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‘Luckiest Thing In The World’: $40,000 Claim Tempt Fate Captures Arkansas Breeders’ Championship

Hot Springs owner Jerry Caroom was seeing double late Friday afternoon at Oaklawn. In this case, it was a good thing.

Caroom capped a stellar meeting when favored Tempt Fate, under Cristian Torres, posted a two-length wire-to-wire victory in the $200,000 Arkansas Breeders' Championship Stakes for state-breds, 3 and up, at 1 1/16 miles.

It was the 10th victory this season for Caroom, who ranked fourth in the owner's standings entering Saturday's closing-day program, and pushed his purse earnings to $526,605. Much of the heavy lifting was done by Tempt Fate, who bankrolled $313,800 and became the meet's first four-time winner.

Caroom also won the inaugural Arkansas Breeders' Championship in 2019 with Hoonani Road, who, like Tempt Fate, capped a perfect Oaklawn meeting (4 for 4) with a wire-to-wire victory in his two-turn debut. Tempt Fate, a 4-year-old son of Hamazing Destiny, paid $5.80.

“It's just the luckiest thing in the world,” Caroom said in the winner's circle following the race. “Clearly, Oaklawn and what they've done here needs to be (commended). All the horsemen, we're very grateful for what the Cella family has done for racing here. Look at this? This is magnificent. This is a great place to be.”

Prior to the Arkansas Breeders' Championship, Tempt Fate won the $150,000 Nodouble Breeders' Stakes March 27 and two allowance races at the meeting (Hoonani Road did the same in 2019). Trainer Carl Deville, on behalf of Caroom, claimed Tempt Fate for $40,000 out of a third-place finish in his second career start, Feb. 14, 2020, at Oaklawn. Talk about the perfect Valentine's Day gift.

“Actually, it was 100 percent Carl Deville,” Caroom said. “I had absolutely nothing to do with it. I paid for it. So often that's the way it is. And he's fun. You see how big he is? He's like as wide as a Volkswagen.”

Deville, who broke Hoonani Road, said Tempt Fate “probably” will be freshened before making “a couple” of starts later this year. Tempt Fate collected $120,000 for his second career stakes victory, pushing his career total to $376,100. The colt is 5 for 11 overall.

Caroom said Tempt Fate can now be mentioned in the same breath as Hoonani Road, who won his first seven Oaklawn starts – all against state-breds – including the $100,000 Rainbow Stakes in 2018. Tempt Fate finished third in last year's Rainbow, but has blossomed in 2021.

“I think he's clearly there,” Caroom said. “We'll have to look, but I think he's clearly there.”

As for Hoonani Road, Caroom said he privately purchased the 5-year-old gelding last week and retired him to a farm around Opelousas, La., where Deville's grandchildren reside.

“He's got a whole other good life that's not at risk,” Caroom said. “He's retired and well taken care of and I'll get to see him periodically. We need to thank that horse as well.”

Hoonani Road did his best work for trainer Wayne Catalano before the gelding was claimed for $25,000 out of an Aug. 15, 2020, victory at Ellis Park. Hoonani Road was winless in three starts this year at Oaklawn and was claimed for $10,000 by trainer Greg Compton, an Arkansas native, April 11. The gelding finished third in what would be his final career start.

“I'm assured that the horse will be well taken care of,” Caroom said. “I paid a little premium to buy him privately. Took him and gave him a good home.”

Hoonani Road, a son of Jonesboro, retires with a 9-2-2 record from 21 lifetime starts and earnings of $499,941.

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Scarred Steps Into Stakes For Asmussen In Saturday’s Oaklawn Stakes

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has more than one-third of this year's nominees (11 of 32) to the $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes. He figures to have an even bigger presence when the gates open.

A field of seven, including three for Oaklawn's perennial leading trainer, is entered in Saturday's Oaklawn Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles. The closing-day feature of the weather-shortened 51-day meeting goes as the 11th of 12 races, with probable post time 6:18 p.m. (Central). First post Saturday is 12:05 p.m. The infield will be open, weather permitting.

