Oaklawn Park report

HOT SPRINGS — Mishap interrupts training

An outrider and exercise rider were injured in an accident shortly after training began Saturday morning at Oaklawn Park.

David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager for racing, said outrider John Garges suffered a broken arm when the pony he was riding collided with a horse trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas near the quarter pole.

Longinotti said the unidentified exercise rider was transported to Mercy Hospital in Hot Springs and scheduled to undergo surgery early Saturday afternoon for a broken ankle.

Longinotti said the horse trained by Lukas, who was being pulled up during a work, and the pony suffered injuries that were not life threatening.

Garges was tracking a loose horse the wrong way (clockwise) near the rail when the accident occurred, Longinotti said.

The accident forced training to be suspended for approximately 20 minutes, Longinotti said, and there was no normal break to renovate the racing surface.

Oaklawn is open for training from 6:45 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.

Fatal breakdown

Media Mogul was euthanized after breaking down approaching the three eighths pole in Saturday’s fourth race, a sprint for $15,000 maiden claimers.

Jockey Alex Birzer, who rode Media Mogul, wasn’t injured.

Media Mogul, a 4-yearold Stevie Wonderboy gelding, was making his third career start and second since being claimed by owner/trainer Jack Frost of Marianna for $16,000 on Aug. 18 at Ellis Park in Kentucky.

It was the first race related fatal breakdown of the Oaklawn meeting.

Also in the fourth race, Can’t Prove It became the first Oaklawn winner for Eclipse Award-winning trainer Dale Romans, who has a string of horses in Hot Springs for the first time this year.

Can’t Prove It, the 8-5 favorite, was claimed out of the race for $15,000 by trainer Chris Richard on behalf of owner Maggi Moss.

Wayne’s world

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas saddled two winners Saturday, including Channel Isle in an entry level allowance race for 3-year-olds at a mile.

Channel Isle ($24.80) came from well off the pace to post a three-quarter length victory under Israel Ocampo.

A son of turf champion English Channel, Channel Isle ran a mile over a fast track in 1:40.18.

Twin Engine, the 6-5 favorite, finished a nose ahead of third-place finisher Hornet.

Boss Man Rocket, owned by Frank Fletcher of North Little Rock, faded to seventh and last after leading for about three-quarters of a mile.

Channel Isle and Hornet ran 12th and 11th, respectively, in the $300,000 Springboard Mile on Dec. 9 at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

The Springboard Mile also produced Will Take Charge and Texas Bling, the 1-2 finishers in Monday’s $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes.

Lukas’ hot streak continued later Saturday afternoon when Optimizer won the $125,000 Grade III Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Oaklawn regular Jon Court was aboard for the victory.

Rose in bloom

Rose to Gold, who is unbeaten in three starts on dirt, is scheduled to make her 3-year-old debut in the $75,000 Martha Washington Stakes on Feb. 9, Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope said.

Rose to Gold, and three other horses trained by south Florida-based Sal Santoro, are scheduled to arrive late Monday or early Tuesday in Hot Springs.

Rose to Gold was one of the country’s leading 2-yearold fillies after winning 3 of 4 starts - all stakes - and earning $372,889.

In her last start, Rose to Gold won the $500,000 Grade III Delta Princess Stakes on Nov. 17 at Delta Downs in Louisiana.

A daughter of Florida Derby winner Friends Lake, Rose to Gold recorded a half-mile bullet workout (:47.80) on Jan. 16 at Calder and a 3-furlong bullet workout there (:36) on Wednesday.

Rose to Gold began her career at Calder with victories in two stakes races by a combined 26 1/2 lengths before running 12th in the $400,000 Grade I Alcibiades Stakes on Oct. 5 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

Keeneland has a synthetic surface.

Santoro, who has never started a horse at Oaklawn, won 15 of 86 starts and had purse earnings of $705,545 last year.

Better ‘Tune’

Outta Tune has lost six consecutive starts since winning last year’s $250,000 Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn, but trainer Chris Richard said he was encouraged by the gelding’s last start.

Outta Tune, in his 8-yearold debut, was beaten only 23/4 lengths in a stakes-quality Jan. 17 allowance/optional claimer. He earned an 83 Beyer speed figure, his highest since late May.

He won all four of his starts at the 2012 Oaklawn meeting, recording Beyers between 90-96.

“He obviously runs better here than he does anywhere else,” Richard said. “He obviously has a fondness for this racetrack.”

Richard said he plans to point Outta Tune for a similar race next month.

On behalf of Maggi Moss, Richard claimed Outta Tune for $5,000 in July 2011 at Prairie Meadows in Iowa.

Now or never

Duke of Mischief will make his next start in the $35,000 Winter Handicap on Feb. 23 at Charles Town in West Virginia, said Alex Lieblong of Conway, co-owner of the 2010 Oaklawn Handicap winner.

Lieblong said if Duke of Mischief doesn’t perform well in the Winter Handicap, the 7-year-old will be retired.

Duke of Mischief has lost eight consecutive races since winning the $1 million Grade III Charles Town Classic in 2011.

He was eased in a Dec.

16 stakes race and finished last, beaten 20 lengths, in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes last Saturday at Gulfstream Park near Miami.

“The talent is still there,” Lieblong said. “He just seems to have lost his desire.”

Lieblong said there have been a couple of inquiries about standing Duke of Mischief after his racing career ends, but he’s not a commercially appealing stallion prospect.

A more likely scenario at this time, Lieblong said, would be for Duke of Mischief to become a pleasure horse upon retirement.

Duke of Mischief has won 7 of 29 career starts and earned $1.9 million.

At a glance DAY 9

ATTENDANCE 10,133 ON-TRACK HANDLE $851,000.00 OFF-TRACK HANDLE $1,673,104.16 TOTAL HANDLE $2,524,104.16 CLASSIX CARRYOVER $5,184.16.

SATURDAY’S STARS Israel Ocampo (jockey), D. Wayne Lukas (trainer), Brad Kelley (owner) and English Channel (sire) teamed for two victories. Terry Thompson rode two winners.

TODAY’S TIMES First post for the nine races is 1:30 p.m. Gates open at 11 a.m.

TODAY’S 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.) TODAY’S 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 ($2.50 weekdays, $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, 6, 9)

Daily double (rqces 1-2, 8-9)

CLASSIX (races 3-8)

Pick-3 (begins with races 4, 5 and 7)

Pick-4 (begins with race 6) TODAY’S SIMULCASTING SCHEDULE Tampa Bay Downs (11:25 a.m.), Aqueduct (11:30 a.m.), Laurel (11:35 a.m.), Gulfstream Park (11:45 a.m.), Turfway Park (12:10 p.m.), Fair Grounds (1 p.m.), Santa Anita (2:30 p.m.), Golden Gate Fields (2:45 p.m.).