Oaklawn: Stakes Preview Mistletoe

By Chris Ho —-

HOT SPRINGS, AR – Grade 2 winner Taxed is the 8-5 program favorite for the $150,000 Mistletoe Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 1 mile Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the Mistletoe, the ninth of 10 races, is 4:14 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:30 p.m.

Trained by Randy Morse, Taxed recorded her biggest career victory to date in the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) in May 2023 at Pimlico. The 1 1/8-mile race was for 3-year-old fillies.

Taxed, who has kept fast company throughout her career, is seeking her first victory since a powerful allowance score sprinting in her 4-year-old debut March 16 at Oaklawn. She exits a third-place finish behind 3-year-old speedster Two Sharp in the $300,000 Chilukki Stakes (G3) at one mile Nov. 23 at Churchill Downs.

Six other horses are entered in the Mistletoe – Bow Draw, Tapit Jenallie, Wildwood Bye, Stellar Lily, Corningstone and Deck of Cards.

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ndiana-bred star Corningstone (3-1) finished second, at odds of 43-1, in the $400,000 Locust Grove Stakes (G2) Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs for trainer Kenny McPeek. Taxed finished fifth in the 1 1/16-mile race.

“Looks like McPeek’s filly is the one to beat, for sure,” Morse said. “She beat us up there at Churchill. They’re saying it’s supposed to rain. I’m not real crazy about that, but I like our draw. I’m glad that she drew outside for a short field.”

Taxed is scheduled to break from post 7 under two-time Oaklawn riding champion Cristian Torres and carry equal top weight of 124 pounds.

Corningstone exits a third-place finish behind stablemate Under the Palms in the $150,000 Cardinal Handicap for state-breds at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 2 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. McPeek won the 2023 Mistletoe with Butterbean.

Deck of Cards, the 5-2 second choice, had a seven-race win streak snapped in her last start, a first-level allowance sprint Oct. 16 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Deck of Cards will be making her stakes and Oaklawn debut for trainer Mike Maker and co-owner M and M Racing (Mike and Mickala Sisk).

M and M was Oaklawn’s leading owner in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. It won 61 races in 2019 to a set a single-season Oaklawn record.