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Moquett Emotional After Whitmore Named Champion Sprinter Of 2020

Oaklawn's top male sprinter last year can now be called the best nationally, too.

The ultra-popular Whitmore, a seven-time Oaklawn stakes winner co-owned and trained by Ron Moquett of Hot Springs, was named the country's champion male sprinter of 2020 during the 50th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony Thursday night.

Whitmore received 132 first-place votes from members of the three consolidated voting blocs – Equibase, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters. Vekoma finished second with 83, followed by three other 2020 Oaklawn-raced horses in Volatile (16), Charlatan (four) and C Z Rocket (three).

Three finalists in each division were announced Jan. 16, established through a 10-5-1 point system from earlier voting. Eclipse Award winners were determined solely by first-place votes.

Whitmore compiled a 3-2-0 mark from seven starts last year, punctuating his resume with a dominating victory in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

The gelding's other two victories came at Oaklawn, his winter home since 2016. He won the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes in March for a record fourth consecutive year and the $350,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) in April for a record third time.

“I think the reaction that we get from the rest of the people kind of mimics how we feel all the time about him,” Moquett said Friday morning. “It's like everybody's giving him credit, loving him or whatever. But Arkansas people kind of already thought that he was a champion, regardless, and it's kind of like the rest of world got to see what we've been thinking for three years.”

Whitmore is training at Oaklawn in preparation for his scheduled 8-year-old debut in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes March 13. Whitmore's major spring objective, Moquett said, is again the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 10. Both races are 6 furlongs.

“Still the plan,” Moquett said. “He's going to run a mile and a half at Oaklawn.”

Moquett received one first-place vote for outstanding trainer. But Whitmore, his prized gelding, had more than enough support to grab his first Eclipse Award after finishing eighth, second and third in the previous three runnings of the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

“He's a cool horse,” Moquett said.

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Frank’s Rockette ‘Blossomed A Little Bit Quicker This Year,’ Favored In Oaklawn’s American Beauty

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said he has no long-term 2021 goals for multiple Grade 2 winner Frank's Rockette, adding it's simply one step at a time.

That first step begins with the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes for older female sprinters Saturday at Oaklawn. The 6-furlong race marks a homecoming of sorts for Frank's Rockette, a homebred for prominent North Little Rock, Ark., businessman Frank Fletcher who finished second in the $100,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters last April at Oaklawn.

Frank's Rockette, based with Mott in south Florida, was again vanned to Hot Springs. She arrived at 4 a.m. (Central) Tuesday and jogged Wednesday morning, Mott said, in advance of her 2021 debut. She is the 2-1 program favorite for the American Beauty.

“I always look at the Oaklawn schedule because Mr. Fletcher lives there,” Mott said. “If it's six of one, half a dozen of the other and it looks like that there might be a race that suits us over there, I'm sure he would enjoy seeing them run at Oaklawn. That's the reason we're there. I'm sure we could have found a race somewhere else. This one seems to fit the way she was doing, timewise, and, of course, the distance helped.”

Frank's Rockette emerged as one of the country's top female sprinters last year. After finishing second to Kimari in the Purple Martin, Frank's Rockette won her next four starts, including the $100,000 Victory Ride Stakes (G3) July 4 at Belmont Park, $200,000 Prioress Stakes (G2) Sept. 5 at Saratoga and the $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park. Citing 6 furlongs as a major hook, Mott opted to challenge males in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland, where Frank's Rockette concluded her 2020 campaign with an 11th-place finish. She was beaten 8 ¼ lengths by Whitmore, a seven-time Oaklawn stakes winner and Eclipse Awards finalist for champion male sprinter of 2020.

“She showed up every time, except maybe the last race,” Mott said. “It was a tough race. Naturally, it was a step into deep water. But with that being said, she really didn't seem to run her 'A' race in there, either. Hopefully, that's behind us and we're going to come back into good form.”

Frank's Rockette received what Mott termed a “working vacation” following the Breeders' Cup and remained in “very light training.” She has five published workouts since Dec. 24 at Payson Park Training Center, the last a 3-furlong move in :35.80 Sunday morning.

“She's actually seemed to have blossomed a little bit quicker this year,” Mott said. “Last year, she stayed a little light in the early part of the winter and really didn't start looking good until like midsummer. But she seems like she's carrying good flesh and doing quite well right at the moment.”

Oaklawn's stakes series for older female sprinters continues with the $200,000 Spring Fever Feb. 27 and the $250,000 Carousel April 10. Mott said he has no specific targets in mind for Frank's Rockette following the American Beauty or any long-range objectives like securing a first Grade 1 victory or returning to the Breeders' Cup.

“We'll play that card when it confronts us,” Mott said. “I'm going to say it's just one at a time. It seems like every time she runs, we look the schedule over and discuss the next one.”

A daughter of super sire Into Mischief, Frank's Rockette has a 6-4-0 record from 11 career starts and earnings of $606,103.

Mott was Oaklawn's leading trainer in 1986 and has 18 career stakes victories in Hot Springs, the last coming in 2014 with Close Hatches in the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares. Close Hatches was voted the country's champion older dirt female that year.

Mott won the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G1) for older horses in 1995 with Cigar, who was crowned Horse of the Year in 1995 and 1996.

Mott won three races at the 2020 Oaklawn meeting.

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Cox-Trained Coach Favored In Oaklawn’s First 2021 Kentucky Oaks Prep

Oaklawn's road to the Kentucky Oaks begins Saturday with the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile.

Probable post time for the Martha Washington, which drew a field of six, is 3:06 p.m. (Central). It goes as the fifth of nine races on the program. First post Saturday, Day 5 of the scheduled 57-day meeting, is 1 p.m.

