OAKLAWN PARK NOTEBOOK
APRIL 7, 2006
by Mark Weatherton
There is good news and there is bad news.
First the good news — Oaklawn Park has announced another increase in purses,
$2,000 for all non-stakes races commencing on April 7.
Now, the bad news — the raise came in spite of the fact that field sizes
have shrunk below levels unseen at the Spa in many, many years.
Several reasons have been proffered to explain the short fields:
increased competitiveness has made it difficult for smaller and
midsized operations to get horses in the money and they have moved to other
venues where they can be more successful; the record number of claims (usually
thought to be an indication of a healthy track) has driven away some trainers
who are afraid they will lose their better horses; and the rules for claiming
horses are too restrictive and the 30-day wait before the horse can be run back,
unless entered for 25 percent more than the claiming price, has resulted in many
horses on the sidelines. More than likely, all of these factors are contributing
to the small fields as well as the normal movement to Kentucky at this time of
year. And there are probably some factors that have not yet even been
considered.
One small change has been made. Now horses who have the same trainer but
different owners in claiming races of less than $20,000 do not have to be
coupled. Interestingly, races for $20,000 and above have not required same
trainer horses to be coupled.
Saturday was a beautiful day marred by only one small rain shower. That is,
until just before the Carousel S., when the skies opened up and inundated the
track with heavy rain, which continued throughout the race. Neither rain nor
slop bothered Steve Asmussen’s PLATINUM PRINCESS (Wolf Power [SAf]) as Stewart
Elliott took her immediately to the lead and wired the field for the win.
The winner had to battle to stay on the lead as True Tails (Yes It’s True)
pressed her just a length back. However, that rival faded in the late stages and
slid back to third as Miss Elsie (Golden Gear) made her expected late run to
take second money.
On Sunday, three-year-old Arkansas-breds took center stage with the running of
the Rainbow S. for the boys and the Rainbow Miss S. for the fillies. Each had a
purse of $50,000 and was contested at six furlongs.
The fillies went first and odds-on favorite STORMY DESTIN (Storm and a Half),
who was part of an entry, stalked in third a couple of lengths off the good pace
(:21 2/5 and :45 1/5). At the top of the stretch, Robby Albarado shook her up
and she surged to the front, pulling away down the lane. The dark bay filly from
the Terry Brennen barn was making only her second start, and her winning margin
of five lengths was almost identical to the margin of her debut race. The time
of 1:11 2/5 seconds bettered the boys in the Rainbow by four ticks and visually
her performance was most impressive.
The place filly Rachelsarompin (Storm and a Half) and third-place finisher
Downthedustyroad (Storm and a Half) both looked good, but neither was a match for
the winner.
The Rainbow appeared to be a more evenly matched race, but the dominance of
the Storm and a Half fillies in the Rainbow Miss influenced the wagering and
helped to produce an odds-on favorite, also an entry, in the Rainbow. Both
halves of the entry, Storm Is Due (Storm and a Half) and Brassie Prince (Storm
and a Half), appeared to be legitimate contenders, but they did not have a good
day and finished ninth and fifth, respectively.
HEART APPEAL (Smolderin Heart), virtually ignored by the public (22-1), was
taken to the lead by John Jacinto and cruised home a winner. Catch That Moxie
(Cinnamon Creek) settled into second a length or two off the leader but could
not mount a challenge and came home second, four lengths back. Meme’s Boy
(Southern Forest) made a late move to get third.
The jockey race tightened up as they turned into the straightaway. Luis
Quinonez had only one win this week but still leads with 37. The big move was
made by Jacinto with seven winners, which enabled him to tie Terry Thompson with
32 victories each. Jamie Theriot is fourth with 30, followed by Albarado in
fifth with 29.
Apprentice Beverly Burress continues to ride well, amassing 22 wins from 186
mounts with 21 seconds and 14 thirds to give her a 31 percent in-the-money
record. Francisco Torres returned to the track for the first time since January
and picked up a win in Friday’s feature aboard Three Hour Nap (Afternoon
Deelites).
Cole Norman and Asmussen are hooked up in a battle to the wire with first one
and then the other in the lead. Presently it is Norman with a 30 to 29 lead.
These two have pretty much lapped the field. However, several conditioners are
having very good meets, all of the following having won with at least 25 percent
of their entries and compiling a 50 percent in-the-money record: Ronny Werner
45 (starts) -12 (wins), Cody Autrey 23-8, John Cox 25-8, Al Stall 26-7, Kelly Von Hemel 22-6 and
Jesse Wiggington 20-5.
HORSES TO WATCH
Wednesday (3/29)
4TH – CUCINA NICK (Roar), in his first start for trainer Mike Pino, pressed
the pacesetting, even-money favorite from the start and, after a game stretch
duel, was able to get a nose in front for the win. The new surroundings may have
righted the ship.
6TH – DEVIL IN THE STORM (Storm and a Half) gave a much improved effort
in her third start of the cycle. Beaten 16 lengths in her previous start, she
ran second, beaten only three-quarters of a length, by a 2-5 favorite.
Thursday (3/30)
9TH – WAGON ROAD (Favorite Trick) came into this race off three races with
increasing speed figures and ran another good one, finishing second by only a
half-length. The gelding will find the right spot soon and still should go off
with decent odds.
Friday (3/31)
1ST – On a day when six of the 10 winners led every call, and the other four
were never far behind, the performance by SILK’S SHADOW (Irish Bluff) was better
than it may appear on paper. Dismissed by the bettors at 55-1, the four-year-old
colt was settled in sixth five lengths back at the half-mile mark. He then made
a middle move to close to within two lengths at the top of the home straight but
could only make up one more length down the lane. He came home second, 10
lengths better than the rest of the field for his first money finish since
September.
Sunday (4/2)
5TH – This was another day when runners that could make significant gains from
off the pace should be given extra credit. One such is HUNTER’S PRIZE (Editor’s
Note), who was turning back from 1 1/16 miles to six furlongs. He was last at
the first two calls and was able to close to within a neck of the winner. A more
favorable track and he could be ready to win.