Pay no mind to the empty chairs at the main table, only six guests showing when the hosts were expecting more.
Though the main event came up light on numbers, the 85th Arkansas Derby program today is one that the late Charles J. Cella would have given two thumbs-up.
"We're in the business of selling racing," explains Louis Cella, his son and successor as track president, holding on to family traditions while truly making it Oaklawn Racing Casino and Resort on Central Avenue.
Before the last of 13 races goes off in the 7 o'clock hour, track patrons will be treated to what a departed Little Rock turfwriter called a "stakes buffet." Four major races with total value of $2.1 million, three others with six-figure purses and five maiden races of $93,000 each, all fueled by Oaklawn's other revenue sources.
But the spotlight remains on live racing with this family-run enterprise. Charles Cella grew up in the theater business and stayed a showman even as the family dipped into horse racing, Oaklawn opening its doors in 1904. Now conducting its 117th season of live racing, Oaklawn is almost back to normal after the 2020 meet was rocked (but no days lost) because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Photo Gallery
Arkansas Derby contenders
Six 3-year-olds will compete in the Grade 1 $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday.
Gallery not showing? Click here https://www.hotsr.com/photos/galleries/2021/apr/09/arkansas-derby-contenders/
This meeting has withstood two snowstorms that shut the track for eight racing days and curtailed training for almost two weeks in February. In grand style, Oaklawn bounced back to conduct a February weekend with six stakes, two racing champions from the previous year in action. Though crowds remain below pre-pandemic levels, fans have witnessed the future Dubai World Cup winner in action (Mystic Guide in the Razorback Handicap) and two unbeaten Kentucky Derby hopefuls (Essential Quality in the Southwest, Concert Tour in the Rebel).
Now comes word that the April 17 Apple Blossom Handicap is to be a battle of female champions: meet winner Monomoy Girl (Bayakoa) and 2020 Oaklawn heroine Swiss Skydiver. Toss in the Oaklawn Handicap, a second $1-million race on next Saturday's card, and there's enough to keep tongues yapping until the May 1 closing-day card coincides with Kentucky Derby 147 at Churchill Downs.
First things first. The Arkansas Derby, with 170 Derby qualifying points available to the top four finishers, helps flesh out the field for the Louisville classic.
Concert Tour so dominated the Rebel that the fallout was heard across the racing landscape. Some Derby notes: Trainer Bob Baffert has two in the race, also entering Rebel runner-up Hozier; two have Arkansas owners (John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs is owner-breeder of Caddo River and Willis Horton of Marshall the same with Last Samurai); and one, Super Stock, third in the Rebel, is trained by Steve Asmussen, who leads the standings and enters virtually every race anyway. Get Her Number, from California, is the only shipper -- and he ran in the Rebel.
Essential Quality's Southwest victory Feb. 27 was validated in last week's Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. With Concert Tour and Caddo River also dominating their first 2021 races, Louis Cella cites the "quality of the competition" for keeping the field size down in the $1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.
"They're ducking our horses," he said Friday while looking ahead to Derby Day.
In passing, Cella mentioned that Whitmore is running today, reason enough to make this day special. The 8-year-old champion seeks to win a record fourth Count Fleet Sprint Handicap in the Grade 3 $500,000 race for older sprinters. He set the record last year, also winning the Count Fleet in 2017 and 2018 and running second to future champion Mitole in 2019.
On a track that he has won nine of 15 and more than $1.6 million (entering his 40th race, Whitmore has 15 victories and earned more than $4.2 million), the Old Boy enters his fifth Count Fleet with a chip on his shoulder. His close second to C Z Rocket in the Hot Springs Stakes, which Whitmore had won four consecutive years and Ron Moquett, his trainer and co-owner, "wanted to win until they named the race after him," shook up some people.
C Z Rocket, claimed for $40,000 at Oaklawn last April by trainer Peter Miller, returns for the rematch. "All Whitmore did last time was finish second to the second-place horse in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint," Moquett said in answer to anyone who doubts the other horse's quality and might think his horse is slipping.
Adding to the storyline, Whitmore won the BC Sprint, the second Grade 1 triumph of his life, and won his first Eclipse Award as champion sprinter at year's end.
Mapping out this race after cooling out from the last one, Moquett calls the Count Fleet "our Breeders' Cup this year."
"We want to win and he came in here and beat us on our home course," Moquett said of C Z Rocket. "That didn't sit well with the connections so we want to defend our land."
In response, Miller said, "He's a great horse, great connections and it's a home game for Whitmore. We've got to travel again but C Z's a warrior as well and I think it's just going to come down to who gets the trip."
Moquett concedes, "We're going to need everything to go our way. It's not just (C Z Rocket) either, there's another Grade 1 winner in there on the rail (No Parole). Everybody's got different styles but they're all pretty good at their styles."
Best-case scenario: Moquett sees Whitmore coming off the rail in midstretch with the move that made him a winner for Irad Ortiz Jr. at Keeneland.
Florent Geroux stays on C Z Rocket while Ricardo Santana Jr., aboard Whitmore in his previous Count Fleet wins and reunited with the gelding last time, keeps the mount on he knows better than any jockey.
"He's bailed out so many times," Moquett said. "We speak his language around the barn. He tells us when he's ready to run."