The Purple Martin Stakes today commands a broader spotlight than anyone could have expected when the Oaklawn Park season opened in January.
On a normal first Saturday in April, Keeneland would be two days into its spring meeting with the Grade 1 Ashland and other major races on tap. Out west, the Santa Anita Derby would perform its usual role of identifying Kentucky Derby prospects -- not all trained by Bob Baffert, but some.
COVID-19 -- the official name for the coronavirus -- has changed the nation's habits. Horse racing is affected, especially with its signature event, the Kentucky Derby, pushed from the first Saturday in May to the corresponding date in September.
Although the grandstand be empty and the racetrack casino closed, Oaklawn is the rare major racing center open in the wake of health-related closures at Aqueduct, Keeneland and Santa Anita. They're still racing at Gulfstream Park, but the Florida Derby card, biggest of the season, rang out March.
Thus, a $100,000 race for 3-year-old fillies, even if a sprint, is an attention getter on the April Saturday that once capped the Oaklawn meeting. The Purple Martin, at six furlongs, could serve as a prep race for Oaklawn's rescheduled Grade 3 $400,000 Fantasy at 1 1/16 miles Friday, May 1 (the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks has been rerouted to Friday, Sept. 4).
Once known as the Althea, honoring the track's only Arkansas Derby-winning filly, and then as the Instant Racing, recognizing the electronic game that rescued Oaklawn from economic peril in the 2000s, the Purple Martin is especially important this year.
Trainer Wesley Ward, for instance, normally would be at Keeneland with Kimari, a bay Munnings filly who won her debut race in Lexington, Ky., by 15 lengths last April 25. Oaklawn doesn't get many horses that finished second out of 25 in a race as did Kimari second time out in Grade 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Although a multiple stakes winner on turf, placing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita in November, the Ward trainee has worked strongly on dirt before her comebacker in the Purple Martin.
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith regains the mount on Kimari after circling the field for a half-length victory in Keeneland's $200,000 Indian Summer in October. The filly has shown early speed on both dirt and grass, giving Smith options from the rail post.
One trainer who penciled in the Purple Martin all along is Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who sends out 5-2 program favorite Frank's Rockette for Little Rock owner-breeder Frank Fletcher. Produced by the Fletcher-raced Rocket Twentyone (by Indian Charlie), this bay filly of $175,000 sire Into Mischief has raced in stakes company since a nine-length maiden romp in her June debut at Churchill Downs. Working the New York circuit, Frank's Rockette placed second in three consecutive graded stakes -- competing at the highest level, Grade 1, in the Spinaway at Saratoga and the Frizette at Belmont. A May foal. Frank's Rockette won a $75,000 Gulfstream sprint by seven lengths Feb. 22 in her seasonal bow.
Martin Garcia rides Frank's Rockette today in what her connections hope is a springboard to other major stakes. Mott reflected on the Purple Martin's quality with four previously undefeated runners among the 10 entered.
"Looks like it's come up a good race," said Mott, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 1986. "I know there are some fillies in there that look like they don't know how to get beat. Wesley Ward has a filly that's run in good company. It looks like a very competitive race."
Frank's Rockette normally sits just off the pace and should have that opportunity breaking from post eight. "I think that will work out," Mott said. "I mean I'm not dissatisfied with it -- put it that way."
In a show of respect to a debut winner trained by John Sadler, Edgeway is the early 3-1 second choice. Tyler Baze keeps the mount after winning by five in the Feb. 29 opener, posting a 94 Beyer Speed Figure with six furlongs in 1:09 flat. The Competitive Edge filly sold for $275,000 in Florida last spring, California owner Kosta Hronis keeping his fingers crossed after Edgeway's precocious debut.
Oaklawn stakes winner Ring Leader might fly underneath the radar in the Purple Martin, but is in the able hands of trainer Mac Robertson, whose 5-year-old Amy's Challenge is a three-time stakes-winning sprinter over the track. Rank early in the Grade 3 Honeybee, the bay Paynter filly checked in fifth going two turns March 7 after winning the six-furlong Dixie Belle and one other race sprinting at the meet. Joe Talamo, coming off a phenomenal March that made him a contender for the riding title in his first full Oaklawn season, leads Leader, an early 6-1 choice, from post two.
"Tough race, but I think she's going to run pretty good," said Robertson, whose longtime client Joseph Novogratz owns Ring Leader. "There are a couple of horses shipping in, but we're here and probably ready for them. Lots of speed."
Trainer Lynn Chleborad could energize her slow meeting with a strong performance by the aptly named Flat Out Speed, two of whose three victories in a perfect campaign have been on the lead. The bay filly capped an Iowa-based juvenile season with her second stakes victory Sept. 2, coming slightly off the pace at six furlongs. Alex Canchari keeps the mount for owner and co-breeder Allen Poindexter.
"She is at a little bit of a disadvantage because she hasn't had a race in her since the first of September," said Chleborad. "I would, truthfully, have liked to have seen two more works in her before I ran here, but she has no conditions and we need to see if she can step up her game and run with these horses."
Also unbeaten are Oaklawn-raced Lexi On the Move (2 for 2) for trainer Robertino Diodoro and Bootytama (3 for 3) for Molly Pearson. Completing the field are Lady Glamour, Kiss the Girl and Wasabi Girl, all 15-1 in the morning line. Post time for the Purple Martin, ninth of 10 races on the card, is 5:09 p.m. (Oaklawn announced this week that first post time is 1:05 p.m. for the rest of the scheduled 57-day season.)
Remaining stakes
Today: $100,000 Purple Martin, 3-year-old fillies, six furlongs.
Saturday, April 11: $150,000 Oaklawn Mile, 4-year-olds and up, one mile.
Saturday, April 11: $200,000 Oaklawn Invitational, 3-year-olds and up, nine furlongs.
Friday, April 17: $100,000 Rainbow Miss, Arkansas-bred 3-year-old fillies, six furlongs.
Friday, April 17: $100,000 Rainbow, Arkansas-bred 3-year-olds and up, six furlongs.
Saturday, April 18: Grade 3 $350,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap, 4-year-olds and up, six furlongs.
Saturday, April 18: Grade 1 $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap, fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles.
Saturday, April 25: $125,000 Carousel, fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up, six furlongs.
Saturday, April 25: $100,000 Bachelor, 3-year-olds, six furlongs.
Friday, May 1: $165,000 Arkansas Breeders' Championship, Arkansas-bred 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles.
Friday, May 1: Grade 3 $400,000 Fantasy, 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles.
Saturday, May 2: Grade 1 $750,000 Arkansas Derby, 3-year-olds, nine furlongs.
Saturday, May 2: Grade 2 $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap, 4-year-olds and up, nine furlongs.
Sports on 04/04/2020