HOT SPRINGS — Borel tries luck with brother
The Calvin Borel watch has stretched at least one more day after his two scheduled mounts Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park were scratched.
But those scratches could set up the storybook ending for Borel, who needs one victory to become just the 26th jockey in North American history with 5,000.
Borel is scheduled to ride three horses today, including Maiden Warrior for older brother, trainer Cecil Borel.
Maiden Warrior, 3-1 on the morning line, is scheduled to face only five opponents in the third race.
Calvin Borel is also scheduled to ride Mr Garde in the fifth race and Graceful Rage for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs in the ninth race.
Borel remained on 4,999 victories after Francois was scratched from Saturday’s first race and Truman’s Commander, owned by Harry Rosenblum of Little Rock and trained by Moquett, was scratched from the fourth race.
Returning from a broken wrist, Borel is winless in seven mounts since his last victory, Dec. 28 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
Hobby horses
Midnight Music ran ninth in Saturday’s ninth race, leaving trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs with 999 career victories.
Hobby’s next scheduled starter is Got a Stash in Thursday’s fourth race.
Hobby collected his 998th victory when Got a Stash, owned by Betty and Leon Millsap of Hot Springs, scored an easy Feb.
10 victory under Rosemary Homeister Jr.
Hissam moved
Jerry Hissam of Hot Springs, the longtime agent for two-time Oaklawn riding champion Calvin Borel, is in Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.
Deborah Keene-Lokanc said Hissam is battling pancreatitis, complications from two surgeries in late December at Hot Springs.
Hissam’s family requested his condition not be released, a hospital spokesman said early Saturday afternoon.
Keene-Lokanc said Hissam was airlifted to Baylor University Medical Central early last week after previously being hospitalized at Mercy Hospital in Hot Springs.
Hissam underwent triple bypass heart surgery Dec. 7 and gall bladder surgery Dec. 27 before returning to work in early January.
Hissam was in the racing office Jan. 8, when entries were taken for Jan. 11, the first day of Oaklawn’s scheduled 56-day live meeting. But his condition began to deteriorate later in January, and he was hospitalized with inflammation of the pancreas.
Hissam began representing Borel in March 1991.
Doc Danner is now handling the jockey’s book because of Hissam’s health problems.
Allie, again
Odds-on favorite All About Allie took the lead on the outside in deep stretch and pulled away for a 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $60,000 Downthedustyroad Stakes for older Arkansas bred filly and mare sprinters.
It was the third consecutive Downthedustyroad victory for All About Allie, a 5-yearold daughter of Storm and a Half.
“That was fun,” winning trainer David Whited said. “I was really confident in her today. She’s a big strong filly and has really blossomed here the last few months.
When she competes, she gives you everything she has.”
Kathleen, also trained by Whited, finished second, a length ahead of Hatter Nu Nu. Bikini Bella and Awesome Truth completed the order of finish.
Superfecta wagering was canceled after Bag the Storm and Ile St. Molly were scratched, reducing thestarting field to five.
Ridden by Cliff Berry, All About Allie paid $3.60, $2.80 and $2.10. Kathleen paid $7.20 and $3.20. Hatter Nu Nu paid $2.40.
Kathleen is owned by Willis Horton of Marshall.
All About Allie’s winning time for 6 furlongs over a fast track was 1:13.32. She increased her career earnings to $301,281 after her eighth victory from 21 lifetime starts.
Learning curve
Islamorada, a 3-year-old Smart Strike filly trained by Helen Pitts, made an eye catching late rally to run second in her Jan. 31 career debut at 5 1/2 furlongs.
What the filly did immediately following the race was noteworthy, too.
Islamorada froze about 150 yards past the finish line when jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. returned to be unsaddled.
Homeister initially tried to gently nudge Islamorada with her legs before jumping off the filly as her connections were heading that way.
“Horses do things by habit,” Homeister said. “She just pulled me to the outside rail, not trying to bolt, but she stopped. She looked back and it was like, ‘We’re supposed to go the other way.’ She was just confused.”
Islamorado is entered today’s ninth race, which is 6 furlongs. Islamorada was off slow in her debut, but passed several horses in deep stretch and was beaten by 4 1/2 lengths.
Final furlong
Apprentice jockey Alex Canchari has dropped his appeal of a three-day riding suspension that was originally scheduled to run Feb. 15-17. State steward Stan Bowker said Canchari’s suspension will now run Friday-Sunday. .... The track, listed as good, was upgraded to fast for the final four races. ... Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said he has no specific next-race plans for Channel Isle, who finished fourth in Monday’s $300,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes. ... Carol’s Jimmy, scratched three times in the past week, ran sixth in Saturday’s seventh race. ... Owner/trainer Jack Frost of Marianna claimed the habitually slow-starting Tapativity for $7,500 out of Saturday’s sixth race.
Tapativity, as the 5-2 favorite, dwelt at the start and spotted the field about 8 lengths in the mile race, according to Equibase chart caller Jeff Taylor, before finishing eighth. Previously trained by Allen Milligan and Steve Asmussen, Tapativity’s past performances are littered with phrases like, “Dwelt start,” “Refused to break,” and “Off 3 lengths slow.”
Day 26 at a glance
ATTENDANCE 14,059 ON-TRACK HANDLE $963,945.50 OFF-TRACK HANDLE $1,405,286.01 TOTAL HANDLE $2,369,231.51 CLASSIX CARRYOVER $11,331.31 SATURDAY’S STARS Trainer Steve Asmussen won three races. Ricardo Santana Jr. and Cliff Berry each rode two winners.
TIMES First post for the nine races is 1:30 p.m. Gates open at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION HRTV (full card), Oaklawn Today replays (8 p.m., Resort Cable Channel 5; 11 p.m., KARZ, Channel 42, Little Rock, 11 p.m.) RADIO Oaklawn Morning Line (8:45 a.m., KVRE-FM, 92.9, Hot Springs Village) PRICES Admission ($2); parking in Oaklawn lots ($2); reserved seats ($4.50 weekends); programs ($2). Daily Racing Form on track ($5, $6.50); tip sheets ($2-$5)
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 28 on 02/24/2013