Oaklawn report

HOT SPRINGS — Carryover rocketing for Classix

The largest Classix carryover in more than five years awaits handicappers today at Oaklawn Park.

The multirace bet wasn’t hit for the 11th consecutive racing day Thursday, swelling the carryover to $203,977.

The carryover is the largest since Feb. 6, 2006, when it was $225,076.

The Classix, which requires bettors to select the winners of races 3-8, began Jan. 28 - the eighth day of the meeting - and reached $100,094 entering Thursday.

Bobby Geiger, Oaklawn’s director of gaming and wagering, said $175,331 was wagered into the pool Thursday - $137,275 off track and $38,056 at Oaklawn.

The lone 5 of 6 consolation ticket ($34,627) was sold though an Oregon wagering hub.

No betting favorites won any of the Classix races.

Hall of Fame trainer D.

Wayne Lukas undoubtedly knocked out many players by saddling the winners of the third and eighth races.

Alpha Nova ($14.20) won the third, while Saratoga Red ($47) broke his maiden going two turns in the eighth.

Both winners were ridden by Terry Thompson.

Other Classix winners were Naughty Niner ($41) in the fourth race, Abelia ($25.40) in the fifth, Black Ida’s Jo Jo ($13) in the sixth and Range War ($7) in the seventh.

Racing resumes at 1:30 p.m. today. Approximatepost time for the third race is 2:27 p.m.

First turn

Torrential rain turned the track from fast to sloppy for the final four races Thursday. … Alex Birzer rode four winners Thursday, including three for Chicago-based Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., Oaklawn’s leading owner this year. Jamie Ness trained two of Midwest’s winners (Range War and Elizabeth Park). Roger Brueggemann trained the other (Last Corona). All three Midwest winners were claimed. But Midwest, the country’s leading owner last year, also claimed two horses Thursday. … Trainer Larry Jones said Havre de Grace worked Thursday morning, but it was missed by clockers because of heavy fog. Havre de Grace, one of the country’s top 3-year-oldfillies last year, is scheduled to make her 2011 debut in the $100,000 Grade III Azeri Stakes on March 19. … Jones said Yankee Passion is probably off the Arkansas Derby trail after pulling a muscle on the inside of his left thigh during a fifth-place finish in Monday’s $250,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes.

Jones said Yankee Passion, who “had a superwide trip” in the Southwest, will miss the $300,000 Grade II Rebel Stakes on March 19 because of the injury. … Trainer Mac Robertson said Picko’s Pride, a closing fourth in the Southwest, will be pointed to the Rebel. Robertson said the colt’s owners, Joni and Barry Butzow, plan to keep the colt after turning down an offer to sell Thursday.

Thursday’s feature

Coronet of a Baron splashed to 2 3/4-length victory in Thursday’s $40,500 allowance/optional claiming feature for older horses atthree-quarters of a mile.

Ridden by Jon Court, Coronet of a Baron ($23.20) ran 6 furlongs over a sloppy track in 1:10.11.

Owned by Little Rockbased Fly Racing LLC (Lorene Jones) and trained by Grant Forster, Coronet of a Baron hadn’t started since finishing sixth in a Nov. 25 allowance race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The 5-year-son of Pure Prize hadn’t won in five previous starts for Fly Racing, which privately purchased the horse about a year ago from his original owner, Darley Stable.

Coronet of a Baron had previously been trained in Southern California by Eoin Harty.

“Eoin called and said he was for sale,” Forster said.

“Obviously, we liked his race record.”

At 2, Coronet of a Baron was beaten a nose in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity, was placed second through a disqualification in the Grade II Best Pal Stakes and ran third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

In his penultimate start for Darley and Harty, Coronet of a Baron ran eighth in the Grade I Malibu Stakes in December 2009 at Santa Anita in suburban Los Angeles.

Fly Racing privately purchased Coronet of a Baron after he ran fifth in an allowance/optional claimer last March at Santa Anita.

Forster said the horse “was never better” going into Thursday’s race.

Darley purchased Coronet of a Baron for $550,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of selected 2-year-olds.

Smith’s homer

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride multiple stakes winner WinslowHomer in his 4-year-old debut, the $100,000 Grade III Razorback Handicap on March 12, trainer Larry Jones said.

Owned by Fox Hill Farm, Winslow Homer will be making his first start for Jones in the Razorback, the final major local prep for the $350,000 Grade II Oaklawn Handicap on April 9.

Winslow Homer, who was previously trained by Tony Dutrow, hasn’t started since a 9-length victory in the $75,000 Curlin Stakes on Aug. 1 at Saratoga in upstate New York.

Winslow Homer came out of the race with a leg fracture, but has been training steadily for his 4-year-old debut.

Winslow Homer worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:02.80 Monday morning.

“He agreed to agree with us this time, so, yeah, it was the kind of worked we wanted,” Jones said.

Rulings

State steward Stan Bower said jockey William Antongeorgi III is appealing a three-day suspension that was scheduled to begin today.

The appeal will be heard Saturday morning by the Arkansas Racing Commission, Bowker said.

Stewards cited Antongeorgi for allowing his mount, Shadowmaker, “to angle in toward the rail down the backstretch without being clear” in Sunday’s sixth race.

The incident caused Roses for the Lady, Indian Bluff and Cinnabean to steady, according to a ruling released Thursday.

Shadowmaker won the race for $15,000 Arkansasbred maiden claiming fillies by a half-length.

There were no objections or a stewards’ inquiry on the race.