HOT SPRINGS — Jockey Calvin Borel isn’t the only Oaklawn Park regular chasing a career milestone this year.
A two-time leading rider at Oaklawn, Borel has 4,999 victories.
But don’t forget the popular Win Willy, whose $960,387 in earnings leaves him just $39,613 short of $1 million.
Like Borel, Win Willy can also end the suspense early in the meeting because he’s scheduled to make his 7-yearold debut in Friday’s $75,000 Fifth Season Stakes, which headlines Oaklawn’s season opening live program.
The Fifth Season winner will receive $45,000.
“I’ve never had a million dollar earner,” said Mac Robertson, who trains Win Willy for Jer-Mar Stable LLC (Jerry and Marlene Myers). “I’m hoping he can run another six or eight times this year.”
Robertson said he hopes Win Willy, a $25,000 yearling purchase, can make “two or three” of those starts at Oaklawn, where he has done much of his best work in a 27-race career.
Win Willy scored victories in the Grade II Rebel Stakes in 2009 and Fifth Season and Grade II Oaklawn Handicap in 2011.
Win Willy had another productive year in 2012, bankrolling $138,427 overall.
But the late-running gray son of Monarchos slumped in two starts at Oaklawn, finishing sixth in the Grade III Razorback Handicap and seventh in the Oaklawn Handicap.
Robertson said he believes Win Willy didn’t care for Oaklawn’s surface during the 2012 meeting.
“I think he hated the track man from last year,” Robertson said with a laugh. “I was fortunate that the track man quit.”
Jamie Richardson, Oaklawn’s track supervisor for the 2012 meeting, left in the fall to become assistant track superintendent at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
Richardson was replaced by Kevin Seymore, a longtime track maintenance official at Fairmount Park near St. Louis.
Robertson said he believes Oaklawn’s surface is “kinder” in 2013, which could bode well for Win Willy.
“Maybe he’ll like the track more this year,” Robertson said.
Following last year’s Oaklawn Handicap, Win Willy won two stakes at Delaware Park before closing 2012 with a fourth-place finish in the $100,000 Swatara Stakes on Nov. 21 at Penn National in Pennsylvania.
Win Willy was caught in a paceless 1 1/16-mile race - the opening half-mile was :49.96 - and finished last, beaten 8 3/4 lengths.
“I think he knows when he gets pace a little more now,” Robertson said. “He’s a little smarter. I think when he gets pace, he knows it and probably runs a little harder.”
This figures to be Win Willy’s final year to race before beginning a stallion career, although Robertson was also talking retirement last January after the horse’s 2012 campaign.
“I just think he can still run out what he’s worth at stud,” Robertson said. “It makes sense to keep running. A horse like him, there’s a chance he can make another $200,000 or $300,000 this year. He still acts like he wants to run.”
Sports, Pages 30 on 01/06/2013