Oaklawn Barn Notes: Gray Attempt Back on the Arkansas Derby Trail

By Gissel Torres —-

Gray Attempt Back on the Arkansas Derby Trail

Now that Gray Attempt’s hind-end problems appear behind him, trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs said Sunday morning that he’s looking ahead to the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13 at Oaklawn.

Gray Attempt is back on the Arkansas Derby trail following a front-running 3 ¼-length victory in the $125,000 Gazebo Stakes Saturday afternoon. Ridden for the first time by Jon Court, Gray Attempt covered 6 furlongs over a fast track in a sharp 1:09.72 and paid $5.20 as the 8-5 favorite.

“It was pretty awesome yesterday,” said Fires, who trains Gray Attempt for Dwight Pruett of Texarkana, Ark. “Made us feel a little better about going to the Arkansas Derby again.”

Fires had wanted to run Gray Attempt in the split $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 16 – a 1 1/16-mile race that was the final major local two-turn Arkansas Derby prep – but issues with the colt’s hind end forced him to call an audible and cut back to a sprint.

Gray Attempt was injured, Fires said, when he was bounced around going into the first turn of the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 18. He finished 11th.

“He got sore up in his back end when they put him up on the rail,” Fires said. “He got twisted around and he hurt his back end. We worked on his back end, front end and every other place, trying to get him back to where he was yesterday.”
Fires said Gray Attempt’s treatment included ice, whirlpool and Epsom salt. The speedy gray colt trained a couple of days in kinesiology tape, the first time Fires said he’s used the product designed to combat muscle soreness on one of his horses.

Asked if Gray Attempt came out of the Gazebo better than the Southwest, Fires said, “Certainly.”

“It was like coming out of something nice and the other one coming out of a war,” Fires said.

Gray Attempt, in his two-turn debut, won the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 25, Oaklawn’s first of four Kentucky Derby points races. Gray Attempt concluded his 2-year-old campaign by winning the $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes at 6 furlongs Dec. 22 at Fair Grounds.

Five of a Kind

Ricardo Santana Jr. rode five winners on Saturday’s 10-race card, the fifth time he’s done that at Oaklawn since he began riding in Hot Springs in 2011.

Santana won the third race aboard Lady Apple ($5.80) for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, fourth race aboard Everado ($7.60) for Asmussen, fifth race aboard favored Pioneer Spirit ($6.20) for trainer Brad Cox, seventh race, the $100,000 Nodouble Breeders’ Stakes, aboard favored Hoonani Road ($2.80) for trainer Wayne Catalano and the 10th race aboard favored Zippy Lou ($6) for Cox.

Santana also had five-win days at Oaklawn April 11, 2013, Feb. 6, 2015, March 12, 2016, and March 31, 2018.

Santana, 26, is bidding for his seventh consecutive Oaklawn riding title. Through Saturday, the 34th day of the scheduled 57-day season, Santana topped the standings with 45 victories. David Cohen was second with 37. Santana was also the runaway leader in purse earnings at the meet ($2,319,464).

Santana had 457 career victories at Oaklawn through Saturday, with the Nodouble his 30th stakes score, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

Asmussen had a triple Saturday, giving him a meet-high 35 victories in search of his 10th local training title since 2007.

The Apprentice

The last two leading apprentice jockeys at Oaklawn (Katie Clawson in 2017 and Edgar Morales in 2018) were also finalists for an Eclipse Award as the country’s outstanding apprentice.

Could there be a three-peat?

Ezequiel Lara is the leading apprentice this year at Oaklawn, recording eight victories through Saturday, the 34th day of the scheduled 57-day meeting. Lara, 22, rode his first winner last year and is represented by agent Cisco Torres, who won more than 3,000 races before retiring in late 2017.

“I love it here,” Lara said Sunday morning. “It feels like home. Just being around people I know from back home that are here, it feels like I’m in my back yard.”

Lara, who was raised near Remington Park in Oklahoma City, won his eighth race aboard favored Torri’s On My Mind ($3.40) Friday for trainer Jesse Cruz. Through Saturday, Lara had also ridden two winners for trainer Paul Holthus of Hot Springs, trainer Karl Broberg and trainer Norman McKnight and another winner for trainer Randy Matthews. Both winners for Broberg were on Tiger Bait, who is being pointed for the $100,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes for 3-year-old Arkansas-bred fillies April 20.

Lara said he plans to ride at Oaklawn until the meeting ends May 4.

“Have to,” Lara said. “Money, and we’re doing good. Can’t complain about how we’re running. Horses are running for me here, so I have to stay here. Feels like home.”

Lara said he will ride at Indiana Grand following the Oaklawn meeting and “ship in” to Churchill Downs because of Torres’ connections there.

Finish Lines

The track was rated good for workouts Sunday morning. … Market King, third in the second division of the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds March 16, worked 5 furlongs in 1:04.40 Sunday morning for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. … Grade 2 winner Mia Mischief worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 Sunday morning for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. … Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Ministry worked a half-mile in :53.60 Sunday morning for owner Linda Robbins of Hot Springs. Owner Jerry Caroom of Hot Springs said immediately following the NodoubleBreeders’ Stakes that Hoonani Road, who is trained by Wayne Catalano, will be considered for the inaugural $200,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship at 1 1/16 miles May 4. … Kelsi Harr finished third aboard Bandit Point in the Nodouble, the first stakes mount for the apprentice jockey. Harr, a longtime exercise rider for trainer Al Cates of Hot Springs, had won two races at the meet through Saturday. … Favored Zippy Lou, named for longtime Oaklawn guest services manager Lou Siegel, broke her maiden in Saturday’s 10th race, a maiden special weights sprint for Arkansas-breds. Zippy Lou ($6) races for trainer Brad Cox and her breeders, Ten Strike Racing (Marshall Gramm and Clay Sanders). Cox had a double on the card, winning the fifth race with favored Pioneer Spirit ($6.20) for prominent Arkansas automobile dealer Steve Landers, a member of the Arkansas Racing Commission. … Multiple Oaklawn winner Exclamation Point is scheduled to return Monday to Oaklawn, Cox’s assistant, Jorgito Abrego, said Sunday morning. A half-brother to champion and 2017 Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire, Exclamation Point had been based this winter at Oaklawn before traveling to Fair Grounds to win a March 5 allowance race. Cox said Exclamation Point is under consideration for the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes April 14 and the inaugural $250,000 Oaklawn Mile May 3.