Trace Creek switches to dirt for Arkansas Breeders'

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trace Creek arguably is the most accomplished member of the $75,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Stakes field at Oaklawn as a Grade 3-placed runner who has won allowance races at Churchill Downs and Keeneland. But his form has been built on turf, and he will be moving to dirt Friday for the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up bred in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Breeders’ opens a weekend of stakes dedicated to Arkansas-bred horses. The $75,000 Rainbow Miss for 3-year-old fillies is Saturday, and the $75,000 Rainbow for 3-year-olds is Sunday.

Trace Creek ran the best race of his career two starts ago when second to Coalport in the Grade 3, $200,000 Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park. He will be moving back to dirt for the first time since May 2014 but still looks like the horse to beat against a field that includes the defending champ Mallard’s Bro and the recent filly and mare sprint stakes winner Pistolpackinpenny. Trace Creek will be dropping in from consecutive graded stakes starts for a rare opportunity to run against fellow Arkansas-breds.

“He’s won on the dirt,” said McPeek, who trains Trace Creek for Shortleaf Stable. “He’s obviously a better horse on the turf, but it’s also Arkansas-breds. He’s been with some pretty big bears on the grass this year, and hopefully he does well. We’ll see how he handles the racetrack.”

Arkansas Breeders’ (race 8)

Key contenders

Trace Creek (Last 3 Beyers: 83-95-86)

* Trace Creek has had success over the Oaklawn surface in the past, winning three races from seven career starts in Hot Springs. Oaklawn famously does not have a turf course, and McPeek joked he and owner John Ed Anthony would love to see track President Charles Cella find room for one at Oaklawn.

“Both he and I are waiting for Cella to build a turf course, followed by a Breeders’ Cup,” quipped McPeek.

* Trace Creek will break from post 4 under Chris Landeros.

“He can lay close without any trouble,” McPeek said. “I think that’s probably his preference.”

Mallard’s Bro (Last 3 Beyers: 63-70-77)

* He is moving back to two turns after splitting the field in a sprint stakes for Arkansas-breds, and his last win came at this distance on Feb. 15 at Oaklawn.

* The race Mallard’s Bro exits has produced two next-out winners, with the runner-up Rock City Roadhog coming back to take a first-level allowance for statebreds with a Beyer of 87.

* Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount for Five Star Racing Stable and trainer Al Cates.

Race 7

Alsvid, a seven-time stakes winner, will move back to the overnight ranks for Friday’s seventh race, an optional $40,000 claiming sprint for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs. Others set to start include the multiple Grade 3 winner Unbridled’s Note and the multiple stakes winners Brewing, Officer Alex, and Texas Bling.

Alsvid should go off as the favorite following a third-place finish to the Grade 1 winner The Big Beast in an Oaklawn allowance March 1 and a runner-up finish to Ivan Fallunovalot in the $100,000 King Cotton at Oaklawn on Feb. 7. Landeros has the mount for Black Hawk Stable and trainer Chris Hartman.