DAY 43 of 57
ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE 17,500
ON-TRACK HANDLE $1,154,151
OFF-TRACK HANDLE $3,126,053
TOTAL HANDLE $4,280,204
PICK-5 PAYOFF $3,663.40 (4 of 5)
SATURDAY’S STARS
Jockey Alex Canchari rode three winners: Suspect a Storm ($6.20) in the second; Double Tuff ($66.40) in the eighth; and Grandpa’s Dream ($45.40) in the 10th. Giovanni Franco won two races, one of the victories coming by DQ in the featured ninth race, to open a 37-34 lead over four-time defending champion Ricardo Santana, Ramon Vazquez and Canchari. … Seven-time training champion Steve Asmussen won three races and is leading Robertino Diodoro 28-23.
DQ IN PURPLE MARTIN
Our Majesty crossed the finish line first, but Golden Mischief ended up with the victory in Saturday’s $125,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs.
Steve Asmussen trains both Golden Mischief, who was elevated from second to first, and Vertical Oak, who was moved up from fourth to third after stewards ruled she was interfered with down the backside. Dixie Belle and Martha Washington Stakes winner Chanel’s Legacy was elevated to second from third. Steward John Ferrara explained that Vertical Oak and Our Majesty, trained by Ron Moquett, were running side by side down the backstretch when Our Majesty gradually drifted in, “impeding the 1 horse [Vertical Oak] and causing her to check.”
Our Majesty held a narrow lead through early fractions of 22.32 and 46.01 for the first half-mile. She continued to lead the field around the turn before drawing off late in the stretch, completing the 6-furlong race in 1:10.55. Golden Mischief was sixth early, but split horses inside the furlong marker to finish 1½ lengths behind the winner.
2018 RACING DATES
The Arkansas Racing Commission approved Oaklawn’s 2018 dates at its regularly scheduled meeting Saturday. Oaklawn will open Friday, Jan. 12, and close Saturday, April 14, 2018, for a total of 57 racing days. Oaklawn will race Thursday-Sunday during the season as well as Monday, Jan. 15, and Monday, Feb. 19. The track also will race the first two Wednesdays in April 2018 — April 4 and 11.
LATE TRIPLE CROWN NOMINEE Six horses were made Triple Crown eligible during the late period that closed Monday, including Rapid Dial, a debut winner for co-owner/trainer Ingrid Mason on March 11 at Oaklawn. Rapid Dial is entered in today’s eighth race, an entry-level allowance/optional claiming sprint that carries an $82,000 purse.
FINAL FURLONG
There was one winner in the late $.50 Pick 4 — races 7-8-9-10 — and it paid $58,724.15.
Information for this report contributed by Oaklawn media department.