Oaklawn Barn Notes: Colonelsdarktemper Eyeing Oaklawn Handicap

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Colonelsdarktemper Eyeing Oaklawn Handicap

Major stakes winner Colonelsdarktemper is under consideration for the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses April 14 at Oaklawn, trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs said Friday morning.

Owned by auto racing legend A.J. Foyt, Colonelsdarktemper finished second in his 4-year-old debut, a March 11 allowance/optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles under Jon Court, the trainer’s son-in-law and regular rider.

Ideally, Fires said he would like to get another race in Colonelsdarktemper before a possible start in the Oaklawn Handicap, but that won’t be possible because of the tight time window.

“It’s a wait and see situation right now,” Fires said.

Colonelsdarktemper not started since finishing fourth in the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3) Sept. 24 at Remington Park after emerging from the race with a stress fracture in a front leg, Fires said, necessitating a minor surgical procedure to promote bone growth.

Fires said Colonelsdarktemper did not come around as quickly as hoped following the injury, adding the colt also lost training time because of weather.

Colonelsdarktemper returned to the work tab Thursday morning, covering 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 under Court. Breezing over a fast track, clockers caught Colonelsdarktemper galloping out a mile in 1:42.80.

It was an “eventful” move, Fires said, since Colonelsdarktemper was about to begin his work at the 5-furlong pole when the warning siren was activated because of a loose horse on the track.

“It turned out good,” Fires said. “We had to pull him up and start over again.”

The well-traveled Colonelsdarktemper made 10 starts last year, winning his career debut at Oaklawn, an allowance race at Churchill Downs and the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (G3) Aug. 5 at Mountaineer.

Colonelsdarktemper, a son of Colonel John, has a 3-3-2 record from 11 lifetime starts and earnings of $726,235.

Inside Straight, a recent arrival from Turf Paradise, is pointing for the Oaklawn Handicap, trainer Robertino Diodoro said. Inside Straight won the race last year.

Goats Town, who beat Colonelsdarktemper earlier this month, is under consideration for the Oaklawn Handicap, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said.

A Higher Power?

Higher Power emerged in good order from an eighth-place finish in Saturday’s $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds, trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said Friday morning, adding the half-brother to millionaire and 2012 Oaklawn Handicap winner Alternation could run again before the meet ends April 14.

Higher Power was beaten 12 ¼ lengths in the Rebel, which marked the stakes debut for the son of Medaglia d’Oro.

“He didn’t get away from the gate the best, but I really don’t have an excuse,” Von Hemel said.

Von Hemel said Higher Power will be considered for the $150,000 Northern Spur Stakes April 14. Higher Power was a first-level allowance/optional claiming winner of his 3-year-old debut Jan. 13. He had been under consideration for the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 19 before missing approximately a week of training because of a minor illness, Von Hemel said.

Higher Power, who races for his breeder, Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Stable, had been unbeaten in two career starts around two turns before the 1 1/16-mile Rebel. The Northern Spur is also 1 1/16 miles.

Pin Oak and Von Hemel also campaigned Alternation.

Getting Closer

Five-time defending riding champion Ricardo Santana and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen teamed for two victories Thursday to move closer to career milestones.

Santana and Asmussen won the sixth race with Tiz Alluptome Now ($16) and the seventh race with Share the Upside ($12.40), a 3-year-old Maclean’s Music gelding who captured his career debut in a sharp 1:10.24 for 6 furlongs following a sluggish start.

According to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization, Santana has 983 career North American victories, including 388 at Oaklawn.

Asmussen, who has collected eight Oaklawn training titles since 2007, has 7,967 career North American victories to rank No. 2 all time. He has 568 career victories at Oaklawn.

Santana (45 victories) and Asmussen (29) top the standings this year at Oaklawn.

Dawn at Oaklawn

Track announcer Vic Stauffer is the special guest on Saturday’s Dawn at Oaklawn, a weekly question-and-answer session hosted by paddock analyst Nancy Holthus.

The free program, which includes barn tours and complimentary pastries and coffee, is 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. (Central). Stauffer will be interviewed around 8:30 a.m. on the apron at the south end of the grandstand.

Their Claim to Fame

The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame’s “Oaklawn Day at the Races” will recognize several members of the organization Saturday.

Inductees scheduled to attend and the races they are to be recognized: Steve Cox (first race), U.S. Reed (second race), Dennis “Dirt” Winston (third race), Quinn Grovey (fourth race), Oliver Elders (seventh race), Bruce James (eighth race), Brison Manor (ninth race) and Bill Montgomery (10th race).

