DAY 13 of 57
SATURDAY'S ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE 11,000
SATURDAY'S TOTAL HANDLE $4,356,777
SATURDAY'S ON-TRACK HANDLE $778,923
SATURDAY'S OFF-TRACK HANDLE $3,577,854
TODAY'S SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Gulfstream Park, 11 a.m.; Aqueduct, 11:20 a.m.; Laurel Park, 11:30 a.m.; Tampa Bay, 11:35 a.m.; Santa Anita, 1 p.m.; Golden Gate, 1:15 p.m.
SATURDAY'S STARS
David Cabrera (13 victories in 64 starts) and David Cohen (11 victories in 71 starts), who are first and second in the jockey standings, won two races Saturday. Cabrera, who was the winning jockey on Wilbo in the King Cotton Stakes, also won the second race with Johnny Whip ($5.40), covering the 6-furlong race in 1:11.98. Cohen won the sixth race with Oh Newman ($4.80), finishing the 1-mile race in 1:39.01. He won the seventh race with Sutton Impact ($9.20), finishing the 6-furlong race in 1:09.89.
Karl Broberg (four victories in 18 starts) won two races with Johnny Whip in the second and Roma Road ($6) in the fifth with Richard Eramia aboard, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.15. Robertino Diordoro (six victories in 39 starts) won the sixth race with Oh Newman and the seventh with Sutton Impact.
Brad Cox, who leads the trainer's standings with 11 victories in 25 starts, won the fourth race with Exclamation Point ($7.40), covering 6 furlongs in 1:10.56. Steve Asmussen and Chris Hartman, who are tied for second with seven victories, also won races. Asmussen won the ninth race with Mitole ($2.80), covering 6 furlongs in 1:09.75 with Ricardo Santana aboard. Hartman won the King Cotton Stakes with Wilbo.
AMY'S CHALLENGE TO MARTHA WASHINGTON?
Unbeaten Amy's Challenge remains under consideration for the $125,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday, trainer Mac Robertson said Saturday morning. The 1-mile Martha Washington is Oaklawn's first prep for the Kentucky Oaks, a series that continues with the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes on March 10 and the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes on April 13.
In her 3-year-old debut and first start against females, Amy's Challenge won by a neck at the $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes on Jan. 20 to remain unbeaten in three lifetime starts. Robertson said after the 6-furlong Dixie Belle that he planned to stretch out Amy's Challenge in her next start.
"If she works, she'll be running in there," Robertson said of the Martha Washington. "I'd like to run March 10, but if the race comes up light, I'll work her and I'll run her."
At least three locally based horses are pointing for the Martha Washington -- Cosmic Burst, Sassy Sienna and Red Ruby. Cosmic Burst has won her past three starts, including the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes on Dec. 17 at Remington Park to close her 2-year-old campaign.
Sassy Sienna finished fifth in the Trapeze for trainer Brad Cox before bouncing back with a 9½-length first-level allowance/optional claiming victory Jan. 15 under Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens.
Red Ruby exits a 3½-length maiden victory Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs for trainer Kellyn Gorder.
WHITMORE, PETROV RETURN
Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Whitmore returned to work Saturday morning, breezing a half-mile in company over a fast track for co-owner/trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs.
Whitmore was credited with a half-mile in :49.40 and galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:02.
Moquett said Whitmore will make his 5-year-old debut in the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes for older sprinters March 10.
Whitmore was the top sprinter at the 2017 Oaklawn meeting, winning all three starts, including the Hot Springs and $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap. Moquett said the major spring objective for Whitmore is the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 14.
Whitmore hasn't started since finishing eighth in the $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.
Also returning to the work tab Saturday morning for Moquett was Petrov, runner-up in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and $500,000 Southwest Stakes last year at Oaklawn.
Petrov worked a half-mile in :49.80 in preparation for his comeback, which Moquett said would come in an allowance race. After beginning 2017 on the Kentucky Derby trail, Petrov targeted sprints in late summer and fall.
Information for this report was contributed by Oaklawn media department.
Sports on 02/04/2018