Sweet Carolina makes first start for Hartman in Tuesday allowance

Trainer Chris Hartman has a busy stretch of racing ahead and it starts Tuesday when he saddles Sweet Carolina in the featured ninth race at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla.

Hartman also plans to run horses over opening weekend at Churchill Downs, which launches its meet Saturday. He also has a division of horses settled in for the meet at Lone Star Park near Dallas.

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Sweet Carolina goes in a first-level allowance for fillies and mares over 5 1/2 furlongs. She is a part of a field of 12 and will start as a leading contender alongside Sandy Sangria, Love to Learn, and Always Inthe Munny.

Sweet Carolina will be making her first start for Hartman after being based in New Mexico with trainer Bart Hone. There is no current racing that state due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sweet Carolina races for Keith Johnston.

“There’s not a spot to run in New Mexico, period,” Hartman said. “This filly, she was sent to me from Bart, and we could not get a race at Oaklawn Park for her. The next logical spot was Will Rogers. That’s sort of how we landed at Will Rogers.

“They wanted to reach out there and get something done.”

Sweet Carolina is making her first start since March 6, when she finished second in an entry-level allowance at Sunland Park. She was favored in the six-furlong race, which went in a quick 1:10. Since the out, Sweet Carolina has turned in a pair of five-eighths drills at Oaklawn, which has been the winter base for Hartman.

“She’s a little pistol to train,” Hartman said. “She’s a fun horse to be around. I think she really enjoys her job.

“I think she’ll run well.”

Sweet Carolina will break from post 6 under David Cabrera.

“I think she’s going to be right off the pace,” Hartman said.

Sweet Carolina began her career in New York. She won a $50,000 maiden-claiming sprint at Belmont Park in her second start and later landed in New Mexico. She is a 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride.

Hartman has had seven starts this meet at Will Rogers and won two of those races and finished third in two others. He will be based at Churchill Downs this summer and also will have a division at Lone Star for the first time in years. Hartman said he has 19 horses at Lone Star, which has not yet announced a new start date after having its April opener postponed due to the pandemic.

Sandy Sangria is moving back into open company off a win over Oklahoma-bred allowance rivals April 20 at Will Rogers. Justin Shepherd, son of retired jockey David Shepherd, has the mount for Nathaniel Quinonez, who is the son of jockey Luis Quinonez.

Love to Learn moves into the allowance ranks off back-to-back conditioned claiming wins. The victories have come by a combined margin of nine lengths. Floyd Wethey Jr. has the mount for trainer Scott Young.