It's been anything but a home-field advantage this season at Oaklawn for owner Staton Flurry of Hot Springs.
Flurry, raised in the historic Trivista neighborhood that overlooks Oaklawn's second turn, has enjoyed great success at his home track since his first starter in 2012. Flurry has 95 career victories as a sole owner, including 28 at Oaklawn. Flurry also races horses in partnership, striking gold with millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Shedaresthedevil, a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020.
Flurry has been more active at the entry box this season at Oaklawn, already matching his career high for starters in Hot Springs (25) after just 24 days of the scheduled 68-day meeting. Flurry also started another horse in partnership. The results haven't matched the aggression. Flurry only has one victory.
“I don't know if there's a pick-me-up at this point, when you've started 26 horses and got your head beat in 22 of those times,” Flurry said Tuesday morning. “It's hard to say there's a pick-me-up.”
A new week brings new hope, particularly Saturday when the accomplished Key of Life makes her 2023 debut in the $150,000 Dixie Belle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs. Flurry campaigns Key of Life with Hoffman Family Racing LLC (Texan Gregory Hoffman). Key of Life is the first horse they've had together.
From the first crop of Grade 1 winner Mo Town, Key of Life has a 3-0-2 record from five starts and earnings of $282,350. Key of Life was a front-running 6 ¾-length winner of the $200,000 Myrtlewood Stakes at 6 furlongs Oct. 28 at Keeneland.
Southern California-based Flavien Prat is named to ride Key of Life, the 7-5 Dixie Belle program favorite, for two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox.
“We want to win,” Flurry said. “Got Flavien coming into ride, so, hopefully, everything's falling into place.”
Flurry, on the advice of his bloodstock agent, Clay Scherer, purchased Key of Life for $350,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training. Key of Life covered an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5 in her preview work over the synthetic surface, the co-second-fastest work of the sale. Unbeaten Arabian Knight, who won Oaklawn's $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28, recorded the same time.
“I had kind of met my quota of what I wanted,” Flurry said. “But this filly, Clay said, 'Man, she' fast. You need to buy her. You need to buy her.' He said this is perfect one for you and Greg to partner up with. Super, super easy-going guy. I said my only partnership thing is we run in my silks here at Oaklawn. That's my only stipulation in any partnership. We've worked great together. Super, super nice guy. Great family.”
Flurry said he and Hoffman are also partners on two newly turned 2-year-olds. Flurry said Hoffman previously had horses with Cox and trainers Tom Amoss and H.B. Johnson.
“I think we'll have a fun little run because we both have the same goals in mind,” Flurry said. “We want to win. Let Brad handle everything and tell us where to show up.”
Key of Life exits a third-place finish in the $200,000 Fern Creek Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs. She has five published workouts in advance of the Dixie Belle, the last four coming at Fair Grounds. Key of Life had been under consideration for the $125,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) at 7 furlongs last Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Fern Creek winner Red Carpet Ready returned to capture the Forward Gal and is unbeaten in three lifetime starts.
“We didn't give her (Key of Life) any time off, but we let her chill out just a little bit after the last race,” Flurry said. “Timing-wise, this one was a little better than the Forward Gal because we had one extra week. Then, all that (equine herpesvirus) stuff started popping up at Gulfstream and you didn't know what was going to go on there and this is a whole lot easier ship than Gulfstream. It just worked out.”
Fridaynightsoldier, co-owned by Flurry, is entered in Friday's sixth race at Oaklawn.
The post Flurry Hopes For ‘Pick-Me-Up’ As Stakes Winner Key Of Life Returns In Oaklawn’s Dixie Belle Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
