Whitmore takes on streaking Mitole in Count Fleet Sprint Handicap

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Cella family might hold the deed to Oaklawn Park, but the local track is owned by Whitmore.

Whitmore has been a fan favorite at Oaklawn ever since winning an allowance here in January 2016, the same year he ran third in the Arkansas Derby. On Saturday, the 6-year-old will be attempting to make some local history in the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.

Whitmore is seeking to become the first three-time winner of the meet’s signature race for sprinters, which debuted in 1974. To do so, he’ll have to catch rising star Mitole, who will be looking to nail down his fifth straight win when he makes his graded stakes debut. The horses own the meet’s top two Beyer Speed Figures, with Whitmore earning a 104 for his win in last month’s $150,000 Hot Springs and Mitole a 102 for an allowance win March 2.

“In the Midwest, we love sprinters,” said Ron Moquett, who co-owns and trains Whitmore. “They’re the Usain Bolts of our sport. Mitole is a fast horse, Whitmore is a fast horse, and I guarantee people will be excited to see them line up Saturday.”

The Count Fleet, for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs, is part of the annual Racing Festival of the South at Oaklawn. The stakes is the first of three on Saturday’s card, which also includes the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby and the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap.

Count Fleet Sprint (Race 4)

KEY CONTENDERS

Whitmore, by Pleasantly Perfect
Last 3 Beyers: 104-104-100

◗ He’s the 123-pound highweight as a Grade 1 winner and earner of $2.4 million who ran second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Whitmore opened his season last month with a 1 1/2-length victory in the Hot Springs. It was his third straight win in the race and pushed his local record to 7 for 10.

“I always take him over knowing I’m pointing to this race at Oaklawn,” Moquett said. “He wasn’t as tight as he normally is. He got what we wanted out of it, which was fitness, with a race under our belt.”

◗ Whitmore will break from post 4 in the five-horse Count Fleet, which he has won the last two years. Mitole will break from the rail and has a good chance to control the pace in what might create a tactical disadvantage for the late-running Whitmore.

“Mitole could break and walk the dog,” Moquett said. “We have to decide how far off of him we can get.”

◗ Whitmore will have a new rider in Luis Saez. His regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr. has committed to Mitole.

◗ Moquett races Whitmore with Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners. The horse has won eight stakes, with five of them coming over the local strip. Whitmore has compiled $1.1 million in earnings at Oaklawn.

Mitole, by Eskendereya
Last 3 Beyers: 102-104-107

◗ He’s won his last four races by a combined 26 1/2 lengths, his latest a 4 1/4-length allowance score in his first start since last May.

“It was what we were hoping to see off the bench, off such a long layoff,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Mitole for Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt.

◗ Mitole, an ultra-quick horse, breaks from the rail. Last year, he won the $150,000 Bachelor from the fence at Oaklawn. “Hopefully, he’s away cleanly and in hand,” said Asmussen. “You want everything to be as smooth as possible with a horse like that.”

◗ Mitole is the second highweight in the Count Fleet at 121 pounds. He won the $200,000 Chick Lang last May at Pimlico.

Storm Advisory, by Weigelia
Last 3 Beyers: 82-89-95

◗ He invades from Florida, where he ran fourth in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in his last start March 2. He was cutting back from a mile to six furlongs in the Gulfstream Sprint, and will add blinkers for this race.

◗ Storm Advisory won the King Cotton at Oaklawn two years ago.

◗ David Cohen has the mount for owner Ron Paolucci trainer Anthony Quartarolo.