The Martha Washington will offer 17 points (10-4-2-1, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) April 30 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks is the country's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies. Oaklawn's Kentucky Oaks points series continues with the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 6 and the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 3. The Honeybee will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5) to the top four finishers, with 170 points (100-40-20-10) up for grabs in the Fantasy.

Oaklawn-raced horses flourished on last year's revamped road to the Kentucky Oaks. Honeybee winner Shedaresthedevil captured the Kentucky Oaks, which was moved from early May to early September because of COVID-19. Fantasy winner Swiss Skydiver finished second in the Kentucky Oaks before toppling males in the Preakness, the traditional second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, in her next start.

Trainer Brad Cox, who also trained Shedaresthedevil, has the 7-5 program favorite Saturday in Coach, who won her first three career starts before concluding her 2-year-old campaign with a third-place finish behind stablemate Travel Column in the $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

“There's some speed in there and it's a small field,” Cox said. “Hopefully, the speed doesn't get too far away from her. It's a 1-mile race, it's a great purse, and, hopefully, she can start her march toward, what we hope, is the Kentucky Oaks. That would be the ultimate goal with her.”

After starting her career with two blowout victories at Indiana Grand, Coach won the $98,000 Rags to Riches Overnight Stakes Oct. 25 at Churchill Downs in her two-turn debut. She was beaten 3 ½ lengths in the Golden Rod, also at 1 1/16 miles.

“She does like Churchill,” Cox said. “She's a good filly. She stepped up and had a great 2-year-old season and, hopefully, she'll improve as a 3-year-old. She's definitely been training like she's improved. We like the way she's been training at Oaklawn. I feel like she's moved forward with her training. Hopefully, she can transfer that to the afternoons.”

The projected Martha Washington field from the rail out: Joy's Rocket, Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride, 122 pounds, 5-2 on the morning line; Novel Squall, Ramon Vazquez, 115, 15-1; Coach, Florent Geroux, 122, 7-5; Will's Secret, Jon Court, 115, 6-1; Lady Lilly, David Cabrera, 119, 9-2; and Sylvia Q, Martin Garcia, 115, 5-1.

Joy's Rocket will be making her two-turn debut for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen after winning the $75,000 Letellier Memorial Stakes Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds in her last start. Asmussen, a two-time Martha Washington winner, also will send out Golden Rod seventh Lady Lilly.

Will's Secret exits a 1 1/16-mile off-the-turf maiden special weights victory Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds for trainer Dallas Stewart and breeder/owner Willis Horton of Marshall, Ark.

Horton won the 2015 Martha Washington with champion Take Charge Brandi.

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Oaklawn’s March 13 Rebel The ‘Next Logical Spot’ For Smarty Jones Winner Caddo River

Caddo River returned to the track Tuesday morning for the first time since a record-breaking victory in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds Friday at Oaklawn. At the same time, his trainer, Brad Cox, was plotting the next move for the speedy colt and his handful of other Kentucky Derby prospects, including probable Eclipse Award winner Essential Quality.

The road to Churchill Downs, at least regarding next-race plans for Caddo River and Essential Quality, will run through Oaklawn's lucrative series of Kentucky Derby points races, with Caddo River, a homebred for Hot Springs lumberman John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable, probably making his next start in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 13, Cox said.

Caddo River received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 92, a career high, for his front-running 10 ¼-length victory in the Smarty Jones, the most lopsided result since the one-mile race was inaugurated in 2008. Anthony also became the first owner to sweep what are now Oaklawn's four Kentucky Derby points races.

“He's a very good colt, and we're hoping he can get us to the first Saturday in May,” Cox said. “This has been a very good path to take, through Arkansas, to get there. We'll let the dust settle and talk it over with Mr. John Ed (Anthony), but I'd say right now, given the timing and everything, it probably makes the most sense to run him back in the Rebel. Just based off the calendar, the Rebel would be the next logical spot for him.”

The Smarty Jones marked the two-turn, stakes and 3-year-old debut of Caddo River, a long-striding son of 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun. After finishing second in his first two starts in New York, both at 7 furlongs, Caddo River closed his 2-year-old campaign with a front-running 9 ½-length maiden victory in a one-turn mile Nov. 15 at Churchill Downs.

“We have high expectations for him,” Cox said. “He's a good horse. Any time you can win a race by, say, 10 lengths – you don't really ever go into a race thinking you're going to win by 10. We think a lot of him. We have high hopes for this horse. He's one of three colts, three or four colts that we have in our barn, that we think can get us to the first Saturday in May.”

The Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 10. Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby points series began with the Smarty Jones and continues with the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15, which Cox said will mark the 2021 debut of unbeaten Essential Quality, who is now based at Fair Grounds.

Essential Quality (3 for 3) won the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland in his last start for Cox, Oaklawn's third-leading trainer last year and a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's outstanding trainer of 2020. One Oaklawn-based horse pointing for the 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Keepmeinmind, who finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Caddo River marked the first Smarty Jones starter for Anthony, who has won the Rebel a record five times (1980, 1984, 1987, 1992 and 1993). Three of Anthony's Rebel winners, Temperence Hill in 1980, Demons Begone in 1987 and Pine Bluff in 1992, also won the Arkansas Derby. Anthony has won the Southwest three times.

Like the Smarty Jones, the Southwest will offer 17 points on a sliding scale (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers. The Rebel will award 85 points to the top four finishers (50-20-10-5), with 170 up for grabs to the top four finishers in the Arkansas Derby (100-40-20-10).

The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters. Horses with the highest point totals accumulated in designated races like the Smarty Jones, Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas Derby will have starting preference at Churchill Downs.

Essential Quality tops the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 30 points, according to Churchill Downs. Keepmeinmind ranks second with 18 and Caddo River is eighth with 10.

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