Oaklawn Stakes entrants from the rail out: Scarred, David Cabrera to ride, 121 pounds, 5-2 on the morning line; Causeway Jones, Rocco Bowen, 118, 9-2; Convention, Cristian Torres, 118, 5-1; Fulsome, Martin Garcia, 118, 3-1; Warrant, Fernando De La Cruz, 118, 4-1; Game Day Play, Ramon Vazquez, 124, 12-1; and Unanimously, Francisco Arrieta, 118, 9-2.

The Oaklawn Stakes winner receives automatic entry into the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, May 15 at Pimlico. Asmussen, who won the inaugural Oaklawn Stakes (then known as the Oaklawn Invitational) in 2019 with Laughing Fox, is represented by Scarred, Convention and Unanimously. Laughing Fox finished fifth in the Preakness.

Scarred will be making his stakes debut after clearing his first allowance condition at one mile March 25 at Oaklawn. Convention is also exiting a first-level allowance victory, that coming March 31 at Sam Houston. Unanimously, who will add blinkers, finished third in the $100,000 Crescent City Derby March 20 at Fair Grounds in his last start. Unanimously's victories have come at a mile and a mile and 70 yards.

The speedy Causeway Jones, in his two-turn debut, finished second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths by Scarred, last month for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who co-owns the chestnut son of Creative Cause.

Warrant will be scratched, trainer Brad Cox said, but the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning conditioner is still scheduled to be represented by Fulsome, who won an off-the-turf entry-level allowance (his first race on dirt) at 1 1/16 miles April 10 at Keeneland in his last start. Fulsome, a son of super sire Into Mischief, earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure, highest of any Oaklawn Stakes entrant, for his 3 ½-length victory.

“It's a good spot for him,” Cox said. “It's a little quick back, but he ran a very good race at Keeneland. It was a career-best number for him. Hopefully, he can move forward off that effort.”

Game Day Play was supplemented to the Oaklawn Stakes after being claimed for $75,000 out of his last start, April 10 at Oaklawn, by trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Last year's Oaklawn Stakes winner, Mr. Big News, finished third in the rescheduled Kentucky Derby (COVID-19) for trainer Bret Calhoun.

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Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Features Racing From Belmont, Oaklawn

The New York Racing Association Inc. [NYRA] will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring three races from Belmont Park and two at Oaklawn Park.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Belmont will start the action in Race 7 at 3:48 p.m. Eastern with a seven-furlong allowance contest for New York breds 3-years-old and up on the Widener turf course. Trainer John Kimmel will send out the ultra-consistent Quickflash, who has a 1-5-2 record in nine career starts and has finished second or third in five of his last six starts dating to March 2020. Rudy Rodriguez will saddle 6-year-old veteran Bad Guy, who will be making his 48th career start overall. Bad Guy will be seeking his first win at Belmont in his 13th start but has finished second at the Elmont-based track on four occasions.

Oaklawn will host the second leg as an 11-horse maiden field will compete at 1 1/16 miles in Race 6 at 4 p.m. A slew of six-figured purchases will generate excitement at the Hot Springs, Arkansas track, including Hanks, who will be making his fifth career start and is entered off back-to-back runner-up efforts at Oaklawn. Hanks, a Runhappy colt purchased for $650,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Select Sale, is trained by William Martin, who also will send out Quality Run, a $425,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale. Unraced until his 4-year-old year, Quality Run ran second in his debut in February at Oaklawn before running fourth last out going 1 1/16 miles on a muddy and sealed track. Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen will see Caerus, bought for $250,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale, look to break his maiden at third asking.

Action alternates back to Belmont for Race 8 at 4:19 p.m. for a six-furlong maiden race for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up contesting over the inner turf. Trainer Christophe Clement saw Quick Conversation run second in her debut on March 12 at Tampa Bay Downs, and the sophomore will ship in to New York after continuing to train in Florida at Payson Park. Trainer Chad Brown will send out Crowding Out, a $230,000 purchase at the 2020 OBS Sale, for her first start. The Street Boss filly had also been training at Payson Park before trekking north.

