HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Sprinters are featured Saturday at Oaklawn Park, with stablemates Wendelssohn and Tejano Twist starting as chief contenders in the Grade 3, $250,000 Whitmore and River Wind seeking to back up her impressive debut win with a stakes victory in the $150,000 Purple Martin. Both of the stakes will be run at six furlongs. The Whitmore – named for the champion who regularly wintered at Oaklawn – is for 4-year-olds and up and serves as the final stepping-stone to the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap. The Purple Martin, for 3-year-old fillies, goes two races earlier as the eighth. The field of seven includes stakes winner Not a Lady, four-time winner Front Runnin, and Fair Grounds shippers You’re in Heaven and Goodall. River Wind debuted Feb. 16 at Oaklawn, winning a maiden special weight at six furlongs by 8 1/4 lengths. She increased her advantage at every point of call while covering the distance in 1:10. The Beyer Speed Figure of 83 that River Wind earned is the best career number in the Purple Martin. :: Live racing action at Oaklawn Park! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “We were obviously very excited about the way she ran,” said Norm Casse, who trains the daughter of Lexitonian. “She had been training really well. She trained really well as a 2-year-old and she had a shin, so we had to give her some time off for that. When we brought her back down to Oaklawn, it was like she didn’t miss a beat. “The waters get deeper Saturday, but we expect her to run well.” River Wind broke from the rail in her debut. The experience figures to serve her well as she again will start from the fence. “It definitely makes me feel better,” Casse said of the rail experience. “But I feel like the race setup is going to play out completely different than last time. She outran everybody last time. If you’re on the rail and you can do that, the rail ends up being almost an asset. “I can’t envision that’s going to happen this time. I feel like there’s some speed that can go with her, so we’re going to have to see. We know she’s talented, but we’re going to have to see what her mind’s like on Saturday.” Goodall, who starts from post 4, wired her rivals when winning a maiden special weight sprint last out at Fair Grounds. Front Runnin, who starts from post 2, also has speed, as does You’re in Heaven, who drew post 7. The trio could put pressure on River Wind, who will again be ridden by Ramon Vazquez. “Any time we’ve worked her on the rail, she seems very comfortable down there,” Casse said. “In the mornings, she’s never acted like being pressed is a big concern to her, but in a race things play up differently. And when you’re dealing with these horses that haven’t run very often, every time you run them you learn something new about them. “But I don’t think we can change things too much. If she breaks and she’s obviously forward, then that’s the hand we’re going to play.” River Wind races for Turman Racing Stable, Resilient Six Stables, and TJR Thoroughbreds. Whitmore The Whitmore – the former Hot Springs Stakes that Whitmore won for four straight years beginning in 2017 – is slotted as the 10th of 11 races. Wendelssohn figures to be prominent when he breaks from the rail, while stablemate Tejano Twist is a notorious closer. The Chris Hartman-trained horses are part of a field of seven that includes Grade 3-winning millionaire Ryvit and overnight stakes winner Bourbon Bash from the barn of trainer Steve Asmussen, and stakes winners Tough Catch and Gold Sweep. Spankster, who was stakes-placed in his last start, completes the lineup. :: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!  Wendelssohn in November won the Thanksgiving Classic at Fair Grounds. In more recent times, he was third to Roll On Big Joe in the King Cotton on Feb. 8 at Oaklawn. After breaking from post 2, Wendelssohn contested the pace after breaking on top in the King Cotton. On Saturday, David Cabrera has the mount from the rail for Ruis Racing. Tejano Twist used his closing kick to capture a stakes-quality allowance March 1 at Oaklawn. He closed from last for a 3 1/4-length win to push his career earnings past $1.7 million. Tejano Twist won the Whitmore in 2023. Francisco Arrieta has the mount from post 4 for JD Thoroughbreds and Joey Keith Davis. Tejano Twist could get a decent setup if Ryvit, who could show speed from post 2, and Tough Catch, who has speed and post 3, pressure Wendelssohn. Ryvit was part of a torrid pace last out in the Bill Thomas Memorial on the Sunland Derby undercard Feb. 15. He dueled through a half-mile in 44.60 seconds and six furlongs in 1:08.60 before finishing third in the 6 1/2-furlong race. Ryvit is now back at six furlongs and back at Oaklawn. He was a winner the last time he raced at this distance in Hot Springs. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.