THE ARKANSAS ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY OAKS BEGINS SATURDAY

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021) – Oaklawn’s road to the Kentucky Oaks begins Saturday with the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile.

Probable post time for the Martha Washington, which drew a field of six, is 3:06 p.m. (Central). It goes as the fifth of nine races on the program. First post Saturday, Day 5 of the scheduled 57-day meeting, is 1 p.m.

The Martha Washington will offer 17 points (10-4-2-1, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) April 30 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks is the country’s biggest race for 3-year-old fillies. Oaklawn’s Kentucky Oaks points series continues with the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 6 and the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 3. The Honeybee will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5) to the top four finishers, with 170 points (100-40-20-10) up for grabs in the Fantasy.

Oaklawn-raced horses flourished on last year’s revamped road to the Kentucky Oaks. Honeybee winner Shedaresthedevil captured the Kentucky Oaks, which was moved from early May to early September because of COVID-19. Fantasy winner Swiss Skydiver finished second in the Kentucky Oaks before toppling males in the Preakness, the traditional second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, in her next start.

Trainer Brad Cox, who also trained Shedaresthedevil, has the 7-5 program favorite Saturday in Coach, who won her first three career starts before concluding her 2-year-old campaign with a third-place finish behind stablemate Travel Column in the $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

“There’s some speed in there and it’s a small field,” Cox said. “Hopefully, the speed doesn’t get too far away from her. It’s a 1-mile race, it’s a great purse, and, hopefully, she can start her march toward, what we hope, is the Kentucky Oaks. That would be the ultimate goal with her.”

After starting her career with two blowout victories at Indiana Grand, Coach won the $98,000 Rags to Riches Overnight Stakes Oct. 25 at Churchill Downs in her two-turn debut. She was beaten 3 ½ lengths in the Golden Rod, also at 1 1/16 miles.

“She does like Churchill,” Cox said. “She’s a good filly. She stepped up and had a great 2-year-old season and, hopefully, she’ll improve as a 3-year-old. She’s definitely been training like she’s improved. We like the way she’s been training at Oaklawn. I feel like she’s moved forward with her training. Hopefully, she can transfer that to the afternoons.”

The projected Martha Washington field from the rail out: Joy’s Rocket, Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride, 122 pounds, 5-2 on the morning line; Novel Squall, Ramon Vazquez, 115, 15-1; Coach, Florent Geroux, 122, 7-5; Will’s Secret, Jon Court, 115, 6-1; Lady Lilly, David Cabrera, 119, 9-2; and Sylvia Q, Martin Garcia, 115, 5-1.

Joy’s Rocket will be making her two-turn debut for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen after winning the $75,000 Letellier Memorial Stakes Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds in her last start. Asmussen, a two-time Martha Washington winner, also will send out Golden Rod seventh Lady Lilly.

Will’s Secret exits a 1 1/16-mile off-the-turf maiden special weights victory Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds for trainer Dallas Stewart and breeder/owner Willis Horton of Marshall, Ark.

Horton won the 2015 Martha Washington with champion Take Charge Brandi.

FRANK’S ROCKETTE FAVORED IN RETURN TO ARKANSAS

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021) – Multiple Grade 2 winner Frank’s Rockette is among nine older fillies and mares entered in the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes at 6 furlongs Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the American Beauty, the eighth of nine races, is 4:40 p.m. (Central). First post Saturday, Day 5 of the scheduled 57-day meeting, is 1 p.m.

A homebred for prominent North Little Rock, Ark., businessman Frank Fletcher, Frank’s Rockette will be making her first start since finishing 11th against males in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Frank’s Rockette had won her previous four starts, including the $100,000 Victory Ride Stakes (G3) July 4 at Belmont Park, $200,000 Prioress Stakes (G2) Sept. 5 at Saratoga and the $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.

Frank’s Rockette, the 2-1 program favorite for the American Beauty, was vanned from her south Florida base to Oaklawn, arriving at 4 a.m. (Central) Tuesday for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. She had a similar travel itinerary last spring when she finished second in Oaklawn’s $100,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters. Frank’s Rockette didn’t lose again until the Breeders’ Cup, sitting just off the pace to score sharp victories in the Prioress and Gallant Bloom.

Saturday’s competition includes Florida-based speedster Lady’s Island and another with plenty of early gas, 2019 American Beauty champion Amy’s Challenge for trainer Mac Robertson.

“The way she’s been running recently, her last two or three races, she’s had no problem rating right off the speed,” said Mott, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1986. “I don’t think it’s a problem with her.”

A daughter of super sire Into Mischief, Frank’s Rockette has a 6-4-0 record from 11 career starts and earnings of $606,103. Her dam, the Fletcher-raced Rocket Twentyone, ran third in her 3-year-old debut, Oaklawn’s $50,000 Dixie Belle Stakes, in 2012.

Lady’s Island (17 of 34 overall) was a front-running winner of the $100,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) Dec. 12 at Gulfstream Park in her last start. Amy’s Challenge, the 3-1 second choice in the program, closed her 2020 campaign with a front-running victory in the $150,000 McConnell Springs Stakes Nov. 6 at Keeneland. She is bidding for her fourth career Oaklawn stakes victory.

“I know that Fletcher likes to run here, so I kind of figured that he would at least take a look,” Robertson said, referring to Frank’s Rockette. “She’s a good horse. My filly’s ready.”

The projected American Beauty field from the rail out: French Empire, Elvin Gonzalez to ride, 115 pounds, 10-1 on the morning line; Shesomajestic, Ramon Vazquez, 115, 12-1; Magic Dance, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 8-1; Sunny Dale, Martin Garcia, 115, 10-1; Wildwood’s Beauty, Joe Rocco Jr., 115, 6-1; Amy’s Challenge, Francisco Arrieta, 122, 3-1; Frank’s Rockette, Florent Geroux, 122, 2-1; Best Kept Secret, Kelsi Harr, 115, 20-1; and Lady’s Island, David Cabrera, 122, 9-2.

Wildwood’s Beauty finished third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Amy’s Challenge, in the McConnell Springs in her last start. Sunny Dale was a three-time winner at the 2020 Oaklawn meet for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Oaklawn’s stakes series for older female sprinters continues with the $200,000 Spring Fever Feb. 27 and the $250,000 Carousel April 10. Amy’s Challenge won the 2019 Spring Fever and the 2018 Dixie Belle in her 3-year-old debut. She ran fourth in last year’s American Beauty.