Oaklawn Barn Notes: First Victory as a Trainer for Kathy Howard

By Matthew Cox —-

Friday, March 30, 2018

First Victory as a Trainer for Kathy Howard

Kathy Howard’s first victory as a trainer hasn’t changed her outlook on training. Once the Oaklawn meeting ends April 14, her brief training career ends, too.

“No,” Howard said Friday morning, when asked if she’s considering switching gears. “Of course, it’s a great feeling, but I’m not going down that road without Tom.”

Howard, 61, was referring to her late husband, trainer Tom Howard, who died of cancer March 10, hours after his most notable runner, the popular Ivan Fallunovalot, finished third in the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes for older sprinters.

Tom Howard’s horses have been running in Kathy’s Howard’s name the last few weeks. Her fourth starter became her first winner when Make Daddy Proud ($9) held on to capture Thursday’s third race by a neck under Jareth Loveberry.

“It just got real quiet,” Howard said, describing her landmark moment. “I’m used to going crazy, rooting for Tom. I was like, ‘Come on, girl.’ Then, of course, I started crying.”

Make Daddy Proud, a 3-year-old daughter of Proud Citizen, broke her maiden for a $12,500 claiming price. She is owned by Superior Racing Stables LLC (Van Miller), a longtime client of Tom Howard and his then-wife/assistant.

Not only is Kathy Howard’s name on the win picture for Make Daddy Proud, so is her late husband’s.

“We were a team,” Howard said.

Make Daddy Proud is among eight horses under the care of Kathy Howard at Oaklawn. Howard said Thursday morning that she owed it to her husband and his owners to run the stable through the completion of the Oaklawn meet, adding the eight horses would then turned out or given to other trainers.

One of the horses, Ghost Rocket, a 3-year-old Ghostzapper colt, will go to trainer Al Stall Jr., Howard said. Ghost Rocket is owned by prominent Arkansas businessman Frank Fletcher, who had a long relationship with Tom Howard, and already had horses at Oaklawn with Stall.

Kathy Howard is also Fletcher’s racing manager and said she will continue in that position.

Howard, then known as Kathy Moore, is among the most successful female jockeys in Oaklawn history and later worked at the track as a racing official. The Howards were married for more than 13 years.

Ivan Fallunovalot is a candidate for the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older sprinters April 14. Ghost Rocket is pointing for an April 14 maiden special weights race.

Chasing Amy

Novogratz Racing Stables’ Amy’s Challenge is pointing for the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 13, trainer Mac Robertson said Friday morning.

Robertson said Amy’s Challenge, who had been considered for the $500,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) April 7 at Keeneland, is scheduled to work Saturday morning in preparation for the 1 1/16-mile Fantasy, which will mark her second start around two turns.

After winning her first three career races, including the $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes Jan. 20, Amy’s Challenge finished second in the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 10. The 1 1/16-mile Honeybee, the final major local prep for the Fantasy, was her first start around two turns.

Robertson said he also plans to run Thursday first-level allowance/optional claiming winner Tahoe Dream in the Fantasy. A daughter of champion and 2005 Arkansas Derby winner Afleet Alex, Tahoe Dream is unbeaten in two career starts around two turns. She broke her maiden at 1 1/16 miles March 8 and was a neck winner going a mile Thursday.

“Runs long and passes horses,” Robertson said. “Seems like a good plan to me.”

Also pointing for the Fantasy are Cosmic Burst and Sassy Sienna, first and third, respectively, in the Honeybee.

I Want to be a Kowboy

Shotgun Kowboy’s work this year at Oaklawn is complete following his powerful March 23 allowance/optional claiming victory for older horses, breeder/owner/trainer C.R. Trout said Friday morning.

Trout said Shotgun Kowboy, who surpassed $1 million in career earnings with a sharp Feb. 3 allowance score, is not a candidate for the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 14 because the 1 1/8-mile race “is a little quick back for him.”

Instead, Shotgun Kowboy is being pointed for the $200,000 Steve Sexton Mile (G3) May 6 at Lone Star, with the gelding’s subsequent scheduled start coming in the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) July 6 at Prairie Meadows.

“That’s about all we’ve got on the agenda until Oklahoma starts,” Trout said.

A 6-year-old son of Kodiak Kowboy, the Oklahoma-bred Shotgun Kowboy has an 11-5-3 record from 27 starts and earnings of $1,095,826. In addition to his two allowance victories, Shotgun Kowboy ran seventh in the $125,000 Fifth Season Stakes Jan. 12 and ninth in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) Feb. 19 at the meeting.

The Oklahoma-based Trout said he envisions Shotgun Kowboy, “if he stays sound,” running in 2019.

“He’s as sound as a dollar,” Trout said. “He doesn’t have any issues, as far as health. As long as he wants to run, that’s what he’ll do. When he doesn’t, we’ll turn him out with the dry cows.”

Shotgun Kowboy was a front-running 2 ½-length winner at 1 1/16 miles March 23.

Finish Lines

The track was rated fast for workouts Friday morning. … Colonelsdarktemper, a candidate for the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses April 14, worked 6 furlongs in 1:12.80 after the renovation break Friday morning for trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs. Colonelsdarktemper galloped out 7 furlongs in 1:25. … Ramon Vazquez ($1,004,803) became the sixth jockey to reach $1 million in purse earnings at the meet when razor-sharp sprinter Smart Spree won Thursday’s eighth race, an allowance/optional claimer for older horses. … Smart Spree (3 for 3 at the meet) will be considered for the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 14, trainer Norman McKnight said Friday morning.