HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The millionaire Mr. Wireless won his maiden at a mile at Oaklawn Park in 2021 and last week his 3-year-old half-brother Goldbrick did the same, rallying from well off the pace to win by a neck and earn a Beyer Speed Figure of 82.
“Goldbrick’s family has been good to us, kind of been the gift that keeps giving,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “He looks like another good one.”
Too Much Kiki had an elite rider on her back last Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park when she won a $75,000 division of the Texas Stallion Stakes under Fernando Jara.
That’s the same Jara who won the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic and 2007 Dubai World Cup with Invasor and the 2006 Belmont Stakes with Jazil. The 36-year-old native of Panama is now based at Sam Houston after competing overseas. Jara won three races opening weekend and is tied for second in the standings, while leading all riders in earnings.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Brad Cox and Axel Concepcion, who are finalists for Eclipse Awards, are scheduled to team together Sunday at Oaklawn Park. Cox has named the rider on Sharp Flame in the second race. Concepcion is based at Turfway Park, which is not racing on Sunday.
“He’s willing to get in a car, get on an airplane, and ride races,” said Cox. “Some of the big-time riders back East said he looks like a talented rider, had high praise for him. I think he has a big career ahead of him.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Brad Cox won Oaklawn Park’s first Kentucky Derby points race earlier this month with Catching Freedom in the Smarty Jones and now has several runners under consideration for the second leg of the series, the Grade 3, $800,000 Southwest.
The 1 1/16-mile race is Jan. 27.
Oaklawn’s other points races are the Rebel on Feb. 24 and the Arkansas Derby on March 30.
Cox said plans for Catching Freedom are to be determined. He won the Smarty Jones by 2 1/2 lengths on Jan. 1. Catching Freedom is now 2 for 3 for Albaugh Family Stables.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Timberlake, one of the top prospects for this year’s Kentucky Derby, could launch his 3-year-old season in the Grade 2, $1.25 million Rebel at Oaklawn Park, according to his trainer, Brad Cox.
The 1 1/16-mile points race for the Kentucky Derby is Feb. 24.
Timberlake won last year’s Grade 1 Champagne at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet in October, one start after running second in the Hopeful at Saratoga. He wrapped up his season on Nov. 3, when he finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita.
Fair Grounds on Tuesday announced an across-the-board 10 percent purse increase at its ongoing meet. The enhanced purse structure starts with the beginning of the next condition book, with the program of Jan. 25, and the New Orleans track, which is owned by Churchill Downs Inc., also is increasing the purse of 10 stakes races from $75,000 to $100,000.
Churchill Downs has reached a multi-year agreement with Sports Illustrated to brand one of its new dining areas Club SI, calling the facility a “luxury dining experience,” the track announced on Tuesday.
The new area is part of a $200 million renovation of the track’s paddock area expected to be completed by the start of Churchill’s spring meet, which begins the Tuesday before the May 4 Kentucky Derby. The facility that is being branded Club SI was previously planned to be called the 1895 Club.
Two horses died Monday morning at Belmont Park as the result of injuries sustained in an accident on the training track, the New York Racing Association confirmed.
Where’s Chris, winner of the Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct last November, and Constitutionlawyer, most recently sixth in the Queens County on Dec. 31, collided near the seven-eighths pole during training following the 7:45 a.m. renovation break.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Subsanador, a three-time Group 1 winner in Argentina in the last two years, will start in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 27 at Santa Anita instead of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park the same day, trainer John Sadler said Sunday.
“I think I’ll keep him here,” Sadler said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Exaulted, winner of the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile last May and three other races in 2023, will miss the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 2 at Santa Anita because of a disrupted training schedule this winter.
Trainer Peter Eurton said over the weekend that the absence of daily use of Santa Anita’s infield training track in recent months because of a lengthy renovation has limited Exaulted to jogging on the main track.
