Oaklawn Park report

HOT SPRINGS — Claim pays dividend for trainer

Owner/trainer Jack Frost of Marianna recorded his first career stakes victory when long shot Salty Wave flew home to win the $60,000 Spring Fever for older fillies and mare sprinters Sunday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.

Salty Wave, ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr., took the lead on the turn and held off a host of challengers in deep stretch to score by 1 1-4 lengths over Stephanie Got Even, the 2-1 favorite in the nine-horse field.

Honey Bunch finished another half-length farther back in third.

Completing the order of finish were Cosmo Girl, Shotgun Gulch, Vertical Vision, Hidden Value, Denali Glitter and Brown Eyed Beauty. Moontune Miss was a late scratch.

Salty Wave paid $51.80, $18 and $8.60. Stephanie Got Even, who had won her previous five starts, paid $4.40 and $4. Honey Bunch paid $6.60.

Salty Wave covered the 51-2 furlongs over a fast track in a meet-best 1:03.75.

Salty Wave was making her second start for Frost, 60, a former crop-duster pilot, since being claimed for $35,000 on Sept. 24 at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

Frost got his money back in the Spring Fever after Salty Wave earned $36,000 to bump her career earnings to $296,986 off a 13-5-5 record from 39 career starts.

“Just her consistency,” Frost said, when asked about the claim. “She throws the [speed] numbers pretty much every time. That’s what really caught my eye about her.”

Frost, who has a 23-horse stable, began training about 18 months ago.

Frost entered the business about seven years ago, and, before becoming a trainer, had horses with trainer Stanley Roberts of Forrest City.

Salty Wave could make her next start in the $60,000 Carousel Stakes on March 27, Frost said.

CLASSIX grows

The largest CLASSIX carryover of the season, $55,713, awaits bettors for today’s 10-race holiday program that begins at 1 p.m.

The CLASSIX, which requires bettors to select the winners of races 3-8, hasn’t been hit for nine consecutive racing days.

The carryover began Jan. 28 - the eighth day of the meeting - at a miniscule $1,203 before growing to $36,752 entering Sunday.

Today’s carryover is the largest since April 10, 2009 ($126,864).

Situate This ($7.60 in the fourth race) was the only winning favorite in Sunday’s CLASSIX races.

There were no live tickets entering the eighth race, which was won by Party Hard ($20.80).

Other CLASSIX winners were: Breckenridge ($7.40), America’s Blossom ($19.80), Shadowmaker ($31.40) and Green Glory ($12).

Bobby Geiger, Oaklawn’s director of gaming and wagering, said he expects another $40,000 to $60,000 to be wagered into the pool today.

Under CLASSIX rules, 75 percent of the pool is distributed to holders of winning tickets.

Oaklawn also will conduct its annual $55,000 progressive cash giveaway today.

Second chance

Archarcharch faltered as the even-money favorite in his 3-year-old debut.

But in thoroughbred racing, there’s almost always a second chance.

That chance comes today in the $250,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes.

Owned by Bob Yagos of Jacksonville and trained by Jinks Fires of Hot Springs, Archarcharch finished a well-beaten fourth in the $100,000 Smarty Jones on Jan. 17, the colt’s first start around two turns.

Archarcharch had broken his maiden in his final start at 2, the $60,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes on Dec.

18 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Jockey Jon Court said the chances of Archarcharch in the Smarty Jones were compromised when he was too eager leaving the gate and then bumped early in the race.

“I was trying to ease him back and he would have none of it,” said Court, the son-in-law of Fires.

“He just left there like gangbusters and wanted to run. He was a little more on the muscle than I would have liked to have seen.”

Ideally, Court said he wanted to see Archarcharch about five lengths off a legitimate pace in the Smarty Jones.

“To my surprise, he broke and wanted to go right to the lead,” Court said.

Archarcharch had raced off the pace in his first two career starts, including the Sugar Bowl.

“Don’t give up on him,” Court said. “He’s got a lot of talent.”Mass media

A more aggressive stance by Oaklawn’s media relations department continued Sunday afternoon with live televised interviews before and after the $60,000 Spring Fever Stakes.

Interviews with horsemen before and after races are common at tracks across the country, but Sunday was a first for Oaklawn.

Rolly Hoyt, in his first full season as a member of Oaklawn’s media relations department, talked briefly just outside the paddock entrance with trainer Joe Martin before the Spring Fever and with trainer Jack Frost after he won the race.

Hoyt said Sunday’s interviews were a “dress rehearsal” for today’s $250,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes and, perhaps, beyond.

Hoyt’s wife, Jennifer, is in her first season as Oaklawn’s director of media relations.

Oaklawn introduced a beefed-up media guide (available only on line) and Web site before the meeting began and is trying to increase national exposure for its series of Kentucky Derby prep races with banner advertising on countdowntothecrown.com.