Tempt Fate seeks first stakes win in Nodouble

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tempt Fate defeated some of the top Arkansas-breds in training in a recent allowance. He’ll attempt to do the same for stakes money on Saturday in the $150,000 Nodouble at Oaklawn Park.

The six-furlong race is for 3-year-olds and up bred in Arkansas.

Tempt Fate won the local prep on March 12. He defeated a field that included K J’s Nobility, who won last year’s Nodouble, and Man in the Can, who has been named the 2020 Arkansas-bred horse of the year by the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Horsemen’s Association.

Those runners return for the Nodouble, while the field of nine also includes Bandit Point, who was second in this race a year ago, and the stakes winners Glacken’s Ghost and J.E.’s Handmedown. Tempt Fate is looking for his first stakes win after pairing up allowance scores in his two starts this meet at Oaklawn.

“He’s getting better and better every race,” said Carl Deville, who trains Tempt Fate for Jerry Caroom. “He turned 4 this year and he’s developing.”

Tempt Fate won the prep for the Nodouble on the front end, covering six furlongs in a rapid 1:09.67. He earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 88, which is the best last-race number in the Nodouble.

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“He ran a good race last time,” Deville said. “It set up good for him. The last race had a lot of horses that come from off the pace.

“He’s versatile. He can run from a little bit off the pace, or he can sit on the pace.”

Tempt Fate will start from post 4 under Joe Talamo.

“I like the post we drew,” Deville said.

Deville, who has strong ties to Louisiana, is a new face at Oaklawn.

“Last year was our first year,” he said. “Mr. Caroom is one of our big owners, and he asked us to come up. He’s given us some nice horses to train.”

Deville’s most prestigious win came in 2006, with Meadow Breeze in the Grade 1 Matron at Belmont Park.

Man in the Can led all registered Arkansas-breds in earnings last year. Among his wins were the Rainbow at six furlongs and the Arkansas Breeders Championship at 1 1/16 miles, both at Oaklawn. For the recent Nodouble prep, he was cutting back to one turn and closed for fourth. Man in the Can races for JRita Young Thoroughbreds and Robert LaPenta. David Cabrera has the mount from post 8 for trainer Ron Moquett.

K J’s Nobility closed for fifth in the Nodouble prep. He was a three-length winner of this race last year over Bandit Point. Glacken’s Ghost was third in last year’s Nodouble. He is cutting back to one turn Saturday off an allowance win over a mile Feb. 26 at Oaklawn.