Sakima has the pedigree to get the job done
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLEHOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park racing secretary Pat Pope said before the meet that he felt he had more 3-year-old colts on the grounds than fillies, and his assessment is backed up by the track’s twin features Thursday. A pair of entry-level allowances for 3-year-olds highlight the card, with the 1 1/16-mile races going as the eighth and ninth while drawing a total of 17 horses.
The Triple Crown nominees Sakima, Magic of Believing, and Holiday Man meet the invader Bordini in the eighth race, while Giant Oak’s full brother Oak Brook meets Queen’s Plate candidate Conquest Curlinate in the nightcap. The card is the first following the cancellation of Monday’s holiday program due to a winter storm. As such, there is a $19,260 pick six carryover into Thursday.
RACE 8: ALLOWANCE
KEY CONTENDER
Sakima (Beyers: 72-50)
◗ Sakima is owned by Harry Rosenblum and trained by Ron Moquett, who also have Far Right pointing for the Southwest Stakes on Sunday. Sakima was placed first in a maiden special weight at a mile at Oaklawn on Jan. 17 following the disqualification of the first-place finisher for stretch interference. It was the first two-turn start for Sakima, who was beaten just a half-length as the runner-up.
“I thought he ran an incredibly good race considering another horse was laying on him the entire length of the stretch,” Rosenblum said. “One thing about both of our 3-year-old colts, they’re the kind of horses that if they get in trouble, they don’t mind fighting it out.”
◗ Sakima was a private purchase by Rosenblum after he ran fifth in a maiden special weight sprint in his career debut Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs. Rosenblum said he was drawn to the horse because he knew his pedigree would serve him well when the time came to move to two turns.
◗ “He’s got a tremendous family,” Rosenblum said of the son of Curlin out of the mare Queen of Kills. Rosenblum noted that Queen of Kills is a daughter of Tomisue’s Delight, a multiple Grade 1 winner and earner of $1.2 million and a full sister to Horse of the Year Mineshaft.
◗ Ramon Vazquez has the mount.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Sakima. Trainer Ron Moquett is 24-2-1-1 with a $1.16 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes with last-out maiden winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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RACE 9: ALLOWANCE
KEY CONTENDER
Conquest Curlinate (Beyers: 74-58)
◗ He spotted the field a number of lengths at the start of a maiden special weight in his two-turn debut but overcame the deficit for a 2 1/4-length win Jan. 31 at Oaklawn.
“I was impressed,” said trainer Mark Casse. “We won the Grade 2 at Santa Anita the same day, and I was almost as excited with his race as the race in California.”
◗ Casse said Conquest Curlinate is a candidate for the Queen’s Plate.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Magic of Believing. Trainer Ken McPeek is 52-4-11-8 with a $1.36 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes with last-out maiden winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Giant's Quest. Trainer Wes Hawley is 8-4-3-0 with a $5.02 ROI over the past two years in dirt routes with last-out maiden winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan