Three Azeri Hopefuls Breeze at Oaklawn
Three horses pointing for the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares March 19 worked before the renovation break Saturday morning at Oaklawn.
Call Pat worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.20 for trainer Brad Cox. Call Pat won the $100,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 14 at Oaklawn in her last start.
Theogony worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 for trainer Mark Casse. Theogony ran second in the $100,000 Pippin Stakes Jan. 17 at Oaklawn.
High Dollar Woman, exiting an unplaced finish in the $100,000 Spring Fever Stakes Feb. 20 at Oaklawn, recorded a half-mile bullet (:47) for trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs.
Also pointing for the Azeri is champion Untapable, who worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 Tuesday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Steve Asmussen. The defending Apple Blossom Handicap winner finished second in last year’s Azeri, the final major local prep for the $600,000 Grade 1 race April 15.
Asmussen said Untapable will breeze Monday at Oaklawn, weather permitting.
Milestone for Santana
Three-time defending Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. rode three winners Friday to reach 250 in his career in Hot Springs. His 250th Oaklawn victory came aboard favored Cinnamon Spice in the eighth race, a third-level allowance/optional claiming sprint for older fillies and mares.
Santana, 23, has ridden regularly at Oaklawn since 2011. He was Oaklawn’s leading rider in 2013 (70 victories), 2014 (59) and 2015 (53). He is the runaway leader this year, with 40 victories through the first 30 days of racing.
According to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization, Santana has 250 victories from 1,363 career mounts at Oaklawn and purse earnings of $8,819,449.
Santana is represented by Ruben Munoz.
Finish Lines
Grade 1 winner Nickname is pointing for the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies next Saturday at Oaklawn, trainer Steve Asmussen said. … Marquee Miss, another scheduled Honeybee starter, worked 3 furlongs in :36 Saturday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Ingrid Mason. Marquee Miss edged Nickname to win the $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 6 at Oaklawn. … Grade 2 winner Dothraki Queen, a candidate for the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 9 at Oaklawn, worked a half-mile in :47.80Saturday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Kenny McPeek. … Multiple stakes winner Haveyougoneaway recorded a 5-furlong bullet work (:59.80) Saturday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Allen Milligan. … Malibu Max, the first recorded worker of the 2016 Oaklawn season – 3 furlongs in :38.40 Dec. 9 – is scheduled to make his career debut in Saturday’s ninth race at Oaklawn for trainerMac Robertson. … Girl Power, a 3-year-old full sister to multiple stakes winner Now I Know, is scheduled to make her career debut in Sunday’s seventh race at Oaklawn for co-owner/trainer Don Von Hemel of Hot Springs. Von Hemel also campaigned Now I Know, who won 6 of 7 career starts, including the $50,000 Dixie Belle Stakes in 2012 at Oaklawn. … Cinnamon Spice’s victory in Friday’seighth race was the first for trainer Larry Jones at Oaklawn since April 15, 2011, when Havre de Grace won the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares. Havre de Grace went on to become 2011 Horse of the Year. … La Macchinaworked a half-mile in :49 Friday morning at Oaklawn for owner/trainer Otabek Umarov. La Macchina is pointing for the $350,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) March 19 at Oaklawn. The gelding won the $100,000 Essex Handicap Feb. 13 at Oaklawn in his last start. … Oaklawn surpassed $4 million in claims at the meet Friday, the 30th day of racing. The 278 claims at the meet have totaled $4,102,000.
Source: Oaklawn Park