HOT SPRINGS -- Three-year-old filly Semble Juste stood in her stall, her salmon-pink gums aimed at an onlooker's hand, which, unfortunately for her, was free of snacks. At 9 a.m. Friday, she seemed aware of nothing else but the treat-free palm, including the bubbling furor of opening day all around her.
After all, opening day for Semble Juste, a daughter of the Irish sire Shalaa, comes today, when she and stablemate Oliviaofthedesert are entered to race in the first running of the $150,000 1 1/16th-mile Mistletoe Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.
Post time for the feature, the ninth of 10 races on the card, is scheduled for 4:13 p.m.
As 86-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas sat on his pony late in the morning training session, eager to escort a racehorse to the track, he sounded sympathetic to Semble Juste's indifference.
"When you're 86, you don't get excited about much anymore, including opening day," Lukas said. "I get excited about the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup, and that's about it."
Cold early morning fog had responded to a catalyst of warmth and risen into the overcast sky. The clump and click of horse hooves on dirt and asphalt, respectively, highlighted the soundtrack of opening day on the backside. Despite Semble Juste's equine apathy, excitement among horsemen was evident.
"I thought it was a little bit dull around here until this morning," trainer Robertino Diodoro said. "This morning, you can tell it's opening day. Everyone's excited. Everyone's a little more pumped up. Even yesterday, at feed time last night, you could tell the helpers were getting a little revved up and stuff, and that's continued this morning."
Commonly referred to among horsemen and fans alike as the earliest opening race date since racing at Oaklawn began 117 years and 10 months ago, Friday was in fact the latest date for opening day. According to press accounts, the 1945 fall season -- moved from the spring in deference to the final months of World War II -- extended until Dec. 8.
Lukas said it was high time for December racing at Oaklawn. He said he had long recommended the change to Oaklawn president Louis Cella.
"Every year, I've said they needed to start in December," Lukas said. "I even kidded Louis about it. I said, 'I'm glad to see we finally got together on this.' ''
Lukas, like everyone, has noticed nearly universal approval for the late early start.
"None of my colleagues are negative about this," Lukas said. "None of them."
Diodoro said it's different from seasons past, when shippers from Kentucky had to wait seven weeks or more to race. For this season, the wait lasted five days.
"It does make it a little more of a rush," Diodoro said. "Our foreman and the last couple of grooms just got here last night from Kentucky, but at the same time, I'm not complaining. I'm definitely excited about starting this early. Anytime you can run at Oaklawn and be in Hot Springs longer, that's a good thing."
Steeped in stakes experience, including a fourth-place finish in Oaklawn's Grade III 1 1/16th-mile Honeybee Stakes on March 6, Susan Moulton's Oliviaofthedesert is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the Mistletoe.
Trainer Kenny McPeek, with horses stabled for a full season at Oaklawn for the first since 2017, said Olviaofthedesert's consistency has served her well.
"She's been really solid all year long," McPeek said. "She's a filly that seems to be going in the right direction."
Oliviaofthedesert, a daughter of Bernardini, was sent into her three-year-old campaign off a win as the favorite in the 1-mile Trapeze Stakes last December at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. She has three turf starts this year, including a seventh-place finish, 4 1/2 lengths behind the winner in a field of 11, in the Grade III 1 1/16th-mile Valley View Stakes at Keeneland Race Course on Oct. 29. The Mistletoe is her first start since the late October race.
David Cabrera is listed to ride Oliviaofthedesert.
David Cohen has agreed to ride Semble Juste, the 8-1 morning-line sixth choice, in her first stakes start.
"The filly has run really well," McPeek said. "She deserves a shot at the black type, which is really what we're after."
Brad Cox trains Madaket Stables', Wonder Stables', and 4K2 Stables' Marion Francis, the 4-1 second-choice in the program. Marion Francis, with Francisco Arrieta set to ride, won her last start in a $100,000 1 1/16th-mile optional-claiming race at Keeneland on Oct. 21.
James Rogers' and Michael Robinson's Kavod won the opening-day feature, the 6-furlong Advent Stakes for 2-year-old horses before an estimated crowd of 15,000 at Oaklawn on Friday.
Six hours earlier, Diodoro fretted over a chance for wet weather today, and he said his concern had nothing to do with the quality of the track.
"I'm thinking about the fans," he said. "I hope we can have nice weather for them tomorrow."