Trainer weighs options
HOT SPRINGS - Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday morning that Will Take Charge could train up to the Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
Owned by Willis Horton of Marshall, Will Take Charge beat stablemate Oxbow by a head in Saturday’s $600,000 Grade II Rebel Stakes, a victory that essentially guaranteed the chestnut son of Unbridled’s Song a spot in the Kentucky Derby.
Will Take Charge has 60 points to lead the standings in the new certification process that will be implemented if more than 20 horses, as expected, are entered. Oxbow has 36 points to rank sixth.
Lukas said Oxbow will be pointed for the $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby on April 13.
If Will Take Charge starts again before the Kentucky Derby, Lukas said it would be in the $750,000 Grade I Blue Grass Stakes on April 13 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.
Will Take Charge broke his maiden last fall at Keeneland.
“I’ve always wanted to just train one up to the Derby,” said Lukas, a four-time Kentucky Derby winner. “It’s a little bit unconventional.
I don’t know if I’m good enough to do that. But the thing about it is, he’s such a big horse and in a growth spurt right now and, boy, I really think it would benefit him.
“The nutrition you give these horses goes to the energy that they’re exerting out on the racetrack. If you back up just a little bit on them, it goes to growth, and I love that idea.”
Lukas said Will Take Charge and Oxbow will not face each other again before the Kentucky Derby.
With Oxbow committed to the Arkansas Derby, it means Will Take Charge is scheduled to be only the second healthy Rebel winner in the past 16 years to skip the race.
Champion Lookin At Lucky made his 2010 debut in the Rebel but had his final start before the Kentucky Derby in the $750,000 Grade I Santa Anita Derby.
Sierra Sunset won the Rebel in 2008 before suffering a leg injury leading up to the Arkansas Derby.
In addition to Oxbow, other locally based horses pointing to the Arkansas Derby include Texas Bling, fourth in the Rebel, and Heavens Runaway, third in the $300,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes on Feb. 18.
Carve update
Owner Mike Langford of Jonesboro said Carve is a candidate for the $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby and the $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes.
Both races are April 13.
Carve finished sixth, beaten nine lengths by Will Take Charge, in Saturday’s $600,000 Grade II Rebel Stakes, the gelding’s first loss in three lifetime starts.
Carve, who was making his stakes debut, was 11th and last through the first half mile.
“He was too far back,” trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning. “Put in a decent run, but it didn’t make any difference.”
Asmussen said Carve’s next start will be determined, in part, by how he trains the next few weeks.
‘Destiny’ retired
Hamazing Destiny, runner-up in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, has been retired to begin a breeding career, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday morning.
Hamazing Destiny will stand at Westrock Stables in western Pulaski County.
Hamazing Destiny finished third in his final career start, a March 3 allowance/optional claiming sprint at Oaklawn for Little Rock-based Westrock Stables LLC (Joe and Scott Ford) and Barry Butzow.
“He’s 7 now,” Lukas said.
“It was just time.”
A son of Salt Lake, Hamazing Destiny retires with a 5-7-5 record from 33 starts and earnings of $853,008.
Hamazing Destiny scored his biggest career victory in the $100,00 Grade III Maryland Sprint Handicap on May 19 at Pimlico in Baltimore.
Hamazing Destiny began his career with Butzow and trainer Mac Robertson, who saddled the horse to a 10 ½-length victory in his 2009 debut at Oaklawn.
Westrock subsequently bought an interest in Hamazing Destiny and he was transferred to Lukas.
Hamazing Destiny was purchased for $70,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Alternation’s bullet
Alternation recorded a 5-furlong bullet Thursday morning under regular rider Luis Quinonez, the horse’s first work since finishing fifth as the favorite in the $150,000 Grade III Razorback Handicap on March 9.
Alternation, who worked only minutes after the track opened, covered the distance in 1:01.60, which equaled the fastest of 18 moves recorded at the distance.
“I thought he was very forward,” trainer Donnie K.
Von Hemel said. “Everything went well.”
The Razorback marked Alternation’s first start since he finished sixth in the $500,000 Grade II Hawthorne Gold Cup on Oct. 6 at Hawthorne in suburban Chicago.
“I think it put him in a little more aggressive frame of mind,” Von Hemel said, referring to Thursday’s work.
Von Hemel said Alternation continues to be pointed to the $500,000 Grade II Oaklawn Handicap on April 13. He won the race last year.
Three of a kind
Bubble Conditions and Runaway Pepper became the third and fourth three time winners at the meeting Thursday.
