Race 9 today at Oaklawn Park has been around a long time and with a list of winners both diverse and distinguished.
Oaklawn has changed the name of what it now calls the Purple Martin Stakes twice since the race's inception in 1996. The first seven runnings honored the only Arkansas Derby-winning filly, the Wayne Lukas-trained Althea, who equaled the track record for nine furlongs (since broken) of 1:46 4-5 in 1984. Then in 2003, the Althea became the Instant Racing, recognizing the first cash cow in what has became an intricate, and financially sustaining, gaming system at the track.
For years, the Althea or Instant Racing appeared on the Arkansas Derby undercard. When carded at a mile or a mile and sixteenth, it suited the needs of 3-year-old fillies a cut below Kentucky Oaks standards and thus not pointing to Oaklawn's Fantasy Stakes. Race conditions changed again in 2013, the Instant Racing switching to six furlongs. A name change followed last year with the race switched to late March.
Although Mockingbird, the state bird, might appear a better choice, the purple martin is a symbol of springtime in Arkansas and its concurrent "fifth season," Oaklawn racing. With spring break winding down and the April 14 Arkansas Derby around the corner, local racegoers can catch their breath a week after Rebel Saturday on St. Patrick's Day.
The Purple Martin today matches eight 3-year-old fillies, two trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, whose Golden Mischief won the inaugural running last year through the disqualification of Our Majesty in what losing trainer Ron Moquett called a "shaky" stewards' decision.
Asmussen won the race three times when it was known as the Instant Racing. The 2012 winner, Glinda the Good, owned by Stonestreet Stables and ridden locally by Corey Nakatani, currently is in the news as the dam of Kentucky Derby contender and reigning male juvenile champion Good Magic, a Curlin colt trained by Chad Brown.
Closing in on his ninth Oaklawn training title and third in a row, Asmussen is represented by even-money program favorite Mia Mischief and Buy Sell Hold. Though Buy Sell Hold boasts a May 2017 stakes victory at Churchill Downs in her second start, Mia Mischief is stakes placed and never worse than second in five starts.
In her only race outside Kentucky, where she won one race each at Churchill Downs and Keeneland, Mia Mischief proved the gamest of second-place finishers when beaten a neck in Oaklawn's six-furlong Dixie Belle Jan. 20. The quality of that performance was enhanced when Dixie Belle winner Amy's Challenge finished a strong second to Cosmic Burst going a mile and sixteenth in the Grade 3 Honeybee March 10.
Showing five published workouts since the Dixie Belle, Mia Mischief drew post six and keeps Oaklawn leader Ricardo Santana Jr. in the saddle. Purchased for $300,000 in March 17 as a 2-year-old in training, Mia Mischief is one of four Purple Martin entrants sired by Into Mischief, who is a half-brother to retired champion racemare Beholder and current Kentucky Derby contender Mendelssohn. Mia Mischief races for longtime Asmussen clients Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, who like the trainer are from Texas.
Buy Sell Hold, a $67,000 September 2016 Keeneland yearling buy, ran in the Grade 3 Schuylerville and a second Saratoga stake, placing fifth in both races, before rested last year. The Purple Martin marks the 3-year-old debut for Buy Sell Hold, whose owners, Kirk and Judy Robison, like the Heiligbrodts, enjoy a long association with Asmussen. Buy Sell Hold is a daughter of Violence, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro who sired Honeybee winner Cosmic Burst, trained by Donnie Von Hemel. Ramon Vazquez gets the mount.
Two-time Oaklawn training champion Bernie Flint sends Salt Bae from New Orleans, where Paynter's daughter scored her maiden victory by nearly six lengths going six furlongs Jan. 12. Jockey David Cabrera gets the call on Salt Bae, who drew the rail post.
Also entered are Oaklawn winners Criminal Mischief (Luis Contreras) and Turbo Shaft (Santo Sanjur) along with Oaklawn-raced Vision of Justice (Alex Canchari), Iowa stakes winner Msbrooklynbrawler (Marlon St. Julien) and Clay's Dialing In (Jon Court).
Post time for the Purple Martin is 5:09 p.m. on a 10-race card starting at 1:05 p.m.
Sports on 03/24/2018