HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – It won’t be easy, but Streamline has a chance Friday to complete an amazing grand slam at Oaklawn Park in the Apple Blossom Handicap.
Streamline, who is trained by Brian Williamson and owned by his mother-in-law Nancy Vanier, has won stakes at Oaklawn the past three years. She won the Pippin in 2016, the Grade 2 Azeri in 2017, and the Grade 3 Bayakoa this February.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The two graded stakes on the second day of the Racing Festival of the South at Oaklawn Park on Friday have drawn decidedly different fields. Unique Bella will be odds-on in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap, while the wagering will be spread among several 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 3 Fantasy.
Consumerconfidence, a 5-year-old son of Quality Road, sizzled 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:27.41 on the Turf Paradise grass course Sunday in the ninth race, establishing a course mark. The previous standard of 1:27.54 was set in 2004.
Owned by Frank Bemis and trained by Shawn Davis, Consumerconfidence stalked the fast pace of Trill Point under Francisco Arrieta, gamely kept after that rival in the lane, grabbed the lead and just got to the line before favorite Jam N Addy by a nose in the day’s ninth race.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn leading trainer Steve Asmussen had a handful of Racing Festival of the South hopefuls out for works Monday, including Arkansas Derby probables Combatant and Tenfold.
Tenfold worked in the second set, breezing a half-mile in 49.60 seconds. Oaklawn clocker Taylor Radimer had the horse galloping out five-eighths in 1:02. Tenfold has won both of his starts, including a recent allowance over Florida shipper Navistar.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Mac Robertson wanted a strong work from Amy’s Challenge on Monday at Oaklawn, and she responded with a bullet half-mile move that sets her up for a start in the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy here Friday.
The Fantasy is one of seven stakes worth a cumulative $3.5 million during the annual Racing Festival of the South. The grouping of rich races runs Thursday through Saturday, when the meet closes with the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby.
There are just two more prep races for the Kentucky Derby to be run, both on Saturday, and the combination of top runners from last year holding their form, a carve out for one horse from Europe, and few defections among the leaders has raised the likely point total needed to make this year’s field.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – For most horses, working four furlongs in 46.60 seconds would be considered serious business. But not Gulfstream Park Sprint winner Classic Rock, who routinely makes lightning-fast works such as the one he turned in here Sunday morning seem like a breeze.
“He was really in hand the whole way,” said Kathy Ritvo, who trains the speedy Classic Rock for her principal owners, Dean and Patti Reeves. “He looked like he was just galloping out there and still went in 46 and three.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Another horse who burned up the Gulfstream work tab Sunday is Imprimis, an undefeated turf-sprint specialist who zipped four furlongs on the grass in 45.80 seconds. Imprimis is perfect in three starts, most recently cruising to a 4 1/4-length optional-claiming victory in his first appearance since being purchased privately by Breeze Easy LLC and turned over to trainer Joe Orseno earlier this winter.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jason Servis joined the 1,000 win club here Sunday by sending out the odds-on Meant Tobe Mine to a one-sided victory in the featured ninth race. Servis, 61, who saddled his first winner (Hattab Be You) at Aqueduct in 2002, had an outstanding Championship meeting, winning with 18 of 53 starters including stakes winners Blue Bahia (Captiva Island), Vision Perfect (Silks Run), and Rainbow Heir (Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint).
Servis also trains potential Kentucky Derby starter Firenze Fire.
Baby racing begins
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 2017 turf champion, World Approval, is bypassing the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile here Friday after trainer Mark Casse decided he wasn’t satisfied with how the 6-year-old horse has trained lately.
“He hasn’t been showing the enthusiasm I’d prefer to see coming into a race this tough,” Casse said early Monday from Ocala, Fla. “He’s fine, and he’s gone through this kind of cycle on us before, so hopefully it’s no big deal. We’ve got a lot of options upcoming. My biggest concern is making it back to the Breeders’ Cup [Mile] and how we do that.”
