Oaklawn Park report

— Training starts up Monday

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs will open for training at 7 a.m. Monday, said David Longinotti, the track’s assistant general manager/racing.

Oaklawn’s barn area opened last Monday and Longinotti said 80 horses were on the grounds early Saturday afternoon.

Live racing is scheduled to begin Jan. 11.

Trainers with horses on the grounds, Longinotti said, are Steve Hobby, Ron Moquett and Jeff Talley of Hot Springs, Stanley Roberts of Forrest City, Mike Johnson of Star City, Mac Robertson, Kenny Smith and John Botty.

Trainer Al Cates of Sherwood is expected to have 17 horses on the grounds today, Longinotti said.

Trainer Rick Jackson of Mountain Pine has brought the first horse to the track in past years, but Longinotti isn’t sure about Monday.

“Have no clue,” Longinotti said. “Could be a horse from any of those trainers.”

Officially timed workouts normally don’t begin until approximately 500 horses are on the grounds, Longinotti said.

Clockers didn’t report in advance of the 2012 live meeting until Dec. 11.

No change

There has been no change in Oaklawn’s position on horses from Hawthorne, said David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager/ racing.

Oaklawn announced earlier this month that it was banning all horses from the suburban Chicago track in response to the growing number of horses being diagnosed with the highly contagious Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1).

Under the policy, “any horse (both thoroughbreds and ponies) who originates from Hawthorne or horses who have been on the grounds of Hawthorne for any reason during the most recent 28 days will not be allowed in the Oaklawn stable area.”

“We’re standing as is,” Longinotti said. “They had another case and had a horse euthanized Wednesday.

At this point, best-case scenario, is they let horses go in 28 days and we let them in.”

Longinotti said Hawthorne-based trainers who race at Oaklawn include Ingrid Mason, Brian Williamson and Scott Mullins.

“They’ve all got pretty decent-sized outfits that are headed this way,” Longinotti said.

Final furlong

Two-time Oaklawn riding champion Calvin Borel began Saturday with 4,995 career victories. … Trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs began Saturday with 992 career victories.

… The Hobby-trained TopPriority, a 2-year-old full brother to multiple stakes winner Tiz Miz Sue, finished a closing sixth in his career debut Friday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. … Value Trap, a 2-year-old Value Plus colt owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong of Conway, earned a 77 Beyer speed figure for a front-running 6-length debut victory last Saturday at Calder near Miami. … Hobby and the Lieblongs will be represented by For Greater Glory, a 2-year-old Afleet Alex colt, in a maiden allowance event today at Churchill.

Sports, Pages 40 on 11/18/2012

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