarty Jones, but no worse for the wear. He is one of the more accomplished 3-year-olds at Oaklawn.

Bluegrass Bull finished third Monday, at 27-1.

“He ran extremely well,” Fires said.

Bluegrass Bull came into the Smarty Jones off a 10th place finish in the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park. Fires noted during that race, the horse was hit in the eye with a clod of dirt.

“He couldn’t even open his eye when he got back to the barn, for a long time,” he said.

Bluegrass Bull had won a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles at Calder in his start prior to the Springboard.