HOT SPRINGS -- Several star horses will attempt to shine through a 90 percent chance of rain at Oaklawn Park's Racing Festival of the South today.
Favorites in the Grade III $150,000 1 1/16-mile Fantasy Stakes for 3-year-old fillies include local rivals Amy's Challenge and Cosmic Burst. Both could find their future selves in the day's other big race, the Grade I $700,000 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom Handicap for fillies and mares 3 years old and up.
Post time for the Fantasy and Apple Blossom are 4:34 p.m. and 5:39 p.m., respectively.
Though Cosmic burst ran down Amy's Challenge deep in the stretch to win the Grade III Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn on March 10, Mark Casse trainee Wonder Gadot ships in from Fair Grounds in New Orleans as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the Fantasy. Amy's Challenge, trained by Mac Robertson, is the second choice at 5-2. Cosmic Burst, trained by Donnie K. Von Hemel, is listed at 7-2, followed by Steve Asmussen trainee Harbor Lights at 6-1 in the field of eight.
Another shipper, Unique Bella, has come to Oaklawn from Southern California with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer as a 2-5 favorite to win in the seven-horse field of the Apple Blossom.
Local contenders in the Apple Blossom include Farrell, trained by Wayne Catalano; Streamline, trained by Brian Williamson; and Tiger Moth, trained by Brad Cox.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has shipped Unbridled Mo from South Florida for the Apple Blossom.
Unique Bella, who earned a 2017 Eclipse Award as the champion female sprinter, won five graded stakes races last season and the Grade II 1 1/16-mile Santa Maria Stakes by 9 lengths at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 10. A minor illness and an off-track led Hollendorfer to scratch Unique Bella from the Grade I Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita on March 17.
"Actually, this race was in the mix, anyway," Hollendorfer said. "It didn't hurt to skip this race."
A wet track today would make two firsts for Unique Bella, who has yet to race outside of California or on a track rated anything but fast. As for the likelihood of rain, Hollendorfer sounded unconcerned.
"Well, everybody has to deal with it," he said. "If the weather's bad, then we'll try to deal with it."
Before her last race, an eighth-place finish in the Grade II Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn on March 17, Streamline had finished third or better in 18 consecutive races and never further back than fourth. Williamson said Streamline's Azeri result was difficult to figure.
"I'm still wondering myself what happened," Williamson said. "I don't know and don't even care to try to figure it out anymore. I just know she's training good, and we're going to take a shot."
Robertson said Beach Flower might benefit from the rain, and he would be satisfied by a top-three finish.
"If I can get lucky, and it rains all day and slows down some of those fast horses, I could run third and it would mean a lot," Robertson said. "We're just going to give it a try."
Robertson watched as Amy's Challenge sprinted through a 23.10 opening quarter and a 46.00 half to lead by as many as 10 lengths in the Honeybee before she finished second, 1¾ lengths behind Cosmic Burst. He said he has avoided drastic measures to offset the possibility of a repeat start, but he did enlist the riding help of Mike Smith, a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
"I never change anything abruptly," Robertson said. "I just try to go with things that are practical. I think a lot of times people try to do too much. I just galloped her with the pony more, schooled two of three times in the paddock and the infield, just trying to get her used to those surroundings. When they're young, they get jacked up, but you're not going to take all the butterflies out."
Amy's Challenge has run Oaklawn's top 4-furlong works her last two times out in the morning, with breezes of 46.60 on April 9 and 46.20 on March 31.
"Her last work, if she runs like that, the competition is in trouble," Robertson said.
Von Hemel said he's not sure what to expect from Amy's Challenge, but he is confident Cosmic Burst is ready.
"There's no doubt she'll be a factor, a contender in the race," Von Hemel said. "We just have to get to the race and see how things work out. There are some fillies in there that will certainly be tough to outrun. If someone gets the breaks here or there, it could be the difference. Just like any horse race, there are lots of variables out there you have no control over."
Sports on 04/13/2018