Heavy Rains Couldn't Put A Damper On the Stakes Action For Oaklawn Park's Biggest Weekend of Racing
Photo by Tom Ferry.
Oaklawn Park carded five graded stakes races over the last weekend, including the final races for the Road to the Kentucky Oaks and Road to the Kentucky Derby - the Fantasy Stakes (G3) and Arkansas Derby (G1), respectively. Both races offered 100 points to the winner, 40 points to second place, 20 points to third place and 10 points to the fourth-place finisher. All About The Race photographers, Tom Ferry and Steve Heuertz, were in attendance to capture all of the action.
Lady Apple and Ricardo Santana, Jr. win the Fantasy Stakes (G3).
Photo by Steve Heuertz.
On Friday, Lady Apple earned her spot in the gate for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) for trainer Steve Asmussen. Ricardo Santana, Jr. rode her to victory. Motion Emotion, Brill and Orra Moor rounded out the superfecta, in that order.
On Saturday, the Hot Springs, Arkansas track received a deluge of rain, with all races classified as being ran over a "muddy" track.
Mitole and Ricardo Santana, Jr. win the Count Fleet Handicap (G3).
Photo by Steve Heuertz.
Asmussen and Santana, Jr. teamed up for another win in the first stakes race on the card, the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3), where Mitoli bested two-time winner of the race, Whitmore, who was attempting to become the first horse in Oaklawn’s history to win the race three times. The race was Mitoli’s first graded stakes try.
Quip (L) and Jose Ortiz win the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) over Lone Sailor.
Photo by Tom Ferry.
The Oaklawn Handicap (G2), for older horses, was a thriller of a photo-finish, where the top five finishers were all within a neck of one another. Quip, ridden by Jose Ortiz, won the photo over Lone Sailor, giving the horse his second Grade Two stakes victory for trainer Rodolphe Brisset.
Omaha Beach and Mike Smith win the Arkansas Derby (G1).
Photo by Steve Heuertz.
The Arkansas Derby saw Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Omaha Beach repel a determined Improbable to take his second victory in a Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prep.
He is trained and ridden by Hall of Fame inductees Richard Mandella and Mike Smith, respectively. His win places him second on the Kentucky Derby leader board. Improbable, Country House and Laughing Fox completed the superfecta, in that order.
Midnight Bisou (L) and Mike Smith win the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) over Escape Clause.
Photo by Steve Heuertz.
The stakes action continued Sunday without the rain with the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for fillies and mares. The track was rated as "good" at post time.
Post-time favorite, Midnight Bisou, carried the highweight of 122 lbs. She battled head-to-head with third-choice in the betting, Escape Clause, throughout the final yards in the stretch. Midnight Bisou hit the wire in front by a nose with jockey Mike Smith aboard for trainer Asmussen.
The win gave the four year-old filly her third stakes win in as many tries this year.
Steve Asmussen.
Photo by Tom Ferry.
Midnight Bisou gave trainer Steve Asmussen his ninth win over the three-day span - three per day - six of which came with his first-call rider, Ricardo Santana, Jr.
As of Monday, April 15, Steve Asmussen sits on top of the current meet's leading trainers list with 50 wins, 10 ahead of second-place trainer Robertino Diodoro. Ricardo Santana, Jr. is tied for first place in the current meet's leading jockey list with David Cohen. Each rider has 59 wins.
The 2019 Oaklawn Park racing season concludes on Kentucky Derby day, May 4.