Spotlight on Arkansas-breds on Sunday Oaklawn card

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Summer Shoes will attempt to back up a standout maiden win Sunday when she takes on such seasoned runners as Dutch Treat in the featured eighth race at Oaklawn Park.

The track is putting the spotlight on Arkansas-bred runners, with three of the nine races on the card restricted to horses bred in the Natural State.

That includes the eighth race, which is a first-level allowance for fillies and mares at six furlongs. It has a $16,000 claiming option that’s being utilized by Dutch Treat, a six-time winner and a stretch threat to the front-running Summer Shoes.

The purse for the feature is $106,000. The other Arkansas-bred races on the card go as the fourth and fifth on Sunday.

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Summer Shoes was a 12 3/4-length maiden special weight winner March 6 at Oaklawn. She covered six furlongs in 1:10.34, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 81 that she earned is the best last-race number in the field Sunday.

Summer Shoes was making the second start of her career, and her first in a race restricted to Arkansas-breds. She is a daughter of Commander’s Shoes and the Grade 3-winning mare Summer Symphony.

Apprentice Chel-c Bailey has the mount from post 5 for John Carver and trainer Tom Swearingen.

Dutch Treat will start from the rail in the six-horse feature, with Ramon Vazquez aboard for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Asmussen claimed Dutch Treat for his personal stable earlier this month. He took her for $10,000 out of a winning sprint race against statebreds March 11 at Oaklawn.

“I thought she was worth the money,” Asmussen said.

Asmussen said he believes there will an increase in opportunities for Arkansas-breds toward the latter part of the season at Oaklawn. His personal stable has already had success in the Arkansas-bred ranks this meet, as he’s won two races with Chicken Hawk.

Tapit Right is cutting back to one turn Sunday and is another who figures to make a late run. The three-time winner is a half-sister to Georgia’s Reward, a stakes winner against Arkansas-breds who earned more than $200,000. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Tapit Right from post 3 for co-owner and trainer Carl Deville. Tapit Right also races for Our Blue Streaks Stable.

Mocha Kiss is another cutting back to one turn, and her most recent win came at the configuration in October at Remington Park. She is looking for her fourth career victory. Kelsi Harr has the mount from post 4 for trainer Shea Stuart. Mocha Kiss is a half-sister to the stakes winners Kiss My Hennessy, who earned more than $300,000, and Hunting Dixie, who banked more than $200,000. Mocha Kiss races for Georgie Stuart.

Racing resumes Thursday, which will mark the start of Arkansas Derby week at Oaklawn. The Grade 1, $1.25 million race and the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy will top five stakes to be run here Saturday.