Tanya Showers drops in class for two-turn experiment

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tanya Showers, Impel, and Pun Intended bring diverse credentials into Sunday’s fourth race at Oaklawn Park.

The first-level allowance is for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles and could produce starters for the Grade 3, $750,000 Fantasy on March 30.

Tanya Showers is the lone runner in the seven-horse field who has competed in stakes company, having placed in both the Mockingbird and Dixie Belle this meet. Those races were over six furlongs, and she’ll be moving to two turns for the first time Sunday.

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“We’re on a fact-finding mission,” said trainer Chris Hartman.

Rafael Bejarano has the mount from post 4.

Impel was a standout debut winner over six furlongs in her last start Jan. 1 at Fair Grounds, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 84 she earned is the best career number in the field. Following the start, runner-up Tipsy Tammy came back to win a maiden special weight at Fair Grounds, with a Beyer of 89.

Impel, who was cross-entered in a Friday stakes at Turfway Park, is a daughter of Quality Road and the mare Your Love, who was a stakes winner of more than $335,000. Cristian Torres has the mount for trainer Brad Cox from post 5. ]

Pun Intended is proven at two turns, having won her maiden at this distance in December. She’s been flattered since, with two horses coming out of the race to win in their next starts, including seventh-place finisher In Just My Heels. She accounted for a maiden special weight route at Oaklawn with a Beyer of 72.

Pun Intended will start from post 6. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Others set to start include Merasol Sugar, a debut winner last out at Oaklawn and a half-sister to Chanel’s Legacy, a four-time stakes winner who earned more than $400,000. Keith Asmussen has the mount from post 7 for trainer John Ortiz.

Lookster exits a seventh-place finish in a November allowance at Churchill Downs that has produced two notable next-out winners. Ice Cold, who was second, came back to account for the Year’s End Stakes at Oaklawn, and Tarifa, who was fourth, returned to take a Fair Grounds allowance before capturing that track’s Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra.

The eighth race is a two-other-than allowance for 4-year-olds and up over six furlongs that has a field of 11.

Squire Creek has turned in a strong series of five-eighths works for what will be his first out since August. His moves include a drill from the gate in which he went in 59 seconds Feb. 16 at Fair Grounds.

Squire Creek, who is stakes-placed at six furlongs, will start from post 2. Axel Concepcion, who won the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey of 2023, has the mount for Cox.

Easy Action was third at this level and distance in his last start, while the same is true for Life Is Hard.

◗ Racing resumes Thursday, a day earlier than usual.

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