2026.01.03 Oaklawn – Racing Update

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026

Dazzling Oaklawn debut winner D’code returned to the work tab Wednesday morning, covering a half-mile in :51.20 for trainer H. Ray Ashford Jr.

Ashford said Bethany Taylor, D’code’s normal morning partner, was aboard for the breeze, which came over a fast track. The time ranked 16th of 18 works published at the distance.

“The horse is doing good,” Ashford said Saturday morning. “It (work) was slow, by design. Started out a little slow at each pole and picked it up as he went. We’re doing just what we want, we think.”

Ashford reiterated that if all goes well, D’code will make his stakes and two-turn debut in the $1 million Southwest (G3) Jan. 31. The 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races and will offer 42 points (20-10-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility toward the first leg of the Triple Crown.

D’code, in his only start, scored a front-running 8 ¼-length victory in a maiden special weight sprint Dec. 14 at Oaklawn. Under two-time Oaklawn riding champion Cristian Torres, D’code ran the fastest six furlongs in Oaklawn history by a 2-year-old (1:09.57), generating a gaudy 99 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Still moving forward, pointing for the Southwest,” Ashford said. “If everything goes as planned, that’s the plan.”

D’code is a son of deceased sprint champion Speightstown and races for his breeder, Tom Durant, a Texas automobile dealer.

The Southwest highlights the first weekend of Oaklawn’s 51-day Classic racing season, which runs Jan. 30-May 2.

Oaklawn’s 13-day Holiday racing season ends Sunday.

Nominations to the Southwest close Jan. 19.

Torres Reaches Milestone

Jockey Cristian Torres recorded his 300th career Oaklawn victory aboard favored Tiz in Sight ($3.20) for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse in Friday’s fifth race, a $50,000 starter/optional claimer for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

“Really happy to accomplish that here, the place that I call home,” Torres, a two-time Oaklawn riding champion, said after Friday’s 10th and final race. “Just to win 300, in what, four or five years? I’m just really thankful to all the trainers and the owners that have supported me. It took a little time to give them the confidence to let me ride their horses.”

Torres, 28, was brought to Oaklawn in early 2021 by agent Ruben Munoz, best known for his work with eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. Torres had been based at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

A native of Puerto Rico, Torres won 22 races in 2021 at Oaklawn and 19 in 2021-2022. Torres authored one of the greatest seasons in Oaklawn history in 2022-2023, finishing with 100 victories and $6,163,941 in purse earnings, a single-season local record. Retired Hall of Famer Pat Day is the only other jockey to reach 100 victories at an Oaklawn meeting.

Torres was also Oaklawn’s riding champion in 2023-2024 with 82 victories and finished second last season with 62. Torres, who is represented by agent Cody Autrey, enters Saturday with a meet-high 15 victories in 2025-2026.

“Cody’s doing a great job,” said Torres, who makes Arkansas and Kentucky his year-round circuit. “He’s always picking up some nice horses. It’s a team.”

Santana, the fourth-winningest rider in Oaklawn history, enters Saturday with 799 career victories in Hot Springs. Day (1,264 victories) is the winningest rider in Oaklawn history.

Finish Lines

Sunday marks the final day of Oaklawn’s 13-day Holiday racing season. First post for the 11-race card is noon CST. Oaklawn’s 51-day Classic racing season is Jan. 30-May 2. … Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen saddled two winners Friday. Asmussen won the fourth race with millionaire sprinter Ryvit ($4.60) and the eighth race, the inaugural $135,000 “The Coach” Overnight Stakes, with favored Tap Into This ($4.20). The Coach Overnight, a tribute to the late Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, was Asmussen’s record-extending 124th career Oaklawn stakes victory. Asmussen also has at least one stakes victory at 31 consecutive Oaklawn meetings, another local record. … Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse moved to 10 for 19 at the 2025-2026 meeting with two victories Friday. Casse won the third race with Western Warrior ($9.20) and the fifth race with favored Tiz in Sight ($3.20). Asmussen and Casse each have a meet-high 10 victories through the first 11 days of racing. … Grade 1 winners Sandman and La Cara and unbeaten Grade 2 winner Ewing are scheduled to work Sunday morning, said assistant Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse’s Oaklawn division.