DAY 26
RACING CANCELLED Extreme cold forced Oaklawn officials to cancel Friday’s card, the fifth weather-related cancellation of the 2015 meet. The high temperature in Hot Springs was 31 degrees.
RACING TODAY Oaklawn officials issued a news release midafternoon Friday saying the track is planning on racing today with a first post of 1 p.m. A track official said it is hoping to hold training at 9 a.m., but Dawn at Oaklawn morning program has been cancelled.
CLASSIX CARRYOVER $5,384
WEATHER FORECAST The National Weather Service is calling for a 20 percent chance of precipitation with highs in the upper 30s. East winds 5-10 mph in the morning, decreasing to 5 mph in the afternoon.
CELEBRATING ARKANSAS BREDS
Arkansas breds are featured in two $75,000 stakes races today, the Downthedustyroad Breeders’ for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 6 furlongs and the $75,000 Nodouble Breeders’ Stakes for Arkansas-bred colts and geldings at 6 furlongs. The Nodouble goes as the eighth race on the nine-race card. The Downthedustyroad is scheduled as the sixth race. The 3-1 program favorite is Rock City Roadhog, who began his career with trainer Al Cates in 2012 at Louisiana Downs. Trainer Chris Richard claimed Rock City Roadhog for $12,500 in August at Prairie Meadows in Iowa for owner Maggie Moss and Rock City Roadhog, in his first start for his new connections, beat open $16,000 claimers Feb. 14. Shaun Bridgmohan gets the mount. In the Downthedustyroad, Jan’s Perfect Star, who won her career debut by 12 lengths at the 2013 Oaklawn meeting, seeks her second career stakes victory. Jan’s Perfect Star, who is scheduled to break from the rail under Cliff Berry, is the 7-2 second choice in the field of 12. Jan’s Perfect Star, a 6-year-old daughter of Imperialism who is owned by Dave Clark of Little Rock. Clark privately purchased Jan’s Perfect Star after her February 2013 career debut. She won an Arkansas-bred stakes race in her next start and was good enough to win a second-level allowance race at Saratoga in upstate New York. The 5-2 program favorite is Pistolpackinpenny, who cuts back to a sprint after finishing second in a Feb. 19 state-bred allowance race at a mile. Easter Shoes – one of three horses at 4-1 on the morning line – exits a 3-length Arkansas-bred allowance victory sprinting Jan. 29.
FINAL FURLONG
Trainer Randy Morse told Oaklawn’s media department that 4-year-old Street Strategy will be pointed to the Oaklawn Handicap with a sharp effort today in a second-level allowance/optional claimer for older horses at 1 1/16 miles. Street Strategy is coming off a 4 ¼-length entry-level allowance victory Jan. 30 . under Hall of Fame jockey Calvin Borel, who has ridden the 4-yearold son of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense in all four career starts. …Grade 1 winner The Big Beast is scheduled to make his 4-year-old debut in Sunday’s eighth race, a third-level allowance sprint for older horses. Multiple stakes winners Brewing and Alsvid are also entered. Oaklawn, in its 26th day of racing, surpassed $3 million in claims at the meet Thursday. … Two-time defending Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. broke an 0 for 33 streak when he won Thursday’s second race on Lawyer Daggett.