Trainer Chris Hartman can scratch one item off his bucket list: winning the King Cotton at Oaklawn Park.
After four straight second-place finishes (2013-16) with Alsvid, Hartman visited the winner's circle after the 68th running of the $125,000 sprint stake Saturday. Wilbo, a Candy Ride gelding with a fondness for Oaklawn, came off the pace and stared down even-money favorite Ivan Fallunovalot by two lengths, his fast-rated six furlongs in 1:09.85.
"I was beginning to feel like a bridesmaid in this race," said Hartman, Oaklawn's training champion in 2015. "We've been beat by some real good horses in this race and we beat a good field today."
With Recount the show horse, the top three were the same as in a Jan. 14 prep over the track. "Except in that one," Hartman said, "we came up the rail and today we came wide."
Track newcomer David Cabrera has been aboard Wilbo in both 2018 races, giving the 6-year-old three wins (with two thirds) from six local starts.
"This is a very, very special horse," said Cabrera. "The first time I rode him, Chris gave me instructions on how the horse was. I listened to him and I rode him just exactly the way he told me. I think that helped me a lot because he said he has just one kick and it's not very far. He said to wait as long as I could and then cut him loose."
Luis Quinonez, aboard Ivan Fallunovalot, "went to Plan B right away" after the 8-year-old gelding, King Cotton winner in 2015 and 2016, started slowly.
"He just didn't get away from there," said Quinonez. "He kind of bobbled out of the gate and they got the jump on him."
Recount, 2017 King Cotton runner-up to Storm Advisory, excited jockey Alex Canchari when the field turned for home. "I thought I was going to win the race," he said. "Top of the lane those horses just came by me, but my horse never quit trying, though."
Wilbo had the strongest closing kick despite lugging 122 pounds, 4 more than in the prep. "I wasn't as worried about (weight) as much as the pace scenario," Hartman said. "David put an excellent ride on him. He sat to the outside and when he called on him, he went on. ... I was glad to see him get by them."
Wilbo paid $10, $3.80 and $2.60. Ivan Fallunovalot, with $25,000 for second, inched closer to becoming a racing millionaire with $986,403 from 30 starts. Apprehender, doing business at 9 for Gene Jacquot after winning the 2013 and 2014 King Cotton for Chris Richard, ran fourth.
A half-brother to 2009 Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Kodiak Kowboy (both produced by Coronado's Quest's daughter Kokadrie), Wilbo is 9 of 24 lifetime with career earnings of $470,651. Next up, said Hartman, is the $125,000 Hot Springs March 10 and a likely meeting with 2017 race winner Whitmore in the latter's 5-year-old debut. The Hot Springs shares billing that day with the Grade 3 $200,000 Honeybee for 3-year-old fillies.
Newcomers: Keyed up for his career debut, Exclamation Point broke away from the post parade going past the grandstand before a $75,000 sprint for maiden 3-year-old fillies. The Concord Point colt, half-brother to 2016 male juvenile champion and 2017 Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire, raced greenly at times but kicked clear in the stretch for a front-running victory of 2 1/2 lengths.
With Fernando De La Cruz riding for trainer Brad Cox, the chestnut colt produced by Sambuca Classica (by Cat Thief) went off as 2-1 second choice to fellow Triple Crown nominee and first-time starter Limation. He paid $7.40, $4.80 and $4 after six furlongs in 1:10.56. Augie, a second-time Oaklawn starter for trainer Greg Compton, head second by a head over Limation, an Alternation colt trained by Steve Asmussen.
"We're still high on him," Jonesboro owner Mike Langford said of Limation, the 11-5 favorite off a long string of works at Asmussen's New Orleans base. Limation's debut was delayed, Langford said, because of a "growth spurt."
Johnny on the spot: The meeting's first two-time winner is also its first three-time winner. Johnny Whip, a 9-year-old gelding by Stephen Got Even, put his head on the wire against Nobadeer, the latter getting 12 pounds from the winner with apprentice jockey Edgar Morales aboard. Johnny Whip dropped to the bottom of the Oaklawn claiming ladder after winning for $12,500 going a mile Jan. 12 (opening day) and for $10,000 in a sprint Jan. 20. Not surprisingly, Johnny Whip changed hands on Saturday, going from Karl Broberg to John Hall for $6,250.
Sports on 02/04/2018