Trainer Aidan Green is back at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., to try and build on a breakout 2021 meeting, when her modest stable produced nine victories, seven seconds, and nine thirds from 42 starters and amassed $347,560 in purse earnings.
Green's 2021 Oaklawn meet highlights included her first career victory recognized by Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization, and first career stakes victory when Blame J D captured the $150,000 Rainbow for 3-year-old Arkansas-bred sprinters in the waning days of the live season.
“Kicked back a little after that, but not too much,” said Green, who is raising three small children near Oaklawn with her husband/assistant, Ike. “Breaking babies and we've got broodmares and everything. Got rid of some horses. So, I'll sit around 10 or 12, just like always. I've been dropping like crazy at Churchill. I've got owners wanting to get horses, and new guys coming in, and we just keep getting outshook every time.”
Green said trying to claim horses at Churchill Downs has been fueled, in part, because of her success last season at Oaklawn, adding she's picked up a handful of new owners in advance of opening day, Dec. 3, including Dennis Pohl of St. Louis.
“I've gotten some new people since then, and people that want in, so that's exciting,” Green said. “Dennis has had horses with other trainers. He called and said he wanted someone with a smaller stable, where they get real attention. We've been trying to get some claimed for him.”
Green's best horse to date, Blame J D, was turned out following the 2021 Oaklawn meeting (five starts, including a state-bred maiden special weights sprint) and just resumed preparing for a 2022 campaign, Ike Green said.
The Greens formerly worked as assistants under 2020 Oaklawn training champion Robertino Diodoro. Aidan Green's first official starter recognized by Equibase was Feb. 14, 2020, at Oaklawn. Ike Green has 98 career training victories, the last coming in 2014, according to Equibase. All nine of Aidan Green's career victories recognized by Equibase have come at Oaklawn.
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