Oaklawn Barn Notes: Lukas Takes Over the Training of Grade 1 Winner Come Dancing

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Lukas Takes Over the Training of Grade 1 Winner Come Dancing

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas called Nadal and American Theorem “house guests” after they shipped into his Oaklawn barn shortly before the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds March 14.

Lukas took both Southern California-based horses to the track to train during their brief stay in Hot Springs and watched Nadal remain unbeaten in three lifetime starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Lukas recently welcomed another house guest to his Royal Glint barn, but Come Dancing will be sticking around much longer. And this time, Lukas will be calling the shots as the trainer of record for Come Dancing, a millionaire Grade 1 winner who is scheduled to make her 2020 debut in the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 18, Lukas said Tuesday morning.

Previously with New York-based trainer Carlos Martin, Come Dancing arrived at Oaklawn about “10-12 days ago,” Lukas said, and recorded her first published local work toward the Apple Blossom Tuesday. Under Yoni Hernandez, an exercise rider for Lukas, Come Dancing breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00.60. The track was rated muddy on a chilly, overcast morning.

“Carlos Martin sent her in in beautiful shape, so my job is to keep her happy and move her forward,” Lukas said.

Lukas said fellow trainer Dale Romans suggested Martin, grandson of the late Hall of Fame trainer, Frank “Pancho” Martin, send Come Dancing to Lukas in Arkansas. Romans also trains for breeder/owner Marc Holliday (Blue Devil Racing Stable)

“Usually when the show up in the barn, there’s a problem and they want you to correct it,” said Lukas, who annually winters at Oaklawn. “They don’t usually come in looking like she does and working like she does.”

Come Dancing, a five-time stakes winner, hasn’t started since finishing sixth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) – her only career race outside New York – Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. The 6-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon had been poised for an Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter after winning the $500,00 Ketel One Ballerina Stakes (G1) Aug. 24 at Saratoga and the $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) Sept. 22 at Belmont Park. Overall, Come Dancing has won 8 of 14 career starts and earned $1,064,950.

“She’s impressive,” Lukas said. “I’ve had a number of, something like 19 Eclipse-champion fillies, and she fits the mold.”

Lukas said Come Dancing’s training will be straightforward for the Apple Blossom, among the country’s most prestigious two-turn races for older fillies and mares.

“She’ll get a couple of more works,” Lukas said. “We’ll school her and stand her and do all the usual.”

Lukas won the Apple Blossom in 1983 (Miss Huntington), 1987 (North Sider) and 2004 (Azeri). Miss Huntington represented the first of Lukas’ 322 career victories to date at Oaklawn.

Martin’s late father, Jose, trained three Eclipse Award winners, including Wayward Lass, who, in 1981, finished third in Oaklawn’s $200,000 Fantasy Stakes (G1) en route to champion 3-year-old filly honors.

“I knew them all through my association with New York racing,” Lukas said of the Martin family.

Court’s Journey

Jon Court, Oaklawn’s leading rider in 2000, said in a text message last Thursday that he is targeting a comeback at the end of the meeting, scheduled for May 2.

Court, 59, hasn’t ridden since Feb. 13, when he was injured before a race that afternoon.

Court referred all other questions about his injury and rehabilitation to “Big Steve” Krajcir of Hot Springs, the jockey’s longtime agent. Krajcir said Court is recovering at home in Louisville, Ky., and may try to get on a few horses at Keeneland “to get fit again.”

“He wants to come back right before the end of the meet and ride a couple of live horses and then go to Kentucky from there,” Krajcir said Friday morning.

Krajcir said Court was hospitalized after suffering a collapsed lung and broken ribs in the accident going to the gate for the fourth race Feb. 13. Court was aboard first-time starter Line of Faith.

“They were warming up and the horse got away from the pony and went to bucking and threw him off,” Krajcir said. “He landed right on his back.”

According to Equibase, racing’s official data organization, Court ranked 63rd in North American history through Tuesday with 4,181 career victories. Court is among the winningest riders in Oaklawn history with 688 victories, including 33 stakes. He won the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in 2010 aboard Line of David for trainer John Sadler and 2011 aboard Archarcharch for trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs.

Finish Lines

Millionaire Grade 1 winner Tom’s d’Etat worked a half-mile in :48.60 Sunday morning for trainer Al Stall and owner G M B Racing. Unraced since winning the $600,000 Clark Handicap (G1) Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs, Tom’s d’Etat is pointing for the $150,000 Oaklawn Mile for older horses April 11, according to G M B Racing. … Post positions were to be drawn Wednesday for Saturday’s $100,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters. Leading Purple Martin contender Frank’s Rockette arrived Tuesday night from her south Florida base, according to Kathy Howard, racing manager for the filly’s breeder/owner, Frank Fletcher of North Little Rock, Ark. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Frank’s Rockette is multiple Grade-1 placed and won the $75,000 Any Limit Stakes Feb. 22 at Gulfstream Park in her last start. … Unbeaten Nadal returned to the work tab for the first time since his victory in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds March 14, covering a half-mile in :49.60 Monday morning at Santa Anita for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Nadal (3 for 3) is a candidate for the $750,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) May 2.