Cox, Winston, Grovey, James, Manor and Montgomery were all football standouts at the University of Arkansas. James (defensive end) and Montgomery (quarterback) started in the 1969 game against Texas, dubbed “The Big Shootout.”

Reed is best known for hitting a half-court shot at the final buzzer in Arkansas’ 1981 NCAA basketball tournament victory over Louisville. Elders was a legendary high school basketball coach at Little Rock (Ark.) Hall.

MIA MISCHIEF EVEN-MONEY IN PURPLE MARTIN

William and Corinne Heiligbrodt’s Mia Mischief is the even-money program favorite for the $150,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the 6-furlong Purple Martin, which goes as the ninth of 10 races, is 5:09 p.m. (Central). Doors open Saturday at 11 a.m., with first post 1:05 p.m.

The Purple Martin field from the rail out: Salt Bae, David Cabrera to ride, 115 pounds, 7-2; Vision of Justice, Alex Canchari, 119, 10-1; Criminal Mischief, Luis Contreras, 115, 20-1; Clay’s Dialing In, Jon Court, 115, 30-1; Msbrooklynbrawler, Marlon St. Julien, 119, 6-1; Mia Mischief, Ricardo Santana Jr., 119, 1-1; Turbo Shaft, Santo Sanjur, 119, 12-1; and Buy Sell Hold, Ramon Vazquez, 119, 5-1.

A 16 ¼-length maiden winner last fall at Keeneland, Mia Mischief finished second in her last start, beaten a neck by Amy’s Challenge, in the $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes Jan. 20 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

“She’s a talented filly,” Asmussen said. “I don’t think she’s as good here as she has been previously at Oaklawn, but it’s a good financial spot for her.”

Mia Mischief has had five published workouts since Feb. 5, the last a half-mile move in :50.60 Sunday morning. Asmussen won last year’s Purple Martin with Golden Mischief through a race-related disqualification. He is also scheduled to send out Buy Sell Hold, who beat males in the $100,000 Kentucky Juvenile Stakes last May at Churchill Downs

Msbrooklynbrawler is unbeaten in two career starts for trainer Kelly Von Hemel, but she hasn’t run since a 12 ¼-length romp in the $93,159 Iowa Sorority Aug. 12 at Prairie Meadows. Msbrooklynbrawler, who has led at every point of call in both career starts, was purchased for $210,000 at the OBS April 2-year-old in training sale.

“We’ve got a good foundation,” Von Hemel said. “I don’t know if she’s 100 percent, but we needed to get a race and get things going. She’s been working good.”

Von Hemel said he was shopping for an allowance race for the filly’s comeback, but “there wasn’t one.” Msbrooklynbrawler has recorded several bullet workouts leading up to her 3-year-old debut.

“From the time I got her, she’s always done everything great,” Von Hemel said. “She went to the 2-year-old in training sale, and we ran her a couple of times in Iowa and she just needed a break. Nothing serious. She just needed a little time off after all that”

Salt Bae, who will be making her stakes debut, was a 5 ¾-length maiden winner Jan. 12 at Fair Grounds for Bernie Flint, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1992 and 1993.

Four Purple Martin entrants – Vision of Justice, Criminal Mischief, Msbrooklynbrawler and Mia Mischief – are by Into Mischief, one of the country’s leading stallions.

Finish Lines

The track was rated fast for workouts Friday morning. … Multiple stakes winner Farrell is pointing for the $700,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares April 13, trainer Wayne Catalano said Friday morning. … Jan. 13 allowance/optional claiming winner Bravazo and My Boy Jack, winner of the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 19, are entered in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) Saturday at Fair Grounds. … Nominations to the $100,000 Rainbow Stakes March 30 and $100,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes March 31 close Friday. Both races are restricted to Arkansas-breds. … Tap of War, a Jan. 27 allowance winner, is about to resume training after being sidelined with a minor physical setback, trainer Kelly Von Hemel said Thursday morning. Tap of War, by War Front, is one of 10 horses to return and win from the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies, the key race of the 2017 Oaklawn meeting. Von Hemel said Tap of War could resurface this summer at Prairie Meadows or in a grass race. … Owner Alex Lieblong said he’s received calls about Save a Rose following Hedge Fund’s victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Essex Handicap for older horses. Save a Rose, a full sister to Hedge Fund, has a yearling colt by Grade I winner The Big Beast and just had another colt by the 2015 Oaklawn allowance winner. Lieblong said Save a Rose is to be bred this year to Grade 1 winner Frosted. Lieblong is chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission. Both Save a Rose, who was raced by Lieblong, and Hedge Fund are by 2010 Kentucky Derby winner and Arkansas Derby runner-up Super Saver, out of the Distorted Humor mare Rosy Humor.