Whitmore back at Oaklawn for Sunday sprint

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Whitmore was a powerful comeback winner in December at Aqueduct, taking an optional $62,500 claiming race in his first out since the Kentucky Derby. The race was a sprint, and he will remain at one turn Sunday when he travels six furlongs at Oaklawn Park.

Whitmore will break from post 3 under Jose Ortiz, who is riding the first four dates of the meet at Oaklawn.

Whitmore was 19th in the Kentucky Derby after an Oaklawn campaign in which he won an allowance sprint, then placed in all three of the meet’s major stakes for 3-year-olds. Co-owner Harry Rosenblum said whether the horse sticks with sprints this year or stretches out in distance is to be determined after discussions with trainer Ron Moquett.

“My own personal opinion, and I think it’s Ron’s as well, is that the horse may be better at one turn,” Rosenblum said. “He’s got such a burst of speed. His closing five-sixteenths of a mile is so impressive, I think he might be better running at some speed and coming to catch them.”

Whitmore’s rivals Sunday include W.B. Smudge, Black Bear, and Ray’swarrior.

New incentives for Arkansas-breds

The Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Horsemen’s Association is expanding its awards program. The owners of a registered Arkansas-bred who runs first, second, or third in an open-company race, excluding stakes, in 2017 at Oaklawn will receive a bonus.

An incentive of $4,000 will be paid for a first-place finish by a registered Arkansas-bred in open company. An incentive of $2,000 will be paid for a second-place finish, and $1,000 for third.

“We’ve had a similar incentive in place the last two years, but that was only for horses that won against open company,” Bill McDowell, president of the organization, said in a press release. “We’re excited that increased funding from the gaming at Oaklawn has allowed us to increase the amount of this supplement and also make it available to horses that finish second or third.”