DAY 28 of 57
ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE 14,000
ON-TRACK HANDLE $933,776
TOTAL HANDLE $3,528,232
PICK-5 PAYOUT $33,104.60
SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Gulfstream Park, 11 a.m.; Laurel Park, 11:30 a.m.; Tampa Bay, 11:35 a.m.; Aqueduct, 12:20 p.m.; Fair Grounds, 1:25 p.m.; Santa Anita, 2:30 p.m.; Golden Gate, 2:45 p.m.
SATURDAY'S STARS
Three victories by Alex Birzer Saturday put the veteran rider one victory away from 3,000 in his career. Birzer won the first race with Ship Disturber ($7.80) for trainer Stanley Roberts, the sixth with Cleverness ($74.20) for trainer Lynn Chleborad and the seventh with Apprehender ($4.80) for Chleborad. ... Alex Canchari also won three races: Miss Shelby ($9.60) in the second for trainer Ernie Witt, Roma Road ($15) in the third for trainer Brett Creighton and Battered ($9.00) in the fifth for Thomas Vance. Birzer and Canchari took advantage of the absence of red-hot leading rider Ricardo Santana, Jr., who rode Saturday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans and guided 3-year-old Untrapped to a second-place finishing in the Grade II $400,000 Risen Star Stakes for trainer Steve Asmussen
NODOUBLE BREEDERS' STAKES
Racer handed 3-5 favorite Weast Hill his first defeat in eight Oaklawn Park starts Saturday, scoring a front-running victory in $100,000 Nodouble Breeders' Stakes for Arkansas-bred colts and geldings at 6 furlong.
Two previous encounters with Weast Hill earlier this season resulted in third-place finishes for Racer ($17.20), who was able to turn things around by going to the lead under jockey Jon Court from post position No. 1.
Racer took the field through an opening quarter in 22.21, a half mile in 45.53, and 5 furlongs in 57.72 before finishing the 6 furlongs in 1:10.22, 1¼ lengths in front of Weast Hill.
"We didn't know if he'd make the lead, but we wanted to go out there and try to soften up Weast Hill," winning trainer Tim Martin said. "This horse has really been training good. He broke like he's been training in the mornings. He left running today."
Racer, a 4-year-old Jonesboro gelding bred by Robert Yagos, has 3 victories, 1 second and 3 thirds from 13 career starts and has earned $161,778.
FINAL FURLONG
Easter Indy picked up her second victory of the meet on Friday and won the $100,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders' Stakes for Arkansas-bred fillies and mares for the second consecutive time with a 1-length victory over Lady Lake in Friday's feature race at 6 furlongs. Easter Indy improved her record to 5-1-2 in 15 starts and has earned $282,440 for her owners John and Libbie Thiel and Martin Brothers Inc. ... Three-time Oaklawn training champion Kenny Smith had his first winner of the meeting in Friday's second race with favored Goods Gone West ($4). ... Tommy Pompell, riding regularly at Oaklawn for the first time this year, recorded his first double in Hot Springs Friday, winning on Goods Gone West and the ninth race on Rhodium ($14.40). ... Joe Rocco Jr. and Alex Canchari also rode two winners Friday.
Information for this article contributed by Oaklawn media department.
Sports on 02/26/2017