Oaklawn | Horse Racing Free Tips

Oaklawn Adds December Race Dates To Live Racing Season

In yet another historic move for the 117-year-old track, Oaklawn will now add December race dates to its calendar and host a 66-day season from Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 – Sunday, May 8, 2022.

“For many years, horsemen have wanted to race here in December to fill a gap in their racing schedule,” said Oaklawn President Louis A. Cella, who has guided Oaklawn through the most dramatic changes in its history over the past four years. “We have completed our resort expansion, including the opening of our luxury hotel, spa and event center. Therefore, the timing is right for another expansion – to our live racing season.”

The 66-day season will be conducted largely on a Friday-Sunday basis, with some exceptions. There will be no racing Dec. 24 through Dec. 26 during the Christmas holiday and also no racing on Easter Sunday, April 17. Racing will continue to be offered on Presidents' Day Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.

Oaklawn plans to present the new proposed racing schedule to the Arkansas Racing Commission at their next meeting for approval.

“We are looking forward to the new format,” Cella said. “The additional days will provide a huge economic impact for horsemen, Arkansas Thoroughbred breeders and tourism in Central Arkansas.”

“Oaklawn's decision to add racing days in December is wonderful news for Hot Springs and Garland County,” said Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs. The expansion of its casino and its addition of a world-class hotel this year already provided Hot Springs with an exciting new feature in its attractions menu. The additional live racing dates will further cement Oaklawn's status as a premier economic engine for our city. We all look forward to this great new reason for everyone to visit Hot Springs.”

Purses for the season are projected to be $45 million – $50 million; the highest in America at that time of year, with all allowance races starting at $100,000.

“To be able to offer six-figure allowance races for five consecutive months is a very strong statement,” Oaklawn Racing Secretary Pat Pope said. “Between the purses and all of our new amenities, we should be part of every horseman's annual calendar.”

The extended season and projected purse increases make it necessary for Oaklawn to restructure its stakes program, highlighted, by realigning Oaklawn's strong 3-year-old prep races.

“We will offer 2-year-old racing in December,” Cella said, “and we anticipate additional exciting changes in our racing program, including an aggressive 2021-2022 stakes schedule. We are working on that now and will announce those changes soon. Suffice it to say that our stakes program will continue to be designed to attract the nation's best horses and best horsemen to Hot Springs.”

Trainers are also excited about the additional race dates.

“I love it,” Hall of Famer and 11-time Oaklawn leading trainer Steve Asmussen said. “The more Oaklawn, the better.”

“I've been an advocate for this for years,” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “I think it's a great addition and will keep our stables competitive. It's also going to be a popular time. People are already in a festive mood around the holidays and the weather in December is usually pretty good. I think there is going to be a strong fan base. I'm 100% for it.”

“Oaklawn's new dates allow us horsemen to participate in the most lucrative purse circuit in America without any interruptions,” trainer Ron Moquett said. “It's now a smooth transition between Oaklawn, Churchill, and Saratoga.”

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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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Double Firsts: Trainer Sherry Rhea, Apprentice Albert Lopez Break Their Maidens At Oaklawn

Trainer Sherry Rhea recorded her first career victory in Sunday's seventh race at Oaklawn when My Little Tipsy ($15) broke his maiden under apprentice jockey Albert Lopez.

Rhea, who launched her career in 2020, had been 0 for 61 and was winless in 48 starts at this year's Oaklawn meeting, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization.

“There's no feeling like it in the world,” Rhea, 57, said Wednesday afternoon outside her Oaklawn barn. “I was so excited. They say there's a tradition here, you get a duck on the last day if you don't win a race. I'm like, 'I think they've got me lined up for a duck this year,' so I'm sure glad it happened.”

Rhea's milestone victory was a family affair since My Little Tipsy, a 3-year-old gelding, is a homebred for her father, retired trainer Stanley Roberts of Forrest City, Ark. Roberts was Oaklawn's second-leading trainer in 2002 and topped the owner's standings three consecutive years in Hot Springs (2002, 2003 and 2004) with his former business partner Rick Turman (Highway 1 Racing Stable).

Roberts, 79, now assists his daughter and saddled My Little Tipsy Sunday. Rhea saddled the gelding's older full-brother, My Little Tip, who, at 48-1, finished third in the same race for $20,000 Arkansas-bred maiden claimers. Roberts also bred My Little Tip, but the 4-year-old gelding is owned by his daughter.

A Forrest City native, Rhea has been around horses her entire life. She taught school for 34 years, including 28 in Forrest City, before retiring a couple of years ago to help her father. Rhea is a lifelong barrel racer and said she competed Tuesday in Bee Branch, Ark. Rhea also has a background in Quarter-Horses, adding she's leaning heavily on her father in her transition to Thoroughbreds.

“I'm new to this, very, very new to this,” Rhea said. “I've got a background with horses, so I've got horse sense. I'm just learning about the track.”

Roberts trained Quarter-Horses before successfully switching to Thoroughbreds approximately 30 years ago, amassing 957 victories between 1990 and 2020, according to Equibase. Roberts had been scaling back his racing operation in recent years and started his last horse April 19, 2020, at Oaklawn. Roberts has 193 career victories, including five stakes, in Hot Springs.

“He was my assistant trainer, but you know what that means,” Rhea said. “He is still very much involved. He does the entering. He still calls most all the shots. My dad will be turning 80 this summer and he's won over 900 races, so whatever he says goes. I can give a little input and I help and I do a lot. But, basically, he's still very much involved.”

Roberts owns a 97-acre farm in Forrest City, about 140 miles east of Hot Springs. Rhea lives on the breeding/training facility, which stood the now-deceased Mykindacandy (sire of My Little Tipsy and My Little Tip) and houses overflow that are not stabled at Oaklawn. After retiring from teaching, Rhea said it was the perfect time to help her father (haul horses, pick up broodmares, etc.) since he had been talking retirement for several years.

“I started this endeavor a couple of years ago just to spend time with my dad before he quit,” Rhea said. “I wanted to step in and spend time with him, day-to-day, not just show up every now and again. I wanted to spend time with him before he retired.”

Rhea said after the Oaklawn meeting ends Saturday, her horses will ship from her father's Forrest City farm to run at tracks like Prairie Meadows, Fairmount Park and Louisiana Downs.

“That's the rodeo in me,” Rhea said. “I don't mind the driving.”

My Little Tipsy represented the first United States victory for Lopez, according to Equibase. Lopez, who rides with a 10-pound allowance, had three victories last year in Puerto Rico.

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