Whitmore back on work tab, Mia Mischief wins 2020 bow

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Grade 1-winning sprinters Whitmore and Mia Mischief were both in action last weekend at Oaklawn Park.

Whitmore worked Saturday morning in preparation for an intended start in the Grade 3, $350,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap here on April 18, according to trainer Ron Moquett.

Mia Mischief made her 5-year-old debut Friday, winning an allowance for fillies and mares at Oaklawn.

Whitmore’s work was his first since winning the Hot Springs Stakes for the fourth year in a row here on March 7. He went a half-mile in company in 48.40 seconds, and Moquett said he galloped out five-eighths in 1:00.80. Moquett said the work was important to get under Whitmore’s belt as the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt schedules.

“We’re dealing in uncertain times,” Moquett said. “I said, ‘Let’s go ahead and give him a little breeze.’ They moved the race back a week. I want to make sure he’s a happy boy around the barn.”

The Count Fleet had been scheduled for April 11, but was one of a handful of stakes that were moved to new spots on the calendar last week with the shift of the Arkansas Derby from April 11 to the closing-day card on May 2. The changes were made after the Kentucky Derby was postponed to September.

Whitmore was a 2 1/2-length winner of the Hot Springs, covering six furlongs in 1:08.54. The 7-year-old gelding by Pleasantly Perfect has won the race every year since 2017.

“I love the fact that at his age he beat his old stakes record in the race,” said Moquett.

Whitmore will be going for his third win in the Count Fleet, having taken the race in both 2017 and 2018. Last year he was second to eventual champion Mitole. Joe Talamo has the mount, said Moquett. Talamo was aboard Whitmore for the Hot Springs, one of six stakes the jockey has won at Oaklawn since moving his tack here in January.

Whitmore, who has earned $2.9 million, races for Robert LaPenta, Head of Plains Partners, and Moquett.

Mia Mischief wins in first out for Stonestreet

Mia Mischief, the winner of last year’s Grade 1 Humana Distaff for the partnership of Heiligbrodt, Heider, and Madaket Stables, won her first start for Stonestreet Stables on Friday at Oaklawn. She won the six-furlong allowance by 2 1/4 lengths, covering the distance on a good track in 1:10.61.

Stonestreet purchased Mia Mischief for $2.4 million last fall at Fasig-Tipton’s November sale in Lexington, Ky. Stonestreet elected to keep the mare in training with Steve Asmussen, who long has had horses for Stonestreet.

“What a lovely mare to have in the barn and what great opportunity Stonestreet has given us,” Asmussen said. “I didn’t know Stonestreet was buying her. When they bought her in November and asked if I wanted her back, it was a very good day.”

Asmussen said the next start is to be determined with Mia Mischief.

“Originally, we had planned on using this for the Humana Distaff,” he said of the allowance Friday.

But last week, Churchill Downs announced the Kentucky Derby – and all of its racing the week of the classic – had been postponed to September.

Mia Mischief won the Humana Distaff last year on the same card as the Kentucky Derby.