Sarah Harper streaks into Oaklawn allowance

Sarah Harper and Miss Imperial come into Sunday’s eighth race at Oaklawn Park at different stages of their careers, but both are riding win streaks. The up-and-coming Sarah Harper is looking for her third consecutive win and the veteran Miss Imperial is out to make it five in a row.

The horses meet in a two-other-than allowance for fillies and mares over six furlongs. The race is one of three high-end offerings on the card.

Man in the Can, the reigning Arkansas-bred of the year, goes in the seventh race, an allowance sprint for statebreds. His chief rival is Tempt Fate, who is looking for his fifth consecutive win at Oaklawn after going 4 for 4 in Hot Springs earlier in 2021.

The ninth race is a conditioned allowance route for fillies and mares led by Misty Veil and Flipping Fast.

Sarah Harper began her win streak on Sept. 26 in a maiden special weight at six furlongs at Churchill Downs. She was making her second career start. Sarah Harper was always prominent and won off by seven lengths, while covering the distance in a sharp 1:09.45.

“She beat them up,” said Ron Moquett, who trains Sarah Harper. “And then, she came back first time against winners and basically didn’t like the track, didn’t have a very good break, and still won very impressively.”

The score came in a first-level allowance sprint in the mud on Nov. 12 at Churchill. The Beyer Speed Figure of 88 that Sarah Harper earned is the best last-race number in the field.

Sarah Harper races for a partnership that includes her breeder, William Sparks, who named the 3-year-old filly, who is by the Medaglia d’Oro stallion Vancouver, after his sister, said Moquett.

David Cabrera has the mount on Sarah Harper from post 3 in the field of six Sunday. Sarah Harper has excellent speed and has a chance to wire the field, depending on how things go at the break. Her chief pace rivals appear to be Time Limit, a Grade 3-placed runner who breaks from the rail, and Perfect Happiness, who drew outside of the other speed in post 5.

Miss Imperial, a 5-year-old who has won 14 races, is making her first start since Aug. 11. Her current win streak has been built at Assiniboia Downs, where she captured four straight stakes dating back to June 9 in the La Verendrye. Miss Imperial will be cutting back to the six-furlong distance of that race Sunday, after winning over 1 1/16 miles last out in the Polynesian Kitty.

Elvin Gonzalez has the mount for co-owner and trainer Murray Duncan. The front-runner will break from post 6.

Miss Imperial, who overall has won seven stakes, is a past winner at Oaklawn.