2026.03.06 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Trainer H. Ray Ashford Jr. wasted no time in his pursuit of 2,000 career victories after the promising Super Cruise captured a one-mile allowance race Feb. 28 at Oaklawn.

Super Cruise’s victory came roughly 20 hours after Ashford recorded his 1,000th career North American victory when favored Running Point won the first race Feb. 27 at Sam Houston Race Park, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

“I wasn’t in Houston, but I got to celebrate again yesterday, though, thanks to Oaklawn,” Ashford said Sunday morning. “So, I appreciated that.”

Ashford was referring to a placard he received from Oaklawn to recognize his milestone victory.

Ashford was already in the Larry Snyder Winner’s Circle after Super Cruise, under Rafael Bejarano, edged First Division by a head in the $125,000 allowance for older horses. The victory was the second in three starts at the meet for Super Cruise, who was exiting a runner-up finish, beaten a neck, in the $135,000 General MacArthur Overnight Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 6.

Ashford said he was considering Super Cruise for last Sunday’s inaugural $135,000 Pig Trail Stakes at 1 ½ miles before racing secretary Pat Pope “hung a non-three allowance race.”

“There was really not that much difference in the purse,” Ashford said. “No horse races are easy. Nobody will ever say that. But it was a little softer spot, probably, in the non-three allowance race.”

Ashford removed blinkers for the allowance race. The final time over a fast track was a sharp 1:36.46.

“I don’t train the horse in blinkers, anyway,” Ashford said. “I was wanting to take them off before, but it’s hard to do when the horse has such good form.”

Super Cruise has a 3-2-1 overall mark in six starts and earnings of $270,500.

Ashford said Super Cruise could make his next start in the $200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes for older horses at 1 1/16 miles May 2.

“We’ll kind of see how it goes, but I’m kind of pointing for that one,” Ashford said.

Super Cruise, a 4-year-old son of deceased champion Uncle Mo, represented the ninth victory at the meeting for Ashford, who is wintering at Oaklawn for the second consecutive season. Seven victories have been for major client Tom Durant, a Texas automobile dealer whose equine M.O. is acquiring pricey, well-bred young talent. Ashford has trained the last three years for Durant.

The bulk of Ashford’s career victories have come in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Iowa. But backed by Durant, Ashford said he applied for stalls at Churchill Downs and plans to be based in Kentucky after the Oaklawn meeting ends May 2.

“Part of the reason is Mr. Durant has six really nice 2-year-olds,” Ashford said. “That plan is to get them when we get there to Kentucky. He lives there in Dallas, but he said: ‘I’ve been there, done that. I’m buying them to run there. I want to be at that level.’ And I’m glad. He asked me when I first got this job, ‘Would I like to take some to Churchill?’ I said: ‘I’ve been waiting my whole life, really, for the opportunity to have horses like that.’ ”

Ashford said Durant’s 2-year-old crop includes a filly by Grade 1 winner Audible, a colt by unbeaten 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline, a filly by white-hot sire Not This Time and a colt by 2019 Arkansas Derby winner Omaha Beach.

The Audible filly is a half-sister to D’code, who ran the fastest six furlongs in Oaklawn history for a 2-year-old (1:09.57) in his Dec. 14 debut for Ashford and Durant. Durant purchased the Not This Time filly, a half-sister to millionaire Necker Island, for $850,000 at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“We’ve got some nice babies, so we’re excited,” Ashford said.

Ashford saddled his first career winner July 14, 1991, at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. He has 13 career Oaklawn victories.

Apple of His Eye

Nerazurri has been one of the stars of the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting, logging three victories and a runner-up finish behind stablemate and champion Nitrogen in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 7.

Nerazurri may have an opportunity to further boost her Oaklawn resume, dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said. Casse said Nerazurri is under consideration for the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles April 11.

Nerazurri has never run in a Grade 1 race, but her form has been so good this season at Oaklawn that Casse considered sending her to California for Saturday’s Beholder Mile (G1) before opting to remain home for the $135,000 Trivista Overnight Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 27. Nerazurri, as the odds-on favorite, cruised to her second stakes victory at the meeting.

“I thought about it,” Casse said of the Beholder Mile. “Glad I didn’t. I think what I’ll do with her is leave her here. May even run her in the Apple Blossom. We’ll see.”

Casse trains Nerazurri for owner Michael H. Eiserman of Highland Park, Ill. Eiserman privately purchased Nerazurri following her runner-up finish behind Arkansas-bred star Haulin Ice in the seven-furlong Princess Rooney Stakes (G3) Sept. 20 at Gulfstream Park.

Before shipping to Oaklawn, Nerazurri ran third in an Oct. 25 allowance race at Keeneland and fourth in a Nov. 15 starter allowance at Churchill Downs.

“We had only had her a couple of weeks and we ran her in a really tough allowance race and she had a terrible trip,” Casse said. “Jose (Ortiz) rode her and he came back and said to me: ‘We’re going to have a lot of fun with this one.’ And she’s just gotten better and better.”

Nerazurri won a starter allowance and the inaugural $135,000 Oaklawn Sports Overnight Stakes earlier this season at Oaklawn.

The Apple Blossom is the major spring objective for Nitrogen, North America’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2025. Nitrogen and stablemate La Cara, a millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner, are entered in Saturday’s $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2). The 1 1/16-mile Azeri is the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom.

Finish Lines

Jockey Serafin Carmoma is hospitalized at CHI-St. Vincent in Hot Springs after being unseated when his mount clipped heels during the running of Thursday’s ninth race. Carmona was transferred by ambulance to CHI, where he was sedated and placed on a ventilator with a head and neck injury. Carmona is riding at Oaklawn for the first time this season and has five victories. … Odds-on favorite Saudi Crown ($2.80) won Thursday’s seventh race, a $70,000 “Ratings Handicap,” by a length over Bendoog. Luis Saez rode Saudi Crown, a millionaire Grade 1 winner, for trainer Brad Cox. The winning time over a fast track was 1:42.88. … After recording his first career Oaklawn victory with Eleven Bravo ($9.80) in Thursday’s second race, trainer Robert A. Young notched his first career Oaklawn double in the eighth race with Second I D ($10.40). … Oaklawn champions David Cabrera (jockey) and Chris Hartman (trainer) teamed for two victories Thursday. They won the third race with favored Right On Right On ($5.20) and the fourth race with favored Mr. Goodtime ($4).