2025.08.14 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Thursday, August 14, 2025

Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Haulin Ice can become the leading accredited Arkansas-bred money winner in history with a victory in Saturday’s seven-furlong $75,000 Sheer Drama Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Haulin Ice has $828,900 in career earnings after winning nine of 15 starts, including five stakes races. Nodouble, the country’s two-time champion older horse, completed his racing career in 1970 with $846,749 in earnings, an all-time record for an accredited Arkansas-bred runner.

Haulin Ice has won her last four starts, including Oaklawn’s $150,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders’ Stakes for state-breds on March 1 and the $250,000 Matron Stakes on March 29. Both races were six furlongs.

A speedy 4-year-old gray daughter of millionaire Oaklawn stakes winner Coal Front, Haulin Ice originally raced for her breeder, Eugenia Thompson-Benight, and trainer Lindsay Schultz. She made her first five career starts at Oaklawn (all at the 2023-2024 meeting) before being purchased privately in the spring of 2024 and transferred to the Florida-based Joseph.

After winning the $75,000 Azalea Stakes in July 2024 at Gulfstream Park – her second race for Joseph – Haulin Ice made three starts at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting. In addition to the Downthedustyroad and Matron, Haulin Ice beat open company in a December allowance sprint. Haulin Ice (then with $688,100 in career earnings) became the leading accredited Arkansas-bred female money winner in history with a front-running five-length victory against open company in the Matron. The now-retired Connie K earned $620,612 in a 28-race career from 2021-2024.

Haulin Ice also won three races for Schultz at the 2023-2024 Oaklawn meeting and has a 6-2-0 record in eight lifetime starts in Hot Springs, with earnings of $612,050. Haulin Ice races for C2 Racing Stable (brothers Clint and Mark Cornett), Paul Braverman, Miller Racing (Myron Miller) and Timothy Pinch.

After winning the Matron, Haulin Ice collected her first career graded stakes victory in the $175,000 G3-Vagrancy May 4 at Aqueduct and was a front-running 3 ¼-length winner of the $75,000 Musical Romance Handicap June 22 at Gulfstream Park in her last start. Both races were 6 ½ furlongs.

Edgard Zayas has the return call on Haulin Ice, who drew post 7 in the nine-horse Sheer Drama field and was assigned top weight of 127 pounds. Oaklawn allowance winner Claret Beret, another private purchase trained by Joseph, drew post 2 and is the 7-5 program favorite. Haulin Ice is 9-5 on the morning line.

Probable post time for the Sheer Drama, the 10th of 11 races, is 4:51 p.m. (Central).

Haulin Ice was named the 2024 Arkansas-bred Horse of the Year by the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Horsemen’s Association. Nodouble, the 1968 Arkansas Derby winner and champion older horse in 1969 and 1970, won 13 of 42 lifetime starts.

Finish Lines

Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner First Mission is the 1-2 program favorite for the $250,000 G3-Philip H. Iselin Stakes Saturday at Monmouth Park. … Oaklawn allowance winner Kinzie Queen is entered in the $600,000 G1-Alabama Stakes, one of the nation’s most important races for 3-year-old fillies, Saturday at Saratoga. … Oaklawn stakes winner Benedetta and Oaklawn-raced Legadema are entered in the $150,000 Smart And Fancy Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Friday at Saratoga. … Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Apprehend, Oaklawn winner Seas of Normandy and Oaklawn-raced Money Shot are entered in the $125,000 Longacres Mile for 3-year-olds and up Sunday at Emerald Downs.