TODAY’S SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Gulfstream Park, 11:35 a.m.; Fair Grounds, 1:25 p.m.; Penn National, 5 p.m.; Turfway Park, 5:15 p.m.; Delta Downs, 5:40 p.m.; Charles Town, 6 p.m.
PATH AHEAD
After a record-breaking victory in his 3-year-old debut, Uncontested will be pointed to the $500,000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20 at Oaklawn, trainer Wayne Catalano said. Uncontested launched his 3-year-old campaign Monday at Oaklawn, coasting to a 5¼-length wire-to-wire victory over Petrov in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes to earn 10 points toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. Oaklawn’s Kentucky Derby prep series continues with the Southwest, $900,000 Rebel Stakes on March 18 and $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 15. The plan, Catalano said, is for Uncontested to start in all four races. “That’s what we’re here for,” Catalano said. Uncontested’s co-owner, Harry Rosenblum of Little Rock, purchased Uncontested with an eye toward the Arkansas Derby, a race he was third in last year (Whitmore) and second in 2015 (Far Right). “As a 2-year-old before today, I felt that this horse was a better horse than either one of them,” Rosenblum said of Uncontested. “Not knocking either one of them because I still own both of them, or part of both of them. But his numbers are better. I think he’s got a much longer stride, and he’s got a very, very mature mind for a horse of his age. He’s easy to handle. Nothing bothers him.”
MILESTONE VICTORY
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen recorded his 500th career victory at Oaklawn in Monday’s seventh race, according to Equibase, racing’s official data organization. Asmussen, 51, reached the milestone when favored Hence, a 3-year-old Calumet Farm homebred colt, broke his maiden at 1 1/16 miles under Ramon Vazquez. The late Bob Holthus — nine Oaklawn training titles between 1967-91 — and four-time Oaklawn training champion David Vance, who won a single-season record 50 races in 1974, are among only a handful of other trainers with 500 career victories in Hot Springs. “Oaklawn has always been very good to us and hopefully that will continue. Hopefully, we’ve got another 500 wins in us here,” Asmussen said. Asmussen started his first horse in Hot Springs on March 24, 1989 (Dawns Clever Trick ran ninth in the $35,000 Second Pleasure Stakes). Asmussen’s first Oaklawn winner was Feb. 9, 1996 (Honest J).
Information for this reported contributed by Oaklawn media department and Democrat-Gazette Press Services