The recent success of horses like Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, and Steppenwolfer has helped solidify Oaklawn Park’s series of stakes races for three-year-olds as one of the premier pathways to the Triple Crown, horse racing’s most sought after prize and one of the most difficult-to-accomplish feats in the sports world. That isn’t expected to change in 2007 when Oaklawn Park’s stakes schedule for three-year-olds is once again perfectly timed for horses ready to make a Triple Crown run.
2007 Oaklawn Park Stakes Races for Three-Year-Olds
Date----------Race -----------------Distance--------Purse
January 19----The Dixieland--------5 1/2 Furlongs--$50,000
February 19---The Southwest--------1 Mile----------$250,000
February 24---The Mountain Valley--6 Furlongs------$50,000
March 17------The Rebel------------1 1/16 Miles----$300,000
April 14------The Arkansas Derby---1 1/8 Miles-----$1,000,000
The quest for the 2007 Triple Crown begins in earnest on May 5, 2007 with the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby, and Street Sense, winner of the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 10 lengths, has to be considered an early favorite. Circular Quay, Great Hunter and Scat Daddy, by virtue of their efforts in the same race, have to be considered contenders as well, but as Bill Finley writes for ESPN, “Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winners don't stand a chance in the Kentucky Derby. Neither do horses who even run in the Breeders’ Cup. The last Juvenile starter to win the Derby was Sea Hero, who did so way back in 1993.”
That means the field is wide open, and since Oaklawn Park has been a consistent path to success in recent Triple Crown races, any list of early contenders must include horses likely to run at Oaklawn and therefore likely to be pointed toward the 2007 Arkansas Derby.
So which horses, either already stabled at Oaklawn Park or with connections that make an appearance there a strong possibility should be considered among the early Arkansas Derby favorites?
Hard Spun- Trained by Larry Jones for Fox Hill Farms, Hard Spun won the 7 furlong Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes on fast dirt at Philadelphia Park on December 18. According to the official chart, Hard Spun “rated close to the early pace inside, took over passing the nine sixteenths pole then steadily increased his lead to the wire to win handily.”
Hard Spun, widely regarded as the early favorite for the Arkansas Derby, arrived at Oaklawn Park on December 20 in good shape and is expected to resume training in one week. Coincidentally, three years ago the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes was won by Smarty Jones.
Irish Dreamer- A solid performance in the Dixieland Stakes on January 19 would leave trainer Chris Richard in a position to enter Irish Dreamer in either the 1 mile Southwest Stakes on February 19 or the 6 furlong Mountain Valley Stakes on February 24, but first Irish Dreamer must clear his final hurdle of 2006 on December 26 at Hawthorne. The loser of four since an impressive debut win at Arlington, Irish Dreamer will need to run back to his earlier form to be a serious Derby contender.
Officer Rocket- Officer Rocket won Arlington Park’s Spectacular Bid Stakes on August 20 and the Arlington-Washington Breeders' Cup Futurity on September 10 but finished fifth in the Iroquois Stakes on October 29 at Churchill Downs and sixth in the 1 1/16 mile Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs on December 1. In the Delta Jackpot Officer Rocket was bumped but raced within contention before fading.
Officer Rocket is trained by Bob Holthus, nine-time leading trainer at Oaklawn Park, and owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc.. He has won three of six starts overall with one third-place finish.
Pegasus Wind- A speedster sired by 2000 Kentucky Derby Winner Fusaichi Pegasus, