HOT SPRINGS — Classix pays out $548,553

One may be the loneliest number, but not in this instance.

A winning Classix ticket sold Monday afternoon at Oaklawn Park produced the second-largest payoff since the multi-race wager was introduced in 1986.

The $548,553.40 ticket was sold through XpressBet, an advance wagering deposit site, according to Bobby Geiger, Oaklawn’s director of gaming and wagering.

The record Classix payoff of $818,693.40 was set Feb. 15, 1995.

The Classix requires bettors to select the winners of races 3-8.

After eight consecutive racing days without a winner, the Classix carryover grew to $303,751.93 Monday - the largest since it was a record $793,356 on April 9, 1999.

Monday’s carryover was the highest since Oaklawn reduced the minimum wager on the Classix from $2 to $1 for the 2012 live meeting.

The $793,356 figure was built on a $2 base wager.

Monday’s Classix winners were Mizzen Maze in the third race ($11.40), He’s a Cat in the fourth race ($22.40), Harborplace ($6) in the fifth race, Stereo in Motion ($5.80) in the sixth race, Transylvania Flash ($19.80) in the seventh race and Bobcat Jim ($11.20) in the eighth race.

Harborplace and Stereo in Motion were the only winning favorites in the Classix races.

Geiger said every horse was covered in the eighth race with the exception of Street Hoss, a 36-1 long shot who, with a victory, would have set up a half-million dollar carryover.

Street Hoss finished last.

Bobcat Jim was among four horses in the nine-horse field that would have produced a single winning Classix ticket, Geiger said.

No horse in the final leg had more than four live tickets, Geiger said.

Geiger said $413,179 was wagered Monday on the Classix.

There were 100 consolation “5 of 6” tickets sold Monday, including 19 at Oaklawn.

Each consolation ticket was worth $816.40.

Borel watch

Jockey Calvin Borel was winless in three mounts Monday to remain at 4,999 career victories.

Borel finished seventh on Atticus the Man in the third race, second on favored Fevernthefunkhouse in the eighth race and sixth on Hezunusal in the 10th race.

Borel is named on only one horse when racing resumes Thursday: Bold Choice, for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs in the eighth race.

Getting serious

Millionaire and multiple stakes winner Alternation, in his most serious drill of the year, worked 6 furlongs from the gate in 1:13.60 Monday under regular rider Luis Quinonez.

Alternation was credited with splits of :35.40 for 3 furlongs, :48.40 for a half-mile and 1:01 for 5 furlongs.

It was the fifth published work since Jan. 19 at Oaklawn for Alternation, who is being pointed for the $150,000 Grade III Razorback Handicap on March 9, trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said.

Von Hemel equipped Alternation in blinkers for the work, which occurred at 7:30 a.m.

“We put the blinkers on him and put him in the gate because we want him to start thinking about racing,” Von Hemel said.

“We wanted to do a little bit more today.”

Alternation races in blinkers, but works in the equipment “on and off,” Von Hemel said.

Alternation, a 5-year-old son of Distorted Humor, hasn’t started since finishing sixth in the $500,000 Grade II Hawthorne Gold Cup on Oct. 6 at Hawthorne in suburban Chicago.

Alternation swept Oaklawn’s three biggest two-turn races for older horses last year, including the $125,000 Grade III Razorback Handicap and the $400,000 Grade II Oaklawn Handicap.

Final furlong

Wiley Hulsey of North Little Rock was the $10,000 grand prize winner in Monday’s $55,000 progressive cash giveaway. All $55,000 was paid out, according to an Oaklawn official. … There have been 138 claims for $2,027,000 at the meeting. … Don’t Tell Sophia came out of her 6 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Bayakoa Stakes in good order and will make her next start in the $150,000 Grade III Azeri Stakes on March 16, trainer Phil Sims said. Don’t Tell Sophia earned a 100 Beyer speed figure - highest of the Oaklawn meeting - in her victory. … Cyber Secret earned a 93 Beyer speed figure for his 1-length allowance/optional claiming victory Friday. He is being pointed for the $150,000 Grade III Razorback Handicap on March 9, trainer Lynn Whiting said.

… Cheery was scratched from Sunday’s $60,000 Spring Fever Stakes for older filly and mare sprinters because trainer Al Stall didn’t like the rail post, said Glenn Brookfield, who oversees Stall’s Oaklawn division. Cheery was the 2-1 program favorite.

Wagering menu

Win, place, show (all races)

Exacta (all races)

Trifecta (all races)

Superfecta (races 4 and 6 and last race)

Daily double (first two races, last two races)

Classix (races 3-8)

Pick-3 (begins with races 4, 5 and 7 on nine-race cards and races 4, 5, 6 and 8 on 10-race cards)

Pick-4 (begins with race 6 on nine-race cards and race 7 on 10-race cards)

Sports, Pages 19 on 02/19/2013