HOT SPRINGS -- A deferral to World War II made way for Super Stock, the first of 87 horses to race at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in December of the same year they won the Arkansas Derby.
Super Stock's Arkansas Derby victory came at 12-1 odds. This time, he fell short as the 5-2 second-choice. Last Samurai, ridden at 4-1 by Jon Court and trained by Dallas Stewart, won by 3/4-lengths over second-place Super Stock in the first running of the $150,000 1-mile-and-1/16th Poinsettia Stakes for three-year-old horses before an estimated crowd of 7,500 at Oaklawn on Saturday.
"He just keeps trying," Court said. "He's a great horse to ride. He's fun to ride. We just needed everything to fall into place and it did today."
Last Samurai's winning time was 1:43.70.
Flash of Mischief finished third, 13/4 lengths behind Super Stock and 23/4 lengths ahead of fourth-place Defeater, the 2-1 favorite.
On behalf of a request from the U.S. Department of State, horse racing across the country was postponed through the spring and summer of 1945 for the final allied efforts to end World War II. Oaklawn rescheduled its 30-day meet that year to November and December, and there was no Arkansas Derby, which led to Super Stock's new stature as a racing artifact despite his runner-up finish in the Poinsettia.
Last Samurai ran fourth, five lengths off Flash of Mischief's lead through the opening quarter-mile in 23.90, with Myopic in second and Super Stock third, 11/2 lengths behind the leader.
Last Samurai finished fifth in this year's Arkansas Derby, 10 lengths behind Super Stock.
At the half, Flash of Mischief maintained his lead. Last Samurai remained in fourth but had moved within four lengths of the leader. Super Stock, ridden by Luis Contreras from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, was third, 21/2 lengths off the lead and a length behind Myopic, ridden by David Cohen and trained by Robertino Diodoro.
Jerry Namy's Flash of Mischief, the 3-1 third choice ridden by Ramon Vazquez from the barn of Karl Broberg, led through six furlongs in 1:13.45 -- a length in front of Myopic, still second. Flash of Mischief's lead was intact by half a length over the eventual winner as the field turned for its stretch run.
Speed near the lead has commonly held well at Oaklawn through several recent seasons, a trend that has stayed in place. It was due at least in part to a speedy racetrack, made evident Friday by a six-year-old gelding named Hollis, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and trained by John Ortiz, who sprinted from just off the pace in second to win a 51/2-furlong race in 1:02.17.
"Just where we were, the fractions were perfect for Hollis," said Ortiz on Friday. "Sitting just off that pace was the best thing."
Hollis' time shattered the track record of 1:02.60 set by Sis Pleasure Fager on Feb. 15, 1984, long before racing at Oaklawn began in December.
Myopic would fade to sixth in the Poinsettia's field of seven, 63/4 lengths behind the winner in a race on a day that seemed to favor no particular style.
For a change, a favorable position late held little promise of success.
"I think [the track] has been playing pretty fair," Diodoro said. "There's been some horses go wire-to-wire and some come from left field today. I think it's been a real fair racetrack so like I said, no excuse."
Last Samurai carried his momentum from the turn to put a nose in front of Super Stock 1/8th of a mile from the wire. He stretched his lead on the most recent Arkansas Derby winner as the two pulled away from Flash of Mischief toward the finish of one of four new stakes races scheduled for Oaklawn's December start to the 2021-22 season.
"I had so much horse turning for home," Contreras said. "He ran his race the whole way. I just got outrun."
Stewart was impressed by his colt's return to Oaklawn.
"[Last Samurai is] really a nice horse," he said. "Last trip at Oaklawn [for the Arkansas Derby], he ran a big race. Got in trouble, but we really like him. I liked him in the spot today, and he had a good trip. I think he's going to be a real nice four-year-old."
Ridden by Court, 61, and owned by Willis Horton, 81 of Marshall, Last Samurai's performance was perhaps a triumph for geriatric horsemen.
Horton, before his 21/2-hour ride home, praised Court.
"I've known him for 50 or 60 years," he said. "He's a guy who can get the job done. He's strong, and you know he's in good shape. A lot of people don't like him because [they think] he's too old, but I know he's not."
After the race, Court walked from the paddock to the jockey's dressing room. He crossed paths with Florent Geroux, who would ride in the final race.
"Not bad for an old guy," Geroux said.
Court laughed.
"That doesn't bother me at all," he said.