HOT SPRINGS - The complexion of the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap changed long before Lemon Drop Dream’s upset victory.
Secret Circle, who would have been the overwhelming favorite, was scratched about four hours before Thursday’s race at Oaklawn Park after his Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, discovered the horse was given a tranquilizer Wednesday morning.
The medication used to treat fractious behavior for an airplane ride, Baffert said, wouldn’t have cleared Secret Circle’s system in time for the Count Fleet.
“I am livid,” Baffert told the Oaklawn media relations department. “I can’t believe this is happening to me. I’ve been doing this for all of these years and shipping horses all over, and I can’t believe it. None of my crew was aware of it.”
Secret Circle, the reigning Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, arrived in Hot Springs on Wednesday following a flight from Southern California, where Baffert is based.
Lemon Drop Dream took advantage of the stunning turn of events, then a pace meltdown, to overhaul Alsvid on the outside in the final strides under Ricardo Santana Jr. and post a neck victory in the $300,000 Grade III event.
Alsvid, who dueled with Heitai through a wicked :43.78 half-mile, finished 1¼ lengths ahead of Apprehender. Picko’s Pride and Heitai, the 3-5 favorite, completed the order of finish.
Lemon Drop Dream paid $16.20, $4.80 and $9.80. Alsvid paid $3.60 and $5.40. Apprehender paid $9.
Lemon Drop Dream ran 6furlongs over a fast track in a meet-best 1:09.15.
“The race worked out perfectly for him,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “They went 43 and change early. The horse ran a very good race, and Ricardo gave him a great ride.”
Santana and Asmussen also teamed to win the 2013 Count Fleet with Justin Phillip.
Lemon Drop Dream marked the meet-high eighth stakes victory for Santana, who has clinched his second consecutive Oaklawn riding title. Five of Santana’s stakes victories have come for Asmussen, who is nearing his third consecutive Oaklawn training title, and sixth since 2007.
Lemon Drop Dream, a 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid, increased his earnings to $288,130 following his fourth victory in 10 lifetime starts.
Lemon Drop Dream had won three consecutive starts before finishing a well-beaten third behind Heitai in the $100,000 Duncan Kenner Stakes on March 8 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
“We targeted this opportunity for him,” Asmussen said.“He’s put together some really big sprint races this winter, but this is obviously his biggest win.”
Lemon Drop Dream is owned by Mike McCarty, a longtime Asmussen client.
Lemon Drop Dream was about 4 lengths off the lead turning into the stretch but used a late burst of energy to catch Alsvid, who held a narrow advantage over Picko’s Pride near the furlong marker.
Heitai, who was seeking his fifth consecutive victory, became the heavy favorite following Secret Circle’s unexpected scratch.
Secret Circle, a 5-year-old horse, was the 4-5 program choice. Secret Circle was flown to Arkansas by H.E. “Tex” Sutton Forwarding Company, the noted equine air transporter.
Baffert said he wasn’t going to “roll the dice” and run Secret Circle in the Count Fleet to risk a medication violation. The horse needed 48 hours for the medication to clear his system, Baffert said.
“The shippers are usually reliable,” Baffert said. “I just cannot believe this is happening, especially when they know we are shipping to run. They know how to get a hold of me and they didn’t. They said they dropped the ball.”
Secret Circle has won 7 of 10 starts overall and earned $1,918,790.
Racing Festival THURSDAY $300,000 COUNT FLEET, 4-up, 6 furlongs WIN Lemon Drop Dream PLACE Alvid SHOW Apprehender TIME 1:09.15 TODAY $100,000 BACHELOR STAKES, 3-yearolds, 6 furlongs $600,000 APPLE BLOSSOM, 4-up fillies & mares, 1 1/16 miles SATURDAY $100,000 INSTANT RACING, 3-yearold fillies, 6 furlongs $100,000 NORTHERN SPUR, 3-yearolds, 6 furlongs $600,000 OAKLAWN HANDICAP, 4 and up, 1 1/8 miles $1 MILLION ARKANSAS DERBY, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles
Sports, Pages 19 on 04/11/2014