Barn Tour: Chris Hartman finds 'the right spots' at Oaklawn

Two months into the Oaklawn meet, Chris Hartman is in second place in the trainers standings with 20 wins from 57 starts and an in-the-money rate of 70 percent.

“Things are running well over here,” Hartman told Horse Racing Nation this week. “Horses are running good. We're finding the right spots.”

Hartman provided an update on some of his top talent for the latest in HRN’s Barn Tour series.

Tejano Twist. The 4-year-old Practical Joke gelding was second last out in the King Cotton at Oaklawn, beaten four lengths by Gunite. “He ran into a bear the last time he ran,” Hartman said. Before that, he won three in a row. “He's been running well. It's just a 3-year-old turning 4, and he's got to find his happy space. But he ran into just an absolute tiger the last time. Hopefully … they're going to take that horse to Saudi. But I'm sure there'll be somebody else along the way. But he's just a late-closing sprinter, and he needs a good pace to run at.” Next up for him is the March 18 Whitmore at Oaklawn.

Klassy Bridgette. The 3-year-old daughter of Army Mule is 2-for-2 this year and won the Dixie Belle stakes by a neck at six furlongs Saturday. Overall she has a record of 5: 3-2-0. “Bridgette is obviously doing really well,” Hartman said. “She just won the stakes. We keep wanting to stretch her out. We haven't found her way that way, because she's doing so well sprinting. We're going to have to figure that out pretty soon, … but it appears most likely she'll run back sprinting in the Purple Martin.” That’s a six-furlong stakes at Oaklawn on March 26.

Necker Island. Now 6 years old, Hartman’s only Kentucky Derby starter who was ninth in 2020 was last seen finishing sixth in the Phoenix (G2) in October. He’s been working at Oaklawn and is entered in a Friday allowance there. “He's doing wonderful,” Hartman said. “Ready to go back to work.”

Clara Peeters. The 7-year-old daughter of Epaulette is ready for a comeback after an 11-month layoff. She’s entered in Saturday’s Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. The original plan was for her to race in an allowance that was rained off the turf. “So we really weren't angling for this race, but this is where she landed. … Hopefully, she’ll run well.”

Kavod. The 3-year-old Lea colt has had two optional-claiming allowance starts this year, finishing second last out. "He's doing well. Just trying to find this happy spot. We don't really know. Probably looking for an allowance race for him somewhere."

Perfect Happiness. The 6-year-old mare by Majesticperfection was fourth last out in the listed American Beauty Stakes and third before that in the black-type Pan Zareta. She is entered in the listed Mardi Gras stakes at Fair Grounds on Tuesday.