HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Grade 2 winner Smile Happy made a splash in his comeback race last month at Oaklawn Park and he’ll return to stakes competition Saturday for a competitive renewal of the Grade 3, $400,000 Oaklawn Mile. The race drew a cast of seven older horses, including Silver Prospector, who leads the field in earnings with $1.3 million; Hopper, who exits the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap; and Hero Status, who had a troubled trip in the key-race Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn. The Oaklawn Mile is one of four stakes on a card led by the Arkansas Derby. Smile Happy was making his first start since the Kentucky Derby when he won a second-level allowance over 1 1/8 miles at Oaklawn by 1 1/4 lengths on March 16. He earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 101. “We were thrilled with his race,” said Kenny McPeek, who trains Smile Happy for Lucky Seven Stable. “He’s obviously ultra-talented and the race was impressive first time back.” The Oaklawn Mile comes only two weeks after his comeback win. :: Take your handicapping to the next level and play with FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. “He’s a tricky horse to train, so we decided to put him in the Oaklawn Mile,” McPeek said. “I think it could be a good spot for him. We’ll watch him train, make sure we’re happy with him, and if all is good, we’ll run.” Smile Happy, who typically comes from off the pace, might get a good setup with several fast horses in the field. He will break from the rail under Francisco Arrieta. The race will end at the sixteenth pole, as with all races at a mile at Oaklawn. Grade 2 winner Silver Prospector won an allowance race going a mile at Oaklawn in February, earning a Beyer of 97. In his last start, he was sixth in the Grade 3 Essex over 1 1/16 miles here March 18. “He was covered up a little in the Essex, didn’t get a shot to run,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “It’s a little quick back for him. He’s training well and has run well at a mile.” Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 4. Grade 3 winner Hopper could be sitting on a peak race Saturday in his third out since June. “He ran in the Santa Anita Handicap the other day, was right there, got a little tired, ran fourth,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “He’s a horse coming off a layoff, has had a couple of outs. He’s a big horse.” Baffert will remove the blinkers Hopper wore in the March 4 Santa Anita Handicap. He did not wear blinkers in January when second in the Grade 2 San Pasqual at Santa Anita. John Velazquez has the mount from post 7. Hero Status is making his second start at Oaklawn, having run fifth in the Grade 3 Razorback here Feb. 18. The horse won a second-level allowance route in January at Santa Anita before heading to Arkansas. “He really got a rough trip when he ran the first time here,” said Robertino Diodoro, the leading trainer at Oaklawn. “He got hung wide. The rail was real speed-biased that day. He hadn’t been here but only a couple of days. He didn’t run as bad as it looks on paper. So, we’re excited for Saturday. Hopefully, he can make some noise.” The winner of the Razorback, Last Samurai, came back to take the Essex with a Beyer Speed Figure of 101, and the runner-up, West Will Power, returned to win the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds with a Beyer of 109. Cristian Torres, the leading rider at Oaklawn, has the mount on Hero Status from post 3. Hot Springs Stakes The $200,000 Hot Springs on Saturday is for 3-year-olds at a mile and has drawn a field of seven. Gun Pilot, who was an impressive allowance winner at the distance in February, enters off a troubled seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn. “I think it’s a great spot for him,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “He’s obviously a nice horse and I think he’ll be excellent at a mile. “In the Rebel, he just kind of followed the wrong horse, kind of got held up pretty bad. Not a strong enough showing to stretch him out to the [Arkansas] Derby. We just kind of feel this is a little bit of a regrouping spot.” :: Bet the races on DRF Bets! Sign up with code WINNING to get a $250 Deposit Match, $10 Free Bet, and FREE DRF Formulator. Frosted Departure exits an eighth-place finish in the Rebel. Earlier in the meet, he ran third in the Grade 3 Southwest at 1 1/16 miles and won the $150,000 Renaissance over six furlongs in December. “I think that distance could be ideal for him, as long as he’ll settle a little bit, give him a chance to finish,” said trainer Kenny McPeek. “But I think a flat mile ought to be perfect.” Flavien Prat has the mount from post 5, while Ricardo Santana Jr. will be aboard Gun Pilot from post 3. The field also includes Eyeing Clover, who was fourth last out in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.