DAY 38 of 57
SATURDAY'S TOTAL HANDLE $5,143,872
SATURDAY'S ON-TRACK HANDLE $21,641
SATURDAY'S OFF-TRACK HANDLE $5,122,231
TODAY'S POST TIME 1:30 p.m. (No spectators allowed)
SATURDAY'S STARS
David Cohen and Joe Talamo won two races on Saturday. Cohen won the first race with Heros Reward ($15.60, $5.40, $5.20), covering 6 furlongs in 1:09.77. He won the third race with Carpe Victoriam ($11.00, $4.60, $3.60), covering 6 furlongs in 1:09.81. On the season, Cohen has won 32 races in 178 starts.
Talamo won the sixth race with Heavens Whisper ($10.80, $4.80, $2.80), covering 6 furlongs in 1:09.49. He won the eighth race with Getridofwhatailesu ($6.20, $3.40, $2.80), covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.67. On the season, Talamo has won 34 races in 183 starts.
LONG SHOTS COMING IN
Saturday's fifth race, a $17,000 claiming race for 4-year-olds, saw long-shots hit the board. High Risk Strategy --with Jermaine Bridgmohan aboardand going off at 72-1 -- won the race to pay $147.80, $66.60 and $24.00. Hyndford, with Fernando De La Cruz aboard, went off at 13-1 to pay $14.40 and $10.00. Cool Catomine, with Travs Wales aboard, went off at 60-1 to pay $26.60.
The Pick-3 payout, with Carpe Victoriam in the third race and Presley in the fourth race, paid $971.70. The daily double, which included Presley, paid $649. The exacta paid $974.70. The superfecta paid $12,278.81, and the trifecta paid $7,434,70.
TALAMO LOOKING STRONG
Through Saturday, Joe Talamo has led all jockeys with six stakes victories. He won the $125,000 Dixie Belle for 3-year-old fillies on Feb. 15 aboard Ring Leader; the $300,000 Honeybee for 3-year-old fillies March 7 aboard Shedaresthedevil; the $150,000 Hot Springs for older sprinters March 7 aboard Whitmore; the $350,000 Essex Handicap for older horses March 14 aboard Night Ops; the $350,000 Azeri for older fillies and mares March 14 aboard Serengeti Empress;and the $90,000 Gazebo for 3-year-old sprinters March 21 aboard Long Weekend.
"I really didn't have any kind of expectations, to be honest," Talamo, 30, said during training hours Saturday morning. "Obviously, I just wanted to come in and try to do as well as I could. More than anything, I'm just very pleased with the barns, the outfits, that have given me opportunities. Really, couldn't be happier."
Talamo credits his agent, Jake Romans, for putting him in a position to lead all riders at the meeting in victories and purse earnings.
"It's kind of some interesting circumstances around," Talamo said. "It's funny. Last year at Santa Anita when we didn't race for a month (the track was closed after a spike in horse deaths), I thought that's the weirdest thing that's ever happened. Going through this is weirder, by a landslide."
Talamo said he still plans to ride the Kentucky circuit after Oaklawn's scheduled closing day on May 2.
FINAL FURLONG
Several marquee names had workouts over a fast track Saturday morning, including two before the surface renovation break for trainer Brad Cox. British Idiom, the country's champion 2-year-old filly of 2019, worked a half-mile in :48.40. Clockers had the Eclipse Award winner galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:00.60. British Idiom is targeting the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes on May 1 at Oaklawn for her next start. Warrior's Charge, who won the $500,000 Razorback Handicap on Feb. 17, covered a half-mile in :48 in advance of a scheduled start in the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap for older horses May 2. Warrior's Charge galloped out 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 and 6 furlongs in 1:13.80, according to clockers. Night Ops, Cox's Essex Handicap winner, worked a half-mile in :49.60. Trainer Joe Sharp said Midnight Fantasy is preparing for the $125,000 Carousel Stakes April 25 at Oaklawn. Sharp said Classy Act, an allowance winner on the Spring Fever undercard, is a candidate for the Carousel. ... Jockey Walter De La Cruz crossed the $1 million mark in earnings on Saturday and now has $1,003,697 during the meet. Six other riders already had reached seven figures through Saturday.
Information for this report was contributed by Oaklawn media department
Sports on 03/29/2020