Even though the local track lacks a turf course, Oaklawn past performances pop up frequently on Breeders' Cup weekend at Del Mar in Southern California.
The two leading favorites in the $6 million Classic Saturday have Hot Springs victories, Knicks Go (5-2) in 2020 and Essential Quality (3-1) in the $250,000 Southwest Stakes Feb. 27. Both are defending Breeders' Cup champions, Knicks Go winning the Dirt Mile and Essential Quality the Juvenile at Keeneland last year for trainer Brad Cox. Knicks Go is ranked No. 1 and Essential Quality No. 3 in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association poll.
Second-ranked Letruska, early favorite in Saturday's $2 million Distaff, won Oaklawn's Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap April 17. A Mexican champion bred in Kentucky, Letruska suffered her only 2021 defeat when second to Shedaresthedevil by a head in Oaklawn's Grade 2 Azeri March 13. Shedaresthedevil, a four-time Grade 1 winner for Hot Springs co-owner Staton Flurry, is 4-1 co-second choice in the Distaff.
Oaklawn-raced Jackie's Warrior is early 6-5 favorite in the $2 million Sprint, the 3-year-old going long in his seasonal debut when third to Essential Quality in the Southwest. The Maclean's Music colt has four wins and a second since leaving Oaklawn, here making his first California start.
Also in the Sprint are 2020 BC runner-up C Z Rocket (12-1), claimed at Oaklawn for $40,000 last year and winner this year of the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap and Hot Springs Stakes, both over since-retired champion Whitmore. Another former Oaklawn claimer, Special Reserve, is 6-1 in the Sprint after winning the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland for trainer Mike Maker. Also at 6-1 is Following Sea, an Oaklawn maiden winner for Bob Baffert and last-out Grade 2 Vosburgh winner at Belmont Park for Todd Pletcher.
The $1 million Dirt Mile includes three-time Oaklawn stakes winner Silver State and local winner Snapper Sinclair for Steve Asmussen and Oaklawn-raced Eight Rings for Baffert. Silver State, co-owned by Marshall horseman Willis Horton, won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont after taking the Fifth Season, Essex Handicap and Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in a breakout 4-year-old campaign. Once-beaten Life Is Good, a former Kentucky Derby hopeful for Baffert and now with Pletcher, is 4-5 in the Dirt Mile.
The seven-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint includes Oaklawn-raced winners Gamine (3-5), Ce Ce (4-1) and Edgeway (4-1). Gamine, trained by Baffert, won the F&M Sprint last year at 3 in a season that she captured an Oaklawn allowance. The versatile Ce Ce, trained by Mike McCarthy, took the 2020 Apple Blossom and Edgeway, a 2020 Oaklawn maiden winner for trainer John Sadler, won this year's Carousel.
Two other Classic starters ran locally, 3-year-old Stilletto Bay winning a maiden race and 4-year-old Express Train placing third in the Grade 2 $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on the same card (April 17). Last time out, those two horses finished second and third to Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Oct. 21 at Santa Anita.
The field for the 10-furlong Classic, set for 7:40 p.m., is, from the rail out, Tripoli (jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., 15-1), Express Train (Victor Espinoza, 20-1), Hot Rod Charlie (Flavien Prat, 4-1), Essential Quality (Luis Saez), Knicks Go (Joel Rosario), Art Collector (Mike Smith, 8-1), Stilleto Boy (30-1, Kent Desormeaux), Medina Spirit (John Velazquez, 4-1) and Max Player (8-1, Ricardo Santana Jr.).
Five Breeders' Cup races are scheduled Friday and nine on Saturday.