Dazzlingdominika To Sell in FT’s Ready Made Flash Sale

Dazzlingdominika will be the lone horse up for bid in the Fasig-Tipton Digital for the “Ready Made Racing Flash Sale,” where bidding opened Monday. Dazzlingdominika. Trained by William Walden, the 2-year-old daughter of Ghoszapper won a Maiden Special Weight at Churchill Down May 13. She is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.

Bidding closes Thursday, May 26, at 2 pm EDT.

The filly is out of a half-sister to Grade I winner Heir Kitty. Her immediate family includes last year's GI Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock.

“Dazzlingdominika is a talented, well-bred 2-year-old filly with a bright future ahead of her,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales. “She can be purchased and immediately pointed for stakes company at any number of racetracks for a spring and summer campaign.”

For more information, click here.

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Horton, Stewart Will Point Last Samurai To 2022 Oaklawn Handicap

Prominent Arkansas owner Willis Horton won the 2021 Oaklawn Handicap on his 81st birthday. Horton may have an opportunity to celebrate again in 2022 with Last Samurai, who recorded his biggest career victory to date in Saturday's inaugural $150,000 Poinsettia Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Ark.

Ridden by Jon Court, a Horton favorite, Last Samurai ($10.20) edged 2021 Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock by three-quarters of a length in a meet-best 1:43.70 over a fast track. The Poinsettia was among four stakes races Oaklawn created in December to accommodate its earliest opening in history, and the last chance for Last Samurai to compete on a big stage against 3-year-olds.

“Well, I mean, he's turning 4 here pretty soon,” Fair Grounds-based trainer Dallas Stewart said by phone moments after winning the Poinsettia. “Just going to take our time with him. The main goal with him would be the Oaklawn Handicap.”

The $1 million Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap is April 23. The 1 1/8-mile race, Oaklawn's signature two-turn event for older horses, was won last season by Silver State, co-owned by Horton and Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron and Joan Winchell). Silver State also won the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes and $500,000 Essex Handicap earlier in the meeting for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Like Super Stock, Last Samurai was making his first start at Oaklawn since last April's Arkansas Derby. Last Samurai finished a non-threatening fifth. The Malibu Moon colt also finished fifth behind champion Essential Quality in the $750,000 G3 Southwest Stakes last February, Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races. Last Samurai was exiting races longer in advance of the Poinsettia, including a runner-up finish in the $200,000 G3 Greenwood Cup Stakes (1 ½ miles) Sept. 25 at Parx in Bensalem, Penn., and a troubled third in a Nov. 6 allowance event (1 ¼ miles) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.  He was an allowance winner at 1 1/8 miles on the turf Aug. 10 at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va.

“Listen, he's a 3-year-old running against 3-year-olds,” Stewart said. “It's a two-turn race. I don't know if he knows the difference between a mile and a sixteenth and a mile and an eighth.”

Last Samurai's first career stakes victory, and third in 12 starts overall, pushed his career earnings to $312,744. Horton purchased the colt for $175,000 at the 2020 OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training. Last Samurai received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 95, a career high, for his Poinsettia victory.

“I think he's going to be a real nice 4-year-old,” Stewart said. “It's nice that Oaklawn's running in December. Good opportunity to run horses. I really appreciate the meet here, being in December. We've got some nice horses to run there.”

Stewart made an 11th-hour decision to split his stable, initially sending a handful of runners to Oaklawn for the expanded 2021-2022 meeting that began Dec. 3. In addition to Last Samurai, millionaire G2 winner Long Range Toddy and Curly Tail, a 2-year-old son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, are on the grounds for Stewart. Horton also owns Long Range Toddy and Curly Tail.

Stewart said he will eventually have about 10 horses at Oaklawn, including “four or five” for Horton.

Stewart and Horton teamed to win two of Oaklawn's biggest races for 3-year-old fillies last season, $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes and $300,000 G3 Honeybee Stakes, with Will's Secret. Court was aboard for both victories, as well as Long Range Toddy in the first division of Oaklawn's $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds in 2019.

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Last Samurai represented Court's first stakes victory since he turned 61 in November.

“Dallas really wasn't specific about instructions,” Court said. “He knows that I know the horse. But we go over just basically how he's run before and how I've had success with him and we kind of went from there. But the owners have been really good and we communicate on how they would like to see the strategy turn out. It turned out very well today, especially when you end up in the winner's circle.”

