Oaklawn news: Record-setting Amy's Challenge has multiple options

Two starts. Two victories. Three records. That’s the slash line this year for Amy’s Challenge, who recorded her third career Oaklawn stakes victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Spring Fever for older females at 5 ½ furlongs.

Ridden by Alex Canchari, favored Amy’s Challenge ($3.80) set stakes records for time (1:03.10) and margin of victory (8 ¼ lengths) to remain unbeaten in six career starts at 6 furlongs or less.

“She came back a little tired,” Robertson said Sunday morning. “Long day for her. She was a little keyed up in the paddock yesterday, but then she settled down at the end.”

Amy’s Challenge set a stakes record (1:09.32) in winning the $100,000 American Beauty Stakes – her 4-year-old debut – by 5 ¾ lengths Jan. 26. She also won Oaklawn’s $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes in her 3-year-old debut.

Robertson said next-race plans are pending for Amy’s Challenge, but mentioned the $150,000 Carousel Stakes April 6 at Oaklawn, $300,000 Madison Stakes (G1) April 6 at Keeneland and the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 13 at Oaklawn as possible targets.

The Carousel and Madison are restricted to females. The Count Fleet is an open event.

Amy’s Challenge has a 6-1-1 record from 10 starts overall and earnings of $359,156. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Artie Schiller is owned by Novogratz Racing Stables Inc. Amy’s Challenge beat males in her first two career starts at Canterbury Park, including the $80,000 Shakopee Juvenile Stakes in September 2017.

Amy’s Challenge received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 98, a career high, for her Spring Fever victory.

Mighty Mitole

Multiple stakes winner Mitole dazzled in his 4-year-old debut, rolling to a 4 ¼-length allowance victory in Saturday’s seventh race under regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr.

Unraced since May, favored Mitole ($2.80) covered six furlongs over a fast track in a meet-best 1:08.99 to receive a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 102.

“It’s hard to explain, but I missed him,” Santana said Sunday morning. “Wow!”

Mitole broke his maiden by 10 lengths last year at Oaklawn before winning its $150,000 Bachelor Stakes by nine lengths when he ran six furlongs in 1:08.41.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen trains Mitole for longtime clients William and Corinne Heiligbrodt. Mitole, by Eskendereya has won four consecutive starts and is 5 for 8 overall with earnings of $401,510. He was coming off a 6 ¼-length victory in the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico.

Mitole represented Santana’s 495th career victory for Asmussen. Santana has won six consecutive Oaklawn riding titles, while Asmussen has collected nine local training titles since 2007.

Raintree Starlet to make two-turn debut in Honeybee

Raintree Starlet will make her two-turn debut in the Grade 3, $200,000 Honeybee Stakes for 3-year-old fillies March 9, trainer Brian Williamson said Sunday morning. The 1 1/16-mile Honeybee is the final major local prep for the $500,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 12.

Raintree Starlet is already an Oaklawn stakes winner, taking the $100,000 Dixie Belle by a length Feb. 16. It was the third consecutive victory for Raintree Starlet, who races for Williamson’s mother-in-law, Nancy Vanier, and Horseplayers Racing Club LLC (Scott Gruender).

Raintree Starlet, who has never raced around two turns, completed major preparations for the Honeybee by recording a five-furlong bullet workout (1:00.80) Sunday morning over a muddy surface. The daughter of Get Stormy hasn’t lost since her Dec. 8 career debut at Hawthorne when she finished third, beaten 5 ¼ lengths.

“When she came in, she wasn’t working that great, really, to be honest,” Williamson said. “It wasn’t until she got pretty close to right before I was going to run her that she started working better. The last breeze before I ran her, I worked her in company with another horse and she just beat her by daylight. It was under a hold, so I was like, ‘Ooh, I might have something here.’ ”

Raintree Starlet broke her maiden by eight lengths Jan. 4 at Hawthorne and was a 1 ¼-length first-level allowance winner Jan. 25 at Oaklawn.

Other locally based horses pointing for the Honeybee include Power Gal and Motion Emotion. Power Gal won the $125,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 2 for trainer Mark Casse. Motion Emotion is a two-time winner at the meet for trainer Tom Van Berg.

The Honeybee offers 85 points (50-20-10-5) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks.

Finish Lines: She’s a Julie, powerful winner of the $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares, worked five furlongs in 1:03.80 Sunday morning for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. … Grade 1 winner Eskimo Kisses is returning to Oaklawn for the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares March 16, trainer Kenny McPeek said Saturday. Eskimo Kisses broke her maiden and was a first-level allowance winner at last year’s Oaklawn meeting before capturing the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) for 3-year-old fillies last summer at Saratoga. … Cowboy Diplomacy, champion Monomoy Girl’s 3-year-old full brother, worked a half-mile in :49.60 after the renovation break Sunday morning for trainer Brad Cox. Cowboy Diplomacy finished second sprinting in his Feb. 8 career debut, but Cox said he’s looking at two-turn race for the son of Tapizar. That Feb. 8 winner, Captain Von Trapp, returned to win his two-turn debut in Saturday’s second race for Asmussen. … A recent Oaklawn arrival for Cox is Night Ops, a 3-year-old Warrior’s Reward colt previously with trainer Keith Desormeaux. Night Ops, as a maiden, finished eighth in the $200,000 LeComte Stakes (G3) Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds in his last start. … Through Saturday, the 22nd day of the scheduled 57-day season, 217 claims totaled $3,446,000.