Oaklawn Barn Notes: Stakes Winner Rockshaw Working Toward His Return

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Stakes Winner Rockshaw Working Toward His Return

Rockshaw hasn’t been seen since April because of an injury, but the 4-year-old stakes-winning son of Maclean’s Music is progressing nicely toward his 2018 debut, trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs said Thursday morning.

Rockshaw recorded his third work this season at Oaklawn, covering 5 furlongs in 1:01.60 over a fast track Sunday morning. He was a sharp entry-level winner January at Oaklawn and won the track’s $125,000 Gazebo Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters in his next start.

Rockshaw was the odds-on favorite for his last race, the $150,000 Bachelor Stakes last April at Oaklawn, but finished last of seven after injuring his right front foot at the start of the 6-furlong race, Moquett said.

“He ripped his shoe off coming out of the gate,” Moquett said, adding he believes Rockshaw was stepped on by a horse beside him. “I had to grow a new foot.”

Moquett, who trains Rockshaw for Alex and JoAnn Lieblong of Conway, Ark., said he decided not to push the chestnut colt into a race last fall, opting to point for a comeback at the 2018 Oaklawn meeting.

“When you have the purses that are the size here, and then the added influence of the fans and the family and everybody here, it’s real easy to ask the owners to wait until Oaklawn,” Moquett said.

Moquett said he is targeting an allowance spot for Rockshaw’s comeback, but the major spring objective is the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 14.

The trainer figures to have a strong hand in Oaklawn’s older sprint division this year since he also trains multiple stakes winner Whitmore and multiple stakes runner-up Petrov. Both horses are scheduled to arrive Tuesday following a freshening in Kentucky, he said Sunday morning.

Whitmore was Oaklawn’s top sprinter last year, winning 3 of 3 starts, including the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes and $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3).

Petrov finished second in last year’s $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn – both two-turn races for 3-year-olds – before winning allowance races later in the year after cutting back to sprints.

Moquett said Whitmore and Petrov will also target the Count Fleet, although the latter could return to route races.

“I’d like to win the Count Fleet,” Moquett said. “I know we’re going to be exposed to some other guys from the outside. There’s some great horses here. My goal is the Count Fleet and the races leading up to that.”

Rockshaw posted two half-mile bullet workouts last month at Oaklawn. Overall, Rockshaw has won 3 of 6 starts and $167,050. He was a $210,000 2-year-old in training purchase.

Ivan the Great

Multiple stakes winner Ivan Fallunovalot worked a half-mile in :49 just after the track opened Sunday morning for trainer Tom Howard of Hot Springs and owner Lewis Mathews of Bismarck, Ark.

Howard said Ivan Fallunovalot is pointing for the $125,000 King Cotton Stakes for older sprinters Feb. 3, a race he won in 2015 and 2016 and finished fourth in last year.

Clockers caught Ivan Fallunovalot’s final quarter-mile over a fast surface in :24 and galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:02.

A victory in the King Cotton would make Ivan Fallunovalot, an 8-year-old Valid Expectations gelding, a millionaire. Ivan Fallunovalot has a 17-4-1 record from 28 lifetime starts and earnings of $945,803.

The 6-furlong King Cotton is Oaklawn’s first of three major sprint races for older horses. The series continues with the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes March 10 and $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 14.

Multiple stakes winner Chief Cicatriz is a candidate for the King Cotton, said trainer Mike Johnson, who is overseeing the gelding’s preparations in Hot Springs for Turf Paradise-based conditioner Shawn Davis.

Chief Cicatriz, who worked 5 furlongs in 1:03.80 Sunday morning, hasn’t started since finishing fourth in last year’s Count Fleet. The horse was two heads and a nose from second after leading through sizzling fractions of :21.26 for the opening quarter-mile and :43.91 for a half-mile.

“He’s a fast horse,” Johnson said Thursday morning.

Chief Cicatriz, a 5-year-old son of Munnings, won his first five career starts for Davis, including the $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap last February at Turf Paradise, before suffering his first career loss last March in the Hot Springs.

Also working just after the track opened Sunday morning was Apprehender, who won the King Cotton in 2013 and 2014, ran fourth in 2015 and third last year.

Apprehender covered 5 furlongs in 1:06 for trainer Gene Jacquot.

Bling, Bling Baby

Eternal Bling, a 3-year-old Too Much Bling filly for trainer Danele Durham, worked a half-mile from the gate in :50.20 Sunday morning in preparation for her career debut.

Eternal Bling is a full sister to the Durham-trained Texas Bling, who, at odds of 128-1, won the $300,000 Springboard Mile as a 2-year-old in 2012 at Remington Park and finished second in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn in his 3-year-old debut.

Texas Bling and Eternal Bling are both out of Anythingmore, a daughter of Country Pine who was winless in four career starts in 2000-2001.

Eternal Bling is the final foal out of Anythingmore, who hemorrhaged giving birth to Eternal Bling and died, Durham said Sunday morning.

“This is a … it gives me goosebumps,” Durham said. “This is a story.”

Durham said 2007 Oaklawn riding champion Luis Quinonez has regularly worked Eternal Bling and advised the trainer to wait for the much more lucrative maiden special weights purses at Oaklawn ($75,000) instead of debuting last summer at Lone Star Park.

“She’ll have her first start here,” Durham said. “She’s been working very nicely. Louie’s been working her since Day 1. He said she’s the real deal.”

Texas Bling was a multiple stakes winner of $406,072.

Finish Lines

Post positions for Friday’s opening-day card, highlighted by the $125,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses at 1 1/16 miles, will be drawn Monday. … Someday Soon worked a half-mile in :50.40 Sunday morning for trainer Will VanMeter in preparation for her 4-year-old debut in Saturday’s $125,000 Pippin Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Also scheduled to run in the Pippin is 2016 champion Streamline for trainer Brian Williamson. … A pair of early season allowance/optional claiming candidates – Lone Rock (VanMeter) and P R Radio Star (Tom Swearingen) – worked Sunday morning. Lone Rock went 5 furlongs in 1:03.80, P R Radio Star a half-mile in :52.60. … Trainer Brad Cox’s unnamed 3-year-old half-brother to champion and 2017 Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire worked a half-mile from the gate in :50.20 Sunday morning. … Unbeaten Amy’s Challenge may work Tuesday morning in preparation for her scheduled 2018 debut in the $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Jan. 20, trainer Mac Robertson said Sunday morning. … Oaklawn will again offer the Show Bet Bonus (on-track wagers only) during the 2018 meeting, director of racing David Longinotti said Saturday morning.