HOT SPRINGS -- Pencil in Tejano Twist as a way-too-early horse to watch in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Sprint.
A last-to-first rally Saturday at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort left the 4-year-old five lengths in front in the $150,000 Ring the Bell Stakes on Saturday. Necker Island completed a one-two finish for trainer Chris Hartman with Sir Wellington, a past Oaklawn stakes winner for Mac Robertson, finishing third.
Farther back were Ryvit (fifth), facing older horses late in his 3-year-old season, and Caddo River (sixth), whose 2021 Oaklawn victory in the Smarty Jones and second-place finish in the Arkansas Derby seem long ago and was cut back to a sprint by trainer D. Wayne Lukas at owner John Ed Anthony's suggestion.
Butterbean paid $24.60, $9.80 and $5.80
Chris Landeros, who was back at Oaklawn and riding for the trainer for whom he rode Alsvid in the 2015 Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap, passed them all. Top Gunner and Sir Wellington led early until the 6-5 favorite got rolling, He finished six furlongs in 1:10.02 on a surface upgraded from good to fast by post time..
The victory netted owner JD Thoroughbreds LLC $87,950 against a field of eight with the late scratch of Manuelito.
So well were both of his horses, Hartman spoke wistfully beforehand of a one-two finish. A nine-time winner of more than $1.1 million from 28 starts, Tejano Twist posted his third stakes victory of the year after taking Oaklawn's Grade III Whitmore in April and Churchill Downs' Bet On Sunshine on Nov. 4. He was not disgraced when second to Gunite in January's King Cotton at Oaklawn.
Necker Island also has won the Bet On Sunshine at the track where he fought the good fight against winner Authentic in the 2020 Kentucky Derby.
Mistletoe winner
Butterbean took care of unfinished business in the $150,000 Mistletoe in the filly's second try for an Oaklawn stakes win as a 4-year-old.
Third in April's inaugural running of the Dig a Diamond, Butterbean turned the tables on winner Coastal Charm and beat defending champion Lovely Lady in the one-mile race.
Julien Leparoux, riding locally until Keeneland opens in April, brought Butterbean from last of 10 starters, outdueling Misty Veil and favored Ice Orchid in the final 16th of a mile. A half-length and neck separated the top two from Ice Orchid, a lukewarm choice at 5-2 in owner John Ed Anthony's hometown.
Her mile in 1:38.54, Butterbean paid $24.60 to win, prolonging trainer Ken McPeek's December success in Hot Springs. His horses scored two stakes victories among four wins on Oaklawn's first all-juvenile card last Dec. 31.
The Grade III Iowa Oaks winner as a 3-year-old, Butterbean won a second Prairie Meadows stake in June. Winning three in a row in 2022, she placed last of five against champion Nest in the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, stumbling badly at the break under Leparoux.
Effortlesslyelgant, fourth under the wire, was disqualified and placed eighth. Steve Hobby-trained Coastal Charm moved up to fifth on the DQ behind Jerry Caroom-owned local winner Adaline Julia. Lovely Ride, the Pippin winner in January at the track, had a troubled first race since May.