Bubble Conditions won the fifth race, his third victory in four lifetime starts, and was promptly claimed for $20,000 by owner/trainer Jack Frost of Marianna.
It marked the third time Bubble Conditions has been claimed at the meet, which equals the most of any horse.
Runaway Pepper became a three-time winner in the ninth race.
Claim wars
Thursday was another active day at the claim box as eight claims totaled $110,000.
Trainer Chris Hartman won a five-way shake, or blind draw, to claim You’re Joking out of the fifth race for $20,000. Trainer Allen Milligan won a four-way shake to claim Runs With Bulls out of the fifth race for $20,000.
Through 40 days of racing, there have been 227 claims totaling $3,354,250.
There were 297 claims totaling $3,504,000 during last year’s 56-day meeting.
The Hot Springs
Only five horses are entered in Saturday’s $75,000 Hot Springs Stakes for older sprinters.
The Hot Springs is the final major local prep for the $250,000 Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 13.
The Hot Springs field from the rail out: Picko’s Pride, Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride, 119 pounds;
Apprehender, Alex Birzer, 122; Shrill, Eddie Martin Jr., 119; Laurie’s Rocket, Victor Lebron, 119; and Flashpoint, Luis Quinonez, 119.
Apprehender is trying to give trainer Chris Richard his third consecutive victory in Oaklawn’s series of sprint stakes for older horses.
Richard saddled Outta Tune for his victory in last year’s Count Fleet and Apprehender to a one-length score in the $60,000 King Cotton on Jan. 26.
Picko’s Pride, trained by Mac Robertson, has a 5-2-0 record from nine lifetime starts at the 6-furlong distance.
Shrill is scheduled to make his second start since being claimed for a meet high $55,000 on Jan. 17.
Laurie’s Rocket beat Apprehender in last year’s $75,000 Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn.
Following a third-place finish in the King Cotton, Laurie’s Rocket powered to a three-length allowance/ optional claiming victory Feb. 16.
It was the third victory in six career starts at Oaklawn for Laurie’s Rocket, owned by Willis Horton of Marshall and trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, the same connections as Rebel winner Will Take Charge.
“This horse is doing really well,” Lukas said. “I know he likes the track here, but I think he likes the track at Churchill and Saratoga.”
Probable post time for the Hot Springs, the ninth of 10 live races, is 5:09 p.m.
Racing is scheduled to begin Saturday at 1 p.m.
Sunday’s card
Multiple stakes winner Win Willy is entered in Sunday’s seventh race, an allowance/optional claimer for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.
A victory in the $55,500 race would make Win Willy a millionaire. The 7-year-old has earned $977,887.
Trainer Mac Robertson said earlier this month that he planned to run Win Willy once more at the meeting before shipping to Delaware Park.
Win Willy ran third in the $75,000 Fifth Season Stakes on Jan. 11 and third in the $100,000 Essex Handicap on Feb. 2.
Also on Sunday’s card is the $60,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Stakes (female division) for state-breds at 1 1/16 miles. The race features the stakes and two-turn debut of Jan’s Perfect Star, a 12-length winner of her Feb.
7 career debut.
Final furlong
The track was rated wet fast for Thursday’s final two races after rain and sleet began falling shortly before the sixth race. … Grade II winner Justin Phillip was a 4 ½ -length winner of Thursday’s $55,000 allowance/optional claiming feature for older sprinters. Under leading rider Ricardo Santana Jr., Justin Phillip ran 6 furlongs in a geared-down 1:10.34 and paid $3 as the heavy favorite. … Addison Trail gave 2000 Oaklawn training champion Joe Petalino his first victory over the meeting in Thursday’s third race. Trainer Danele Durham, who calls Petalino her mentor, joined the trainer in the winner’s circle. … On Fire Baby, depending on weather, will breeze Saturday or Sunday, trainer Gary Hartlage said.
Hartlage said owner/breeder Anita Cauley, who lives in Louisville, Ky., is flying in for the work.
DAY 40 AT A GLANCE
ATTENDANCE 5,281 ON-TRACK HANDLE $474,195.50 OFF-TRACK HANDLE $1,614,713.92 TOTAL HANDLE $2,088,909.42 CLASSIX CARRYOVER $2,223.84 THURSDAY’S STARS Ricardo Santana Jr. and Robby Albarado each rode two winners. It was Santana’s eighth multi-victory day since Feb. 23. Santana ($1,019,169) became the second rider at the meeting to surpass $1 million in purse earnings. Albarado leads all riders at the meeting with $1,196,681 in purse earnings.
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)
Sports, Pages 22 on 03/22/2013