2026.03.15 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Contact: Chris Ho Vice President of Marketing

cho@oaklawn.com, 501-623-4411 ext. 4201

Sunday, March 15, 2026

There’s a new face in the Oaklawn jockey colony. Actually, it’s an old face.

David Cohen, Oaklawn’s leading rider in 2019, got on horses Sunday morning in advance of his scheduled 2025-2026 local debut in Thursday’s fourth race aboard Sivako for trainer Wayne Potts.

Cohen, 41, hasn’t ridden regularly at Oaklawn since 2021-2022, ending a five-season run that saw him amass 213 victories. Cohen won 75 races in 2019 to end Ricardo Santana Jr.’s six-year hold on the title. Cohen moved his tack to Fair Grounds in late 2022 and was based at Delta Downs, another Louisiana track, earlier this year. Its meeting ended Feb. 21.

“Why wouldn’t you want to come back here?” Cohen said Sunday morning. “I love the town. It’s an amazing place to live. I got back here (Saturday night) and got on horses in the first set, so it was still dark. I was backing a horse up to the wire and was like, ‘Man, I just love this place.’ Just miss it. It’s a magical place to be.”

Cohen’s return to Oaklawn coincides with hiring a new agent, Penny Ffitch-Heyes.

Cohen said he contacted Ffitch-Heyes several weeks ago and they originally planned to team for the first time at Hawthorne, which is scheduled to open March 29. But the shaky status of the suburban Chicago venue led to an earlier partnership.

“Penny, she’s had the leading rider there and the leading rider at Fairmount,” Cohen said. “I know the circuit. I try to do an agent for a circuit. We just started talking and then this came about. It was like: ‘What am I going to do after Louisiana?’ This seemed like a good starting point and then go from there. Would love to finish up Oaklawn and then go to Kentucky. Maybe do a little Keeneland at the same time, bounce back and forth.”

Oaklawn opened its 2025-2026 meeting Dec. 12. The split season ends May 2.

In addition to Sivako, Cohen is named to ride Lemon Drop Shot in Friday’s 10th race for trainer Fernando Bahena. Ffitch-Heyes said Cohen worked horses before Sunday morning’s surface renovation break for trainers John Haran and Mac Robertson.

“I feel great,” Cohen said. “It is funny, you go through stages and I’m at that point I feel like I’m at my peak. We always try to ride quality over quantity. We know what we’re coming in against.”

Cohen has 1,751 career North American victories, the first coming Aug. 11, 2004, at Del Mar, according to Equibase. He won a career-high 288 races in 2009 to rank sixth in North America.

Cohen’s biggest career victories include the 2006 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) aboard Proud Tower Too and the 2012 Travers Stakes (G1) aboard Golden Ticket for trainer Kenny McPeek. Golden Ticket dead-heated for first.

Cohen has 653 career victories on the NYRA circuit (Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga). Cohen’s last victory

at Oaklawn was April 24, 2022. His last Oaklawn mount was April 14, 2024.

Cohen resides in Simpsonville, Ky., about 25 minutes from Churchill Downs and 45 minutes from Keeneland.

Back to Work

Blackout Time recorded a bullet workout over a fast track Saturday morning for trainer Kenny McPeek in advance of a scheduled start in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles March 28.

Under retired two-time Oaklawn leading rider Robby Albarado, Blackout Time covered a half-mile in :47. It was the fastest of 90 works published at the distance. Blackout Time worked with stablemate Gould’s Gold, a 5-year-old stakes winner who is entered in the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) March 21.

Clockers caught Blackout Time in :24.20 for his opening quarter-mile and galloping out five furlongs in :59.60 and six furlongs in 1:13.40.

“Everything is still on track for the Arkansas Derby,” co-owner Lance Gasaway said in a text message Sunday morning.

Blackout Time, in his 3-year-old debut, finished fourth in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 1. The Rebel was Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby qualifying race.

Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn March 21 for the Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race. The Arkansas Derby will award 200 total points to its top five finishers (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Blackout Time (15 points) ranks 29th on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard released by Churchill Downs. The 1 ¼-mile race is limited to 20 starters.

Other locally based horses pointing for the Arkansas Derby include Silent Tactic for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and Litmus Test for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Taptastic has returned to the track following his sparkling March 8 debut victory at one mile and is nominated to the Arkansas Derby, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning.

Finish Lines

Millionaire Grade 1 winner Skippylongstocking is one of eight older horses entered in the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) at 1 1/8 miles March 21. The Essex is a major local prep for the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 18. Skippylongstocking won the 2024 Oaklawn Handicap. … Soldier N Diplomat is pointing for the one-mile $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes for 3-year-olds March 26, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning. Strategic Risk is also pointing for the Hot Springs, said assistant Caden Arthur, who oversees dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse’s Oaklawn division. Strategic Risk won the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3. Soldier N Diplomat finished second in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 6. The Smarty Jones and Southwest were Oaklawn’s first two Kentucky Derby qualifying races. … Unbeaten Dixie Belle winner French Friction worked a half-mile in :48.40 after the surface renovation break Sunday morning for Casse. The track was fast. French Friction (two-for-two) is scheduled to make her two-turn debut in the $750,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles April 3 at Keeneland. … Tejano Twist (Saturday’s $250,000 G3 Whitmore) represented jockey Francisco Arrieta’s 17th stakes victory the last two seasons at Oaklawn. … Goodall ($12) won Saturday’s $150,000 Purple Martin to give Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his record-extending 128th career Oaklawn stakes victory. Asmussen said Sunday morning that next-race plans are pending for Goodall, but she will be considered for races like the $700,000 Eight Belles Stakes (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs May 1 at Churchill Downs.