Arkansas Derby: Fires has Elliott as ‘backup plan’ on Gray Attempt
Today’s Oaklawn Park barn notes as penned by the track media staff:
(Photo: Jon Court guided Gray Attempt to victory in Oaklawn’s Gazebo Stakes as a prep for the Arkansas Derby. Coady Photography)
Gray Attempt Gets New Rider
In addition to preparing Gray Attempt for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13 at Oaklawn, trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs must secure a jockey for the fleet gray colt.
Shaun Bridgmohan rode Gray Attempt in his first five career starts, including a front-running victory in Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race, the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 25, before suffering a broken a collarbone in a March 5 spill at Fair Grounds.
Gray Attempt returned to the winner’s circle in last Saturday’s $125,000 Gazebo Stakes under 2000 Oaklawn riding champion Jon Court. But a week earlier, Court guided Long Range Toddy to victory in the first division of the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2), the final major local Arkansas Derby prep.
Fires said Friday morning that Court “most likely” will stick with Long Range Toddy, so the trainer has Stewart Elliott as the “backup plan” for Gray Attempt.
Fires and Court teamed to win the 2011 Arkansas Derby with Archarcharch. Elliott is best known as the rider of champion Smarty Jones, who won the 2004 Arkansas Derby.
Fires had hoped to run Gray Attempt in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, but called an audible after the colt emerged from an 11th-place finish in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G2) with a hind-end problem. No problems this time, Fires said, adding Gray Attempt returned to the track several days ago.
“Horses, one day can make a difference,” Fires said. “Every day you get up in the morning and look down the shed row and just hope everybody’s fine. You come to the shed row sometimes and you feel like a million dollars, then you walk down through the shed row and you say, ‘Oh, my God.’ ”
In addition to Long Range Toddy and Gray Attempt, other early Arkansas Derby probables include Rebel second-division winner Omaha Beach and Improbable, runner-up in the first division of the Rebel.
Long Range Toddy returned to the work tab Monday morning, working a half-mile in :51 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Nominations to the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby closed Thursday.
The Big Horse
Trainer Jesse Cruz and his major client, Wasabi Ventures Stables LLC (TK Kuegler), decided to winter at Oaklawn for the first time this year to build a stable through claims. An even bigger reason for the Mid-Atlantic-based duo was Trapped N My Mind, a 3-year-old Trappe Shot filly who is scheduled to make her 2019 debut in Saturday’s 10th race.
“We’re hoping she can break her maiden here,” Cruz said.
Trapped N My Mind ran twice last year at Delaware Park – both 6-furlong events – finishing third in her Sept. 12 career debut and second Oct. 8. Saturday’s race, which has a $90,000 purse, is also 6 furlongs.
“It’s a tough spot, just because the maiden special weights are always going to be tough here,” said Cruz, who has eight horses at Oaklawn. “But she’s doing well. I look for her, honestly, to be in the top three. She’s not a true sprinter. She’s bred to go a route of ground, but coming off the layoff she’s ready to go three-quarters. She’s pretty sharp right now.”
Tapped N My Mind recorded a 5-furlong bullet workout from the gate (1:01) March 22, the same day Cruz and Wasabi Ventures Stables recorded their first Oaklawn victory with Torri’s On My Mind in a $10,000 claiming sprint for fillies and mares. They had claimed Torri’s On My Mind out of a Feb. 16 maiden victory for $12,500. She was also claimed out of her victory earlier this month after collecting a $14,400 first-place check.
“That was a big one,” Cruz, 25, said of his first Oaklawn victory. “The filly ran really big when we claimed her. But she broke her maiden and we took the old adage: ‘When you buy a new car, the minute you drive them off the lot they’re worth half the price.’ So, we kind of did that with her a little bit. She got the win here and got claimed. The owners doubled up on their money in a short period of time, so that was always good.”
Cruz was raised in the shadow of Charles Town in West Virginia and came up under trainer Ollie Figgins III before striking out on his own in 2017. Cruz won 12 races last year, including seven at Delaware Park. Cruz said he was encouraged to winter in Hot Springs by Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope, formerly Delaware Park’s racing secretary, and Lenny Rera, stakes coordinator at both tracks.
California Dreaming
There’s been an influx of California horses the last few weeks, with one of the arrivals being Tomlin, who is entered in Saturday’s $150,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs.
Tomlin, a daughter of Distorted Humor, is now with trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel after being based in California with trainer Steve Specht.
Von Hemel said Tomlin will be the first horse he’s started for owner Thomas Bachman (Fairview, LLC) but father Don Von Hemel, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1981, raced with Specht in Chicago, “probably in the 70s or 80s.”
“The guy wanted to come back here and run the filly and Steve had referred the man to us,” Donnie K. Von Hemel said. “She’s been here a couple of weeks. We’ll see how she fits here.”
Tomlin has made her last two starts against leading Kentucky Oaks contender Bellafina, finishing third in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) Jan. 6 at Santa Anita and fifth in the $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G2) Feb. 9 at Santa Anita.
Tomlin tuned up for the Purple Martin with a 5-furlong bullet workout (1:01.80) March 21.
“She hasn’t done anything wrong,” Von Hemel said. “Decent looking filly. No hiccups. She had a long trip out here, but it was a couple of weeks ago, so I think she’s recovered from that.”
Tomlin is 15-1 on the morning line for the Purple Martin.
California-based Omaha Beach and champion Game Winner were 1-2, respectively, in the second division of the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds March 16. Another California invader, Captain Scotty, was a March 24 allowance winner for trainer Peter Miller.
Southern California-based trainer Doug O’Neill recently sent a half-dozen horses to Oaklawn, including Purple Martin entrant Splashy Kisses.
Dawn at Oaklawn
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is the special guest for Saturday’s Dawn at Oaklawn, a weekly question and answer session hosted by paddock analyst Nancy Holthus.
Weather permitting, Holthus will interview Lukas at 8:30 a.m. (Central) on the south grandstand apron. The interview will be held inside if there is rain.
The weekly free program runs 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. and features barn tours and complimentary pastries and coffee.
Finish Lines
The track was rated fast for workouts Friday morning. … Prepping for the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses April 13, Rated R Superstarworked a half-mile in :47.80 Friday morning for co-owner/trainer Cipriano Contreras. Rated R Superstar won the $350,000 Essex Handicap March 16 in his last start. The Essex is the final major local prep for the Oaklawn Handicap. … Cosmic Burst, winner of the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies last year at Oaklawn, worked 5 furlongs in :59.40 Friday morning for trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel, who said he hopes the daughter of Violencecan make her 4-year-old debut before the meet ends May 4. … Multiple Oaklawn allowance winner Warrior’s Club worked 5 furlongs in :58.60 Friday morning for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas in advance of a scheduled title defense in the $250,000 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) April 6 at Keeneland. Warrior’s Club, who breezed just after the track opened, galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:12.60. … Apprentice jockey Javier Padron-Barcenasrecorded his first Oaklawn victory aboard favored Serengeti ($6.60) in Thursday’s fifth race. … Coal Front, winner of the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses Feb. 18 at Oaklawn, is entered in the $1.5 million Godolphin Mile Saturday in the United Arab Emirates. … Millionaire Farrell,winner of the $125,000 Pippin Stakes for older fillies and mares last year at Oaklawn, has been retired to become a broodmare, trainer Wayne Catalanosaid Thursday morning. Farrell, a 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, retires with an 8-2-2 record from 19 starts and earnings of $1,098,777. Catalano said stallion plans are pending for Farrell, who raced for her breeder, Coffeepot Stables (Bob Cummings and Annette Bacola).
