THURSDAY'S ON-TRACK HANDLE $10,025
THURSDAY'S OFF-TRACK HANDLE $4,519,949
THURSDAY'S TOTAL HANDLE $4,529,974
TODAY'S POST TIME 1:o5 p.m. (Spectators not allowed)
LUKAS TAKES OVER
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas called Nadal and American Theorem "house guests" after they shipped into his Oaklawn barn shortly before the Grade II Rebel Stakes for 3-year-olds on March 14.
Lukas took both Southern California-based horses to the track to train during their brief stay in Hot Springs, and he watched Nadal remain unbeaten in three lifetime starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
Lukas recently welcomed another house guest to his Royal Glint barn, but Come Dancing will be sticking around much longer. And this time, Lukas will be calling the shots as the trainer of record for Come Dancing, a millionaire Grade I winner who is scheduled to make her 2020 debut in the Grade I Apple Blossom on April 18, Lukas said.
Previously with New York-based trainer Carlos Martin, Come Dancing arrived at Oaklawn about "10-12 days ago," Lukas said, and she recorded her first published local workout toward the Apple Blossom on Tuesday. Under exercise rider Yoni Hernandez, Come Dancing breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00.60 on a muddy track.
"Carlos Martin sent her in beautiful shape, so my job is to keep her happy and move her forward," Lukas said.
Lukas said fellow trainer Dale Romans suggested that Martin, the grandson of the late Hall of Fame trainer Frank "Pancho" Martin, send Come Dancing to Lukas in Arkansas. Romans also trains for breeder/owner Marc Holliday of Blue Devil Racing Stable.
"Usually when they show up in the barn, there's a problem and they want you to correct it," said Lukas, who usually winters at Oaklawn. "They don't usually come in looking like she does and working like she does."
Come Dancing, a five-time stakes winner, hasn't started since finishing sixth in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint -- her only career race outside New York -- at Santa Anita on Nov. 2. The 6-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon had been poised for an Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter after winning the Grade I Ketel One Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 24, and the Grade II Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park on Sept. 22. Overall, Come Dancing has won 8 of 14 career starts and earned $1,064,950.
"She's impressive," Lukas said. "I've had a number of something like 19 Eclipse-champion fillies, and she fits the mold."
Lukas said Come Dancing's training will be straightforward for the Apple Blossom, among the country's most prestigious two-turn races for older fillies and mares.
"She'll get a couple of more works," Lukas said. "We'll school her and stand her and do all the usual."
Lukas won the Apple Blossom in 1983 with Miss Huntington, in 1987 with North Sider and in 2004 with Azeri. Miss Huntington represented the first of Lukas' 322 victories at Oaklawn.
FINISH LINES
Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Amy's Challenge is "doing great" and continues to point toward the Carousel Stakes for older female sprinters on April 25, trainer Mac Robertson said. ... Millionaire Bravazo is still pointing for the Grade II Oaklawn Handicap for older horses on May 2, according to trainer D. Wayne Lukas. ... First post time is 1:05 p.m. for the remainder of the meeting. ... Jockey Katlin Bedford recorded her second Oaklawn victory in Thursday's opener aboard Julie Arkansas ($16, $11, $7.20) for trainer F. Dewaine Loy.
Information for this report was provided by Oaklawn media department.
Sports on 04/03/2020