2026.08.13 Oaklawn Racing Update

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Contact: Chris Ho Vice President of Marketing

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

Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026

Oaklawn stakes winner and marathon ace Parchment Party is the 8-5 program favorite for the $200,000 Birdstone Stakes Thursday at Saratoga.

Probable post time for the Birdstone, the eighth of nine races, is 4:14 p.m. (Central).

Parchment Party is seeking his second consecutive victory in the Birdstone, a 1 ¾-mile event for 3-year-olds and up, after capturing last year’s edition by length for his Hall of Fame connections of jockey John Velazquez and trainer Bill Mott.

Sandwiched around the Birdstone were victories in the 1 ¾-mile off-the-turf Belmont Gold Cup (G3) last summer at Saratoga, $200,000 Temperence Hill Stakes at 1 ½ miles March 28 at Oaklawn and the Isaac Murphy Marathon Stakes at 1 ½ miles April 29 at Churchill Downs.

Parchment Party returns to a marathon distance after finishing seventh in the 1 ¼-mile Suburban Stakes (G2) July 4 at Saratoga. Velazquez has the call on Parchment Party, who is scheduled to break from the rail. Mott, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1986, conditions Parchment Party for Pin Oak Stud.

Three other Oaklawn-raced horses are entered in the Birdstone – Stars and Stripes (5-2) for Mott, Jokestar (4-1) for trainer Kevin Attard and Carolo Rapido (20-1) for trainer Norm Casse.

Stars and Stripes won a 1 1/8-mile allowance race March 8 at Oaklawn and the Ben Ali Stakes (G3) at 1 3/16 miles April 18 at Keeneland in his next start.

Jokestar was a 2025 Oaklawn allowance winner and returned to Hot Springs to finish second, beaten a half-length by Parchment Party, in the Temperence Hill.

Carolo Rapido, popular at the claim box, ran in two starter-allowance routes last season at Oaklawn. Carolo Rapido also finished eighth in the inaugural $145,000 General MacArthur Overnight Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles in January 2025 at Oaklawn.

The Birdstone will mark Carolo Rapido’s first reported start as a gelding.

Stars and Stripes is also entered in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) Saturday at Monmouth Park.

White Abarrio Retired

White Abarrio, winner of the 2026 Oaklawn Handicap (G2), was retired following a seventh-place finish in the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) Saturday at Saratoga. C2 Racing, which campaigned the 7-year-old millionaire in partnership, made the announcement on a social media post Monday.

White Abarrio recorded his final career victory in the $1.25 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 18, when he came from off the pace to beat reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty and 2025 Preakness winner Journalism in one of the most anticipated races in Oaklawn history.

The Whitney was the second consecutive dull performance for White Abarrio, who was exiting a non-threatening fourth in $2 million Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) June 27 at Churchill Downs.

A son of 2015 Oaklawn Handicap winner Race Day, White Abarrio compiled an 11-3-3 record from 28 lifetime starts and earnings of $8,598,170. He was a seven-time stakes winner.

In addition to the Oaklawn Handicap, White Abarrio won the Florida Derby (G1) in 2022, Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and Whitney (G1) in 2023 and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in 2025.

White Abarrio ranks 27th in North American history (at least one start in the United States or Canada) for career purse earnings, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.

White Abarrio will begin a stud career in 2027 at Kentucky’s Gainesway Farm. The deal was announced in June.

Journalism (undisclosed injury) was retired after winning the San Diego Handicap (G2) July 18 at Del Mar. Journalism will begin his stud career in 2027 at Kentucky’s Ashford Stud.

Finish Lines

Millionaire Oaklawn stakes winner Zeitlos (2-1 program favorite) and multiple Oaklawn allowance winner Itzel are entered in the Smart And Fancy Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Friday at Saratoga. … Oaklawn stakes winner Bishops Bay and Oaklawn-raced East Avenue are entered in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Monmouth Park. … Oaklawn “Ratings Handicap” winner Pink Ruby is entered in the All Brandy Stakes on the turf Saturday at Colonial Downs. The 1 1/16-mile race is for fillies and mares, 3 and up, that were bred in Virginia or Maryland or Virginia or Maryland or Virginia sired. … Oaklawn-raced How Bout That Curt is the 4-5 program favorite for the Minnesota Derby for 3-year-old Minnesota-bred colts and geldings at 1 mile and 70 yards Saturday at Canterbury Park. … Oaklawn maiden winner G T Five Hundred is entered in the King Edwards Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 mile on the turf and the Bold Venture Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs over an all-weather surface. Both races are Saturday at Woodbine. … Oaklawn allowance winners Kerry’s Kiss and Indy Bay are entered in the Sheer Drama Handicap for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 7 furlongs Saturday at Gulfstream Park. … Oaklawn stakes winner Oscar’s Hope and Oaklawn allowance winner Stradale are entered in the Mahony Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Sunday at Saratoga. … Jockey Ramon Vazquez, Oaklawn’s leading rider last season, enters Friday with 3,976 career North American victories, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization. Vazquez is named on horses this weekend at Prairie Meadows and Ellis Park. … Half-interest in millionaire 3-year-old Oaklawn stakes winner Silent Tactic is being offered through a digital flash sale conducted by Fasig-Tipton. Bidding closes Friday at 11 a.m. (Central). Silent Tactic was the only horse to go through Oaklawn’s four-race Kentucky Derby qualifying series in 2026. He ran second in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3, won the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 6, finished second in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 1 and was second in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 28 for owner John C. Oxley and dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse