DAY 31 of 57
ATTENDANCE 5,500
TOTAL HANDLE $2,660,412
ON-TRACK HANDLE $426,117
PICK-5 PAYOUT $3,160.60
TODAY'S SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Gulfstream Park, 11 a.m.; Laurel Park, 11:30 a.m.; Tampa Bay, 11:35 a.m.; Aqueduct, 12:20 p.m.; Fair Grounds, 1:25 p.m.; Santa Anita, 2:30 p.m.; Golden Gate, 2:45 p.m.; Hawthorne, 4:10 p.m.; Penn National, 5 p.m.; Turfway Park, 5:15 p.m.; Delta Downs, 5:40 p.m.; Charles Town, 6 p.m.; Palm Beach (greyhounds), 6 p.m.; Sam Houston, 6:15 p.m.; Daytona Beach (greyhounds), 6:25 p.m.; Southland (greyhounds), 7:30 p.m.; Los Alamitos, 8:30 p.m.
FRIDAY'S STARS
Luis Contreras was the only jockey to win two races. Contreras won the third race when he rode Civitavecchio ($5.00) to a 1¼-length victory over Light Bound Bid. Civitavecchio's winning time in the 1 and 1/16-race was 1:45.31. In the seventh race, Contreras rode I Am Miss Brown ($5.20) to a 1-length victory over Dynamite Jill. I Am Miss Brown's winning time was was 1:39.71 in the 1-mile race.
INJURED JOCKEYS UPDATE
Ricardo Santana Jr. and Didiel Osorio were released from CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs late Thursday afternoon after both jockeys were injured in a spill several hours earlier in the second race at Oaklawn Park. Osorio injured his back when his mount, Sea of Change, "fell over a stricken rival" (Lawyer Daggett) on the turn of the 6-furlong race for older $6,250 claimers, according to the official chart footnotes. The jockey's agent, Joe Santos, said he fractured his T5 and T7 vertebrae after being unseated and it is thought is he will miss 6-8 weeks. Santos said Osorio, 22, will be examined again Monday. Santana, Oaklawn's four-time defending riding champion, suffered a separated shoulder, said his agent, Ruben Munoz. Munoz said Santana, 24, was scheduled to undergo an MRI Friday. The rider was unseated after his mount, Lawyer Daggett, "clipped heels," according to the chart footnotes. Munoz said Santana wouldn't ride Friday and there is no timetable for his return. Santana is tied with Ramon Vazquez for the lead atop the Oaklawn rider standings in victories (30. Osorio has 5 victories. Santana set a single-season Oaklawn record for purse earnings last year ($4,064,073) and recorded his first career Grade I victory in the closing-day $1 million Arkansas Derby aboard Creator. He has also captured riding titles at Delaware Park and Churchill Downs. Both Santana and Osorio were transported by ambulance to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs following the accident, according to an Oaklawn official.
GAZEBO STAKES
Triple Crown nominee Balandeen is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in today's $125,000 Gazebo Stakes for Chris Hartman, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2015. Balandeen, a son of Bernardini, will be cutting back to 6 furlongs after concluding his 2-year-old campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Grade III $1 million Delta Jackpot Stakes on Nov. 19 at Delta Downs. The Delta Jackpot was 1 1/16 miles. Hartman said he doesn't have anything specific in mind for Balandeen following the Gazebo, but called it a good starting spot. Balandeen, the only Triple Crown nominee entered in the Gazebo, won 2 of 6 starts last year. He also ran second to unbeaten and current Kentucky Derby favorite McCraken in the $80,000 Street Sense Stakes Oct. 30 at Churchill Downs.
SPRING FEVER STAKES
Trainer John Ortiz bids for his first career stakes victory in today's $125,000 Spring Fever for older filly and mare sprinters with the speedy Her Love for Pappy. Her Love for Pappy was a front-running 8-length maiden winner Jan. 28. Her Love for Pappy finished fourth in her last start, beaten 2 ¼ lengths, in a first-level allowance sprint Feb. 11. She held a 5-length lead after a half-mile in a swift :44.43. Ortiz said the shorter distance of the Spring Fever (5½ furlongs) should benefit Her Love for Pappy, whose five career starts -- all in maiden or allowance company -- have been at 6 or 6 ½ furlongs.
FINAL FURLONG
Robertino Diodoro won two races Thursday to extend his advantage in the standings to 21-17 over runner-up Federico Villafranco. Diodoro won the second race with Dance Floor Maniac ($10) and third race with Council Rules ($6.40). Both winners were ridden by Geovanni Franco, Oaklawn's third-leading rider this year with 25 victories. Franco's victory on Council Rules was a "pickup mount" after Ricardo Santana Jr. was injured in the second race.
Sports on 03/04/2017