DAY 47 of 57
THURSDAY'S TOTAL HANDLE $6,709,453
THURSDAY'S ON-TRACK HANDLE $16,642
THURSDAY'S OFF-TRACK HANDLE $6,692,811
TODAY'S POST TIME 1:05 p.m. (Spectators not allowed)
THURSDAY'S STAR
Ricardo Santana Jr. roared into the lead of the jockey standings Thursday after winning four races, three of them covering 1 1/16 miles.
Santana's first victory came aboard Tashkent in the fourth race, paying $41.00, $10.80 and $7.40 at 20-1 odds with a time of 1:43.80. He then rode Souixper Charger ($7.40, $4.60, $3.20) to victory in the fifth race in 1:44.61 and was aboard Latruska ($8.60, $3.60, $3.80) in the eighth with a winning time of 1:42.38. Santana also won the ninth race with Aggressivity ($14.20, $5.40, $4.00), covering 6 furlongs in 1:09.89.
Santana now has 45 victories in 225 starts for the meeting, putting him 2 victories ahead of Joseph Talamo in the jockey standings. David Cohen and Martin Garcia are tied for third place with 41 victories each.
TARGETING THE DERBY
The top three finishers in last Saturday's Oaklawn Stakes receive automatic berths into the Arkansas Derby. While next-race plans are pending for the winner, Mr. Big News, the second- and third-place finishers are targeting the Grade I race on May 2 at Oaklawn, their respective trainers said.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said in a text message Thursday morning that Farmington Road came out of his runner-up finish in "good shape" and is "pointing for the Arkansas Derby," adding the late-running son of Quality Road is still at Oaklawn after previously being based in south Florida.
Farmington Road, who added blinkers, closed from far back to finish a half-length behind Mr. Big News in the 11/8-mile race. Farmington Road finished 31/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Taishan, the slight 5-2 second choice in the 13-horse Oaklawn Stakes field. Taishan raced about five lengths off a sizzling early pace -- :45.47 for a half-mile over a sloppy, sealed surface -- and took the lead turning for home before being overhauled by the late-running Mr. Big News and Farmington Road.
Taishan came out of the Oaklawn Stakes in good shape physically, trainer Richard Baltas said Wednesday afternoon, and has already returned to the track to train for the Arkansas Derby.
Information for this report was provided by Oaklawn media department
Sports on 04/17/2020