A six-furlong starter allowance race on Oaklawn's main track will go off in Race 7 at 4:38 p.m. A dozen 4-year-olds and up includes Kitchen Fire, who earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure last year and has compiled 10 victories in 37 previous starts. The John Cox trainee will face a field that includes Westfest, whose career-high Beyer is 96 and is back in Asmussen's care after previously being transferred from the accomplished conditioner in 2020.

Belmont will close the sequence with a 6 1/2-furlong allowance optional claimer in Race 9 at 4:56 p.m. The race features some familiar faces on the NYRA circuit, with Three Technique entered for trainer Jeremiah Englehart. Three Technique competed in four stakes in 2020, running fourth in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn before running 10th in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens in August at Saratoga and making his turf debut next-out at the Spa with a sixth-place effort in the Grade 3 Saranac. Pete's Play Call, will run at Belmont after a successful winter at Aqueduct, where he won the Gravesend in January and ran second in the Grade 3 Toboggan and Caixa Eletronica.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, May 1:
Leg A: Belmont– Race 7 (3:48 p.m.)
Leg B: Oaklawn – Race 6 (4:00 p.m.)
Leg C: Belmont – Race 8 (4:19 p.m.)
Leg D: Oaklawn – Race 7 (4:38 p.m.)
Leg E: Belmont – Race 9 (4:56 p.m.)

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‘Tough Little Son Of A Gun’: Rocco Bowen Returns To The Winner’s Circle After Scary Fall

Two weeks after a horrific spill, jockey Rocco Bowen recorded his biggest career Oaklawn victory to date in Thursday's seventh race aboard She's Divine ($47.40) for trainer Mike Puhich and North American Thoroughbred Racing Company, Inc. The allowance/optional claimer for older fillies and mares at 1 mile had a $105,000 purse.

“I'm telling you, I feel so thankful,” Bowen's agent/mentor, retired jockey Joe Steiner, said moments after the victory. “I'm just so thankful.”

It was the ninth victory at the meet for Bowen, 31, riding at Oaklawn for the first time this year. Puhich, who has deep ties to the Pacific Northwest, also put Bowen on his first Oaklawn winner (Background) Feb. 27.

Bowen recorded six more victories before he was injured seconds after the final race April 8 when his mount, Critic, fell and hit the rail, sending the jockey crashing to the ground.

Bowen said he never lost consciousness, but he lay motionless for several minutes before being placed on a backboard and transported by ambulance to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs for further evaluation. No broken bones were found, Steiner said, and Bowen was released that night. Bowen fulfilled his engagements the following day, with the only visible sign of the accident a protective black brace on his sore left hand.

“He's a tough little son of a gun, I'll tell you,” Steiner said, adding he broke 39 bones in his riding career. “Well, you have to be, in this case.”

Steiner said Bowen will ride until the Oaklawn meeting ends May 1 before returning to Indiana Grand, which opened April 13. Bowen, a native of Barbados, became a riding star in the Pacific Northwest, specifically Emerald Downs in suburban Seattle, where he won three consecutive riding titles (2016, 2017 and 2018) before a training accident in September 2018, and subsequent debilitating arm injury, cost him approximately 1 ½ years in the saddle.

Bowen launched his comeback last June in the Midwest and won 39 races at Indiana Grand, including his 1,000^th in North America, to finish eighth in the standings. Steiner said he and Bowen plan to return to Oaklawn in 2022.

“The whole intention is to come back here,” Steiner said. “Now that I've been here, I'm so fortunate and so thankful that they've let agents come on the backside (easing of COVID-19 restrictions). It gave me the chance to get to meet some of these people. I didn't know a lot of these people and next year I'm looking at more and more. It's a matter of just building up more people to maybe get an opportunity with. I love working with people.”

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