LITTLE ROCK — 17 entrants have ties to state
Seventeen horses with ties to Arkansas or Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs are pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup on Friday-Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
The headliners are two candidates for Horse of the Year - Havre de Grace and Flat Out - both pre-entered in Saturday’s $5 million Classic.
Havre de Grace wintered this year in Hot Springs and won the $500,000 Grade I Apple Blossom Handicap on April 15 and the $150,000 Grade III Azeri Stakes on March 19.
Havre de Grace is also pre-entered in Friday’s $2 million Ladies’ Classic(second preference), but after conferring with trainer Larry Jones, owner Rick Porter announced Saturday afternoon that Havre de Grace will challenge males and only be entered Monday in the Classic.
“We considered entering both so that we could have another option should we draw the 1 hole or if weather conditions looked better for Friday,” Porter wrote on his official website, rockportharbor.com. “We decided that she’s earned her way into the Classic and we’d ultimately be dissatisfied if she ran in the Ladies’ Classic, regardless of the draw or weather conditions.
“She deserves her shot at writing racing history.”
Porter said Havre de Grace will breeze 5 furlongs Monday morning at Churchill Downs, her final workout for the Classic.
Flat Out also wintered this year at Oaklawn, but didn’t race because of lingering foot problems.
Flat Out won Oaklawn’s Smarty Jones Stakes in 2009, and, in his last start, captured the $750,000 Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 1 at Belmont Park in New York.
Other horses with local ties pre-entered are Shotgun Gulch (Filly and Mare Sprint), Switch (Filly and Mare Sprint, Ladies’ Classic), Rocket Twentyone (Juvenile Fillies and Juvenile Fillies Turf), Miss Match (Ladies’ Classic), Satans Quick Chick (Ladies’ Classic), A.U. Miner (Marathon), State of Play (Juvenile Turf), Caleb’s Posse (Dirt Mile, Sprint), Force Freeze (Sprint), Hamazing Destiny (Sprint), The Factor (Dirt Mile, Sprint), Country Day (Turf Sprint), Regally Ready (Turf Sprint), TresBorrachos (Dirt Mile) and Strong Suit (Mile).
Rocket Twentyone is owned by Frank Fletcher of North Little Rock.
Hamazing Destiny, runner up in last year’s Sprint, is co-owned by Little Rock-based Westrock Stables LLC (Joe and Scott Ford).
Grace at 5
Havre de Grace, a candidate for the Horse of the Year, is expected to race at 5, with her first scheduled major goal being the $500,000 Grade I Apple Blossom Handicap on April 13 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, said Victoria Keith, owner Rick Porter’s administrative assistant.
Havre de Grace wintered at Oaklawn during the 2011 meeting and won both her starts - the $150,000 Grade III Azeri Stakes on March 19 and the Apple Blossom on April 15.
Havre de Grace is a major contender for Saturday’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
Following the Breeders’ Cup, Keith said Havre de Grace will receive a break before joining trainer Larry Jones’ stable in January at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
Jones said late in the 2011 Oaklawn meeting that he wouldn’t return in 2012 because of concerns with the racing surface.
Final furlong
Stall applications for Oaklawn’s 2012 meeting were due Thursday. … Oaklawn’s stable area opens Nov. 14.
The track will open for training a week later. … Fans of Rocket Twentyone, an unbeaten 2-year-old filly owned by Frank Fletcher of North Little Rock, can follow her progress on her newly created Facebook page. Rocket Twentyone is scheduled to run in Friday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. … On Fire Baby, trained by Oaklawn regular Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage, is entered in today’s $150,000 Grade II Pocahontas Stakes for 2-year old fillies at Churchill Downs.
Sports, Pages 32 on 10/30/2011