Oaklawn Barn Notes: Robertson Gearing Up for Big Racing Festival

By Jennifer Hoyt —

Robertson Gearing Up for Big Racing Festival

Only two lengths separated Mac Robertson from a sweep of the March 10 stakes at Oaklawn.

The trainer is scheduled to have a second chance at a similar sweep when he sends out Amy’s Challenge in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies April 13 and Wynn Time in the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses April 14.

Amy’s Challenge suffered her first career loss in the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 10, when she was runner-up to Cosmic Burst, beaten 1 ¾ lengths in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Wynn Time, about an hour earlier, was beaten a neck by Whitmore in the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes at 6 furlongs.

“Any time the horses run good in good races, I’m happy,” Robertson said after training hours Thursday morning. “The owners always want to win, win, win. But, any time you run in a good race and your horses run good, I’m pretty happy with the effort. I thought the horses ran as hard as they could for me. I was really happy.”

Amy’s Challenge, in her two-turn debut, opened a long lead on the backstretch before being overhauled late under regular rider Jareth Loveberry. Robertson said “it looks like” Hall of Famer Mike Smith will ride Amy’s Challenge (3 for 4 overall) in the 1 1/16-mile Fantasy.

Robertson said Martin Pedroza will be reunited with Wynn Time in the 6-furlong Count Fleet. The gelding was making his stakes debut in the Hot Springs and is 5 for 7 overall.

Tahoe Dream, a two-time winner at the meet, is also pointing for the Fantasy, Robertson said.

Ivan the Great

Multiple stakes winner and near-millionaire Ivan Fallunovalot worked a half-mile Thursday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Kathy Howard of Hot Springs, who said the 8-year-old gelding remains under consideration for the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 14.

Breezing over a fast track under Luis Contreras, Ivan Fallunovalot went in :49.20, getting his final quarter-mile in :23.60.

A career winner of $998,903, Ivan Fallunovalot hasn’t started since finishing third in the $125,000 Hot Springs Stakes March 10, the final major local prep for the Count Fleet.

Howard became the trainer of record after her husband, Tom, died of cancer hours after the Hot Springs. On behalf of owner Lewis Mathews of Bismarck, Ark., Tom Howard claimed Ivan Fallunovalot for $25,000 at the 2014 Oaklawn meeting. The gelding developed into a multiple stakes winner, winning Oaklawn’s King Cotton in 2015 and 2016.

Mathews said Saturday morning that Ivan Fallunovalot will receive “a little vacation” following the Oaklawn meeting “and let him tell us what to do.” Ivan Fallunovalot has battled foot problems the last few years.

Kathy Howard said Thursday morning the process of phasing out her late husband’s racing operation continues, with one horse (Amaze) being claimed Saturday and another (Shadynstella) being retired with an injury. Howard said she’s selling her husband’s tack.

Howard said the remaining six horses under her care, including Ghost Rocket, will be turned out or given to other trainers when the meet ends April 14.

Howard said she has no desire to continue training (she won her first race March 29), but will continue to work in the industry as racing manager for prominent Arkansas owner Frank Fletcher.

Howard said Fletcher originally intended to send Ghost Rocket to trainer Al Stall, but has now decided to send the 3-year-old Ghostzapper colt to trainer Will VanMeter. Ghost Rocket is pointing for an April 14 maiden special weights event, Howard said.

Mathews has started a new partnership with Robertino Diodoro, Oaklawn’s second-leading trainer this year. On behalf of Mathews, Diodoro claimed Gettysburg, best known as the workout partner of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, for $50,000 Saturday and Match Play for $25,000 Wednesday. Both horses had been with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Mathews said Saturday morning that he wanted to claim “two or three” horses before the meet ends to go with Diodoro’s Churchill Downs string.

Milestone Watch

Five-time defending Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. recorded his 993rd career North American victory in Wednesday’s third race, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

Santana guided favored Murika ($5.20) to a front-running seven-length victory in the mile race for $30,000 maiden-claiming fillies and mares for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs and owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong of Conway, Ark. Murika also represented the 398th career Oaklawn victory for Santana, runaway leader in this year’s standings with 55 victories through 47 race days. David Cohen is second with 35 victories.

Santana is named on six horses Thursday, including five for his main client, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Asmussen has a meet-high 36 victories, eight more than runner-up Robertino Diodoro, as he nears his ninth Oaklawn training title since 2007. Asmussen has 7,976 career North American victories to rank second all time, according to Equibase.

Asmussen recorded his 7,000th career North American victory April 1, 2015, at Oaklawn.

A New Home

Alex Canchari, Oaklawn’s eighth-leading jockey this year, said he will be based at Indiana Grand following the Oaklawn meeting that ends April 14.

After the 2017 Oaklawn meeting, Canchari rode regularly at his home track, Canterbury Park in suburban Minneapolis, where he won 50 races to rank third in the standings.

Canchari said Indiana Grand’s lengthy meet – scheduled dates are April 17-Nov. 7 – was appealing, adding its location will allow him to ride at Churchill Downs, Keeneland and Ellis Park during dark days.

“It’s a longer meet over there and it is more opportunity to get exposure with the Kentucky circuit, too, since I’m going to ride both circuits,” Canchari said.

Canchari said he will be represented by veteran Jimmy McNerney, track announcer at Ellis Park and Turfway Park in Kentucky.

Canchari has 19 victories and $1,111,391 in purse earnings at this year’s Oaklawn meeting.

Finish Lines

Hawaakom worked 5 furlongs in 1:02 Thursday morning for co-owner/trainer Wes Hawley in advance of the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses April 14. Hawaakom won the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) Feb. 19 at Oaklawn in his last start. … Chilean Queen ($7.80) became the meet’s first four-time winner in Wednesday’s fourth race, a starter-allowance sprint for older fillies and mares. Chilean Queen, who came from well off the pace to win by a half-length under Channing Hill, races for Keene Thoroughbreds LLC (Danny Keene) and Allen Milligan, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 2010. Chilean Queen also earned a $4,000 bonus Wednesday because she was an Arkansas-bred winning in open company. Chilean Queen has bankrolled $73,657 at the meet after winning her last four starts. … Wilbo is under consideration for the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses April 14, trainer Chris Hartman said Thursday morning. Wilbo has won two races at the meeting, including the $125,000 King Cotton Stakes Feb. 3. … Cosmic Evolution, an allowance winner and third-place finisher in the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies during the 2016 Oaklawn meeting, recently had a Candy Ride colt and was bred last week to Into Mischief, said Lon Wiggins, who trained the daughter of Proud Citizen. … Terra Promessa, who won 2016 Honeybee and three other Oaklawn stakes, including the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) in 2016, has been retired, according to Stonestreet Stables LLC, which bred and raced the 5-year-old daughter of Curlin. Terra Promessa will join Stonestreet’s broodmare band and is to be bred this year to champion Uncle Mo. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Terra Promessa retires with a 7-3-1 record from 16 starts and earnings of $920,350. She finished fifth in her final career start, the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 17 at Oaklawn.