HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn leading jockey Cristian Torres will be riding at Churchill next Friday and Saturday, but will be back home for the closing day card in Arkansas on May 5, according to agent Cody Autrey.
Torres had three stakes mounts on the Kentucky Derby undercard as of Wednesday. Autrey said he’s scheduled to ride in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs, the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, and the Grade 2 American Turf.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Winnable, who captured the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors on Saturday at Oaklawn, has been retired, trainer Kenny McPeek said Tuesday.
Winnable was injured in the race, he said. She is expected to begin a new career as a broodmare. McPeek said those plans are to be determined by her breeder and owner, Stoneleigh Farm. Winnable is a 3-year-old by Justify.
Neom Beach, who was second by a head in the Valley of the Vapors in her third stakes placing of the Oaklawn meet, could see action on turf down the line, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Owners Kirk and Judy Robison and trainer Steve Asmussen are taking a wait-and-see approach with Informed Patriot and the Preakness.
The horse earned a berth into the race Saturday with his win in the $200,000 Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn. Informed Patriot was a head winner over stablemate Imperial Gun. Informed Patriot, who was ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., was winning his first stakes. Plans are to be determined, Asmussen said Tuesday.
When talking about a horse getting better with age, one might want to begin the conversation with Xy Speed, who posted a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 102 on March 29 at age 8 in his 35th lifetime start.
Xy Speed, a son of First Samurai, rallied from near the rear of the field to a 1 3/4-length victory against allowance opposition in his most recent start at five furlongs on turf. The win was the 11th of his career, 10 of which have come on turf, four of those over the local course, and the last two for his current trainer, Michael Lerman.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Skippylongstocking could see action next in Kentucky or New York after putting up the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figure for an older dirt horse in last weekend’s Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap.
Skippylongstocking earned a Beyer of 107. It’s second among all dirt numbers, behind the 110 earned by Fierceness in the Florida Derby. Tape to Tape has the year’s second-highest older dirt horse Beyer, a 106 earned for an allowance sprint win April 21 at Lone Star Park.
Graded stakes four-peats are a rare thing. A high-level equine performer almost always is retired to life at the farm before such an opportunity arises, and considering that most stakes for 2- and 3-year-olds are age-restricted and can’t be won twice a string of graded stakes wins likely begins at 4. That means the chance at four in a row comes as a 7-year-old. How many of those are up to the task?
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Kenny McPeek will look to continue his exceptional Oaklawn Park meet in Friday’s fourth race, when he sends out the capable Under the Palms against probable favorite In Just My Heels.
The 3-year-old fillies meet in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles. The race is one of two high-end offerings on the 10-race card. Hypersport takes on Effortlesslyelegant in the ninth, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares who have never won three races. The purse for each allowance is $140,000.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Owen Garber, still in search of his first win as a trainer since going out on his own last fall, sends out the intriguing Bless America in Friday’s first-level allowance feature scheduled for 1 1/16 miles over Aqueduct’s inner turf course.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A pair of sprints with conspicuous favorites, and a competitive turf mile with multiple contenders, are among the parimutuel challenges Friday at Santa Anita.
In race 3, speedster Forty Niner Gold will try to reproduce his better-than-looked maiden victory when he moves up in class to face California-bred winners in a six-furlong turf sprint. Santarena could be one of the most well-backed runners on the card in race 6, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden dirt race.