The Poinsettia was the 702nd career Oaklawn victory for Court (No. 6 all time) and 36th stakes triumph. Court was Oaklawn's leading rider in 2000.

Stewart's Oaklawn division is overseen by assistant Jade Cunningham, who worked as an exercise rider at last season's meeting for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Stewart is a former Lukas assistant.

Oaklawn's first major two-turn race for older horses in 2022 is the $150,000 Fifth Season at one mile Jan. 15.

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Last Samurai Holds Off Super Stock To Win Poinsettia At Oaklawn

Jon Court, still riding winners at age 61, showed that a jockey can turn in a bold ride at any age with his late-stretch move on Last Samurai to win the inaugural Poinsettia Stakes at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Ark. After stalking the pace, a wide move on the far turn gave Last Samurai the clear running lane he needed to battle Super Stock and emerge victorious by three-quarters of a length.

Flash of Mischief got the best of a clean break, getting out to an early lead over Myopic and Super Stock into the first turn. Down the backstretch, Flash of Mischief was a length in front, with Last Samurai stalking in fourth. Into the far turn, Flash of Mischief still held the advantage, with Court moving Last Samurai three-wide to find a running lane for their stretch bid.

Into the Oaklawn straight, Flash of Mischief held a half-length lead with Last Samurai and Super Stock driving on his outside. Those two dueled down the latter part of the stretch, with Last Samurai digging in to take over the lead inside the last sixteenth of a mile. He was three-quarters of a length in front at the wire, with Super Stock second and Flash of Mischief holding on for third. Defeater, Ram, Myopic, and Simovitch rounded out the field.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.70. Find this race's chart here.

Last Samurai paid $10.20, $4.40, and $3.00. Super Stock paid $3.60 and $2.40. Flash of Mischief paid $2.80.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Last Samurai is by Mailbu Moon out of the First Samurai mare Lady Samuri. He is trained by Dallas Stewart and owned by Willis Horton Racing, who purchased the colt from consigner Gene Recio for $175,000 at the March 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale. With his win in the Poinsettia, the 3-year-old colt has two wins in nine starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of three wins in 12 starts and career earnings of $312,744.

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Arkansas Derby Winner Super Stock Returns In Poinsettia Stakes At Oaklawn

Super Stock, winner of the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) last April at Oaklawn, is among seven 3-year-olds entered in Saturday's inaugural $150,000 Poinsettia Stakes.

The 1 1/16-mile Poinsettia is one of four stakes Oaklawn created to accommodate 10 racing dates in December, which marked the earliest opening in its 117-year history. The Poinsettia goes as the ninth of 10 races, with probable post 4:13 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:30 p.m.

Super Stock exits a 1 ¼-length victory in the $250,000 Zia Park Derby Nov. 23 at Zia Park for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and his father/co-owner, Keith Asmussen. In addition to the Arkansas Derby, Super Stock won the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby Aug. 15 at Ellis Park.

Steve Asmussen has tapped Luis Contreras to ride Super Stock for the first time in the Poinsettia.

The Poinsettia also drew Flash of Mischief for trainer Karl Broberg. Flash of Mischief has finished ahead of Super Stock in two meetings this year – $250,000 Iowa Derby July 2 at Prairie Meadows and $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3) Sept. 26 at Remington Park – and owns victories in the $250,000 St. Louis Derby Aug. 28 at FanDuel Sportsbook And Horse Racing and the $100,000 Delta Mile Stakes Nov. 13 at Delta Downs.

The projected Poinsettia field from the rail out: Last Samurai, Jon Court to ride, 121 pounds, 5-1 on the morning line; Defeater, Ricardo Santana Jr., 124, 3-1; Flash of Mischief, Ramon Vazquez, 124, 5-2; Super Stock, Luis Contreras, 124, 9-5; Myopic, David Cohen, 117, 12-1; Simovitch, Florent Geroux, 124, 8-1; and Ram, Francisco Arrieta, 124, 12-1.

Last Samurai finished fifth behind Super Stock in the Arkansas Derby for trainer Dallas Stewart. Defeater ran sixth in the Oklahoma Derby for trainer Tom Amoss. Ram broke his maiden last April at Oaklawn for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas before being beaten a head in the $150,000 Perryville Stakes Oct. 23 at Keeneland.

Myopic adds blinkers for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

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