Sprint should yield sweet result for Zero Sugar

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Zero Sugar, the probable favorite in the featured eighth race Thursday at Oaklawn Park, came into the meet looking like a candidate for route races after running a big second in the Zia Park Derby. But he pulled a fast one on his connections – real fast.

When a route for Zero Sugar did not fill earlier this month, his connections opted for a for nonwinners-of-two sprint. Zero Sugar won the six-furlong race in 1:08.76, which is one of the fastest times for the distance this meet.

“I guess we found, for that day, what he liked to do,” said co-owner Staton Flurry.

The performance should make the Cipriano Contreras trainee a strong favorite in the eighth race, a second-level allowance for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs. He’s part of a field of seven that also drew Bohemian Bo, an Arkansas-bred stakes winner; Classic Time, who has won his last two starts between Fair Grounds and Oaklawn; and Baddest Good Boy, who won a maiden race sprinting at Oaklawn.

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Turning back from 1 1/16 miles, Zero Sugar earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99 in the conditioned sprint on March 1. The number is the best career Beyer in Thursday’s field.

Flurry, who co-owns Zero Sugar with Little River Racing and Corey Smith, said the recent sprint start was not without precedent for Zero Sugar.

“He ran good sprinting first out against Cornucopian, so we thought it was worth a shot,” Flurry said of a runner-up finish some 13 months ago. “As of right now, I guess that’s kind of what’s in the future for him unless he tells us otherwise, because he seemed to enjoy it last time.

“I think six furlongs up to like a one-turn mile – there’s plenty of those seven-furlong, one-turn mile races over the summer. I do feel like he’s one of those horses, he’s going to run his race, no matter what you throw at him.”

Zero Sugar will break from post 7 under Manny Esquivel. He raced on the pace last time, and the outside draw Thursday could give Esquivel the option of a tracking trip off runners like Bohemian Bo, Goodasiwonswas, and Big Vince.

Zero Sugar is by Twirling Candy. Flurry said he was named by one of the partners.

“My buddy Jeremy Stone of Little River Racing, he’s the one that kind of suggested that,” Flurry said. “We were trying to play with some sort of candy-themed name, and Zero Sugar, that kind of works.”

Thursday’s card is the meet’s first that will offer a new purse incentive for fields when more than nine betting interests start. There are five races on the card eligible for the purse incentive before scratches, said Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope. For each additional betting interest in maiden special weights and allowances, the purse will be increased by $5,000, and for each in claiming races, $2,000.

“A $10,000 claimer could go up by $6,000, and a maiden special weight could go up by $15,000,” Pope said as an example of the purse increase.

A maximum of 12 horses are allowed in each race.

◗ Pegasus World Cup winner Skippylongstocking drew post 5 in a field of eight for the Grade 3, $500,000 Essex Handicap on Saturday.

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