HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Paco Lopez will be sidelined four to six weeks due to a broken thumb suffered in a riding mishap Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Lopez was thrown from his mount, Fluent in Sarcasm, shortly after the start of Saturday’s ninth race on the turf. Lopez returned to the jockey quarters under his own power, complaining of a swollen thumb. Originally, X-rays of the injury proved negative, although upon further examination Lopez was diagnosed Monday with a fracture on the base of his thumb.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tom’s d’Etat emerged from his Saturday win in the $150,000 Oaklawn Mile in good order, trainer Al Stall Jr. said Monday.

“He seems fine,” Stall said. “He survived the race and the storm.”

The area was hit with heavy rains, high winds, and lightning on Easter Sunday.

Tom’s d’Etat will likely make his next start at Churchill, Stall said. Churchill has delayed the opening of its stable area because of the coronavirus pandemic.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Bret Calhoun has some horses pointing to stakes at Oaklawn Park, but whether they will include Mr. Big News is yet to be determined. The 3-year-old Mr. Big News, who won the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes on Saturday, is back home at Fair Grounds.

Whiskey Sunrise turned in a sparkling performance in the first of three strong maiden special weight races at Gulfstream on Easter Sunday. Whiskey Sunrise withstood a torrid pace before drawing off to an easy 4 ¼-length victory in the six-furlong dash for 3-year-old Florida-breds.

A Shadybrook Farm homebred trained by Michael Yates, Whiskey Sunrise had been idle since finishing second in his debut last April here. Whiskey Sunrise is a full brother to 2018 Dr. Fager Stakes winner Cajun Firecracker.

Sunday’s card at Gulfstream ended in agony for one unlucky player who was alive for the entire Rainbow 6 jackpot of $1.3 million had Gran Hombre won the finale.

Gran Hombre, one of three horses alive in the nightcap for the entire jackpot, stuck his head in front of the 8-5 favorite Blazing Desire entering the stretch only to have Blazing Desire come back along the rail to win.

The resulting Rainbow 6 payoff with all six winners on multiple tickets was worth $27,407. There will be a guaranteed jackpot of $1.5 million when racing resumes Thursday.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Fire Coral will put a perfect two-turn record on the line next month when the promising 3-year-old filly moves into stakes company at Oaklawn Park.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Fire Coral is being pointed for the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy on May 1. The start comes off back-to-back wins at the meet, both at the 1 1/16-mile distance of the Fantasy.

“I think she’s a very nice Curlin filly that obviously has some talent,” said Asmussen.

Three Technique, a one-time Kentucky Derby prospect, is recuperating from ankle surgery and will be pointed to one-turn races later this year, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said.

Three Technique, a son of Mr Speaker owned by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells, finished fourth in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 14. Englehart said upon resuming training following that race, Three Technique was found to have some pressure in an ankle. Follow-up X-rays revealed a “small flake” that has since been surgically removed, Englehart said.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bonny South is chillin’ up north.

Trainer Brad Cox said that the Fair Grounds Oaks winner is settled in at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. She’s in a holding pattern of sorts as her connections plot the best course to get her to the Kentucky Oaks, which due to the coronavirus has been postponed to Sept. 4. 

Bonny South won an Oaklawn optional-claiming race in February before going on to capture the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks on March 21.

Though he has not recorded an official workout yet this year, multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Code of Honor could be ready to run by early June provided there is a place to run, trainer Shug McGaughey said.

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Trainer John Kimmel has resisted the urge to ship Mr. Buff to Oaklawn Park for the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2, and due to a coronavirus situation at his Belmont Park barn he has shipped the 6-year-old New York-bred gelding to the farm for a little while.

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