After plastic surgery in the racing office, the Hot Springs Stakes looks brand new, not a line on its face.
An old race got a new name, and different conditions, with the 2021 retirement of Whitmore. The former Hot Springs Stakes was renamed after its four-time winner, champion sprinter of 2020 off his Breeders' Cup victory at Keeneland. Steve Asmussen won the third running of the Whitmore -- several times in the former -- last week with Jaxon Traveler.
The new Hot Springs is one mile for 3-year-olds with a $200,000 purse. Asmussen, running away with what would be his 13th Oaklawn training championship, goes for a meet-extending eighth stakes victory with two converted routers last seen in local stakes.
Otto the Conqueror won the Springboard Mile in December at Remington Park but backed up in the Oaklawn mud despite a Churchill Downs maiden victory in the slop. Three Chimneys Farm's Street Sense colt has popped four local works since sixth in the Grade 3 Southwest Feb. 3. Keith Asmussen regained the mount on Otto after Tyler Gaffalione and Joel Rosario tried their hands in stakes.
Carbone made a quantum leap from the maiden ranks (winning Dec. 31 at a mile) to Grade 3 favoritism in the Southwest. Seventh in that race and sixth in the Grade 2 Rebel Feb. 24, both at 1 1/16 miles, the Mitole colt shortens up in his third start since Hot Springs horseman Staton Flurry bought a share from Houston owners Bill and Corinne Heiliigbrodt. Those longtime Asmussen clients raced champion and Oaklawn stakes winner Mitole. Ricardo Santana Jr., winning twice on the colt, is back aboard Carbone, who along with Otto breaks inside the others in the nine-horse field.
Brad Cox, two of whose three stakes wins at the meeting have come with Kentucky Derby contenders, brings Nash to town off three consecutive losses at Fair Grounds and a runaway maiden win at 1 1/16 miles in November at Churchill. Nash, a Medagla d'Oro homebred, represents mighty Godolphin, no stranger to Oaklawn green with its signature blue silks. Florent Geroux rides here, Nash favored at 7-5 in the program, instead of at Fair Grounds on the Louisiana Derby card.
"Talented horse," Cox said. "He obviously ran behind a very good horse in (early Louisiana Derby favorite) Track Phantom. He ran a good race last time. I think that he was beaten by another very good horse. He's going to have to step up. It's a solid, competitive race. There's nothing easy about it at all. We're hoping that he takes the little cut back in the two-turn mile and see how it goes."
Ken McPeek, never one to miss a 3-year-old race or most any local stake, ships in Count Dracula from Fair Grounds, where the grandson of Dynaformer broke his maiden at a mile and 70 yards. Emmanuel Esquivel gets the mount on the last-out neck loser in the off-the-turf Black Gold.
McPeek, whose Southwest winner Mystik Dan is a top contender in the Grade 1 $1.5 million Arkansas Derby next weekend, is also represented by Dialed In runner Footprint, fourth in a Fair Grounds stake and third in back-to-back Oaklawn stakes. Chris Landeros gets the call.
Mena, though 11th in the Rebel, draws attention as a full brother (Hard Spun-Pangburn) to since-retired Caddo River, a stakes winner over the track for John Ed Anthony. Shortleaf Stable also bred Mena, owned by George Sharp and now in the hands of veteran trainer Steve Hobby. Harry Hernandez, with a stakes win in his first Oaklawn meeting, rides from post three.
Mr Fillip, a last-out winner going short for Robertino Diodoro, gets meet leader Cristian Torres for his two-turn debut. Frost Free returns off a sprint win for Brett Creighton and Magic Grant hopes to get back on track for Eddie Milligan Jr. and Arkansas owner Willis Horton Racing LLC.
Preceding the Grade 3 $600,000 Essex Handicap on the 10-race card, the Hot Springs (race 8) is set for 4:22 p.m. Cox won the inaugural running of the newly configured Hot Springs last year with Eyeing Clover, Asmussen placing second with recent local winner and Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap prospect Gun Pilot.
Essex Handicap
Cox hopes a change of venue revives Godolphin's First Mission in the Essex after a 20 1/2-length defeat to National Treasure in the Grade 1 $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.
An April 20 return in the Grade 2 $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap at nine furlongs is possible for the G3 Lexington winner at Keeneland in the spring and G2 Clark Stakes runner-up at Churchill Downs in the fall of his 3-year-old season.
"Really like what we've seen from First Mission over the last month," Cox said. "Kind of backed off him just a little bit after the Pegasus. ... Never was involved, like we thought he would be. We just regrouped with him and thought we back up to a Grade 3 as opposed to looking at Grade 1s for the time being. We're hoping he gets back on track."
First Mission was 5-2 morning-line second choice in the Preakness last May before being scratched with a leg problem. That kept him out until October and a second-level allowance at Keeneland. He carries 121 pounds and breaks from outside post nine with Geroux.
"Thought he was really good off the layoff last fall and was excited about the Pegasus," Cox said. "It just didn't work out quite as well as we thought or hoped and here we are."
Jerry Namy's War Campaign, trained by Phil Sims, won the Dec. 16 Tinsel at Oaklawn in the mud, going nine furlongs in 1:49.80. With second-place stakes runs at the meet are Essex entrants Magic Tap for Steve Asmussen (G3 Razorback Handicap Feb. 24) and Seize the Night for Milligan (Fifth Season Jan. 27).
Completing the field are Ain't Life Grand, Lure Him In, Wizard of Westwood, Great Escape and Time for Trouble. The Essex is race nine on the card and set for 4:55 p.m. First post is 12:30 p.m. Weather permitting, the infield will be open every Saturday until the meeting ends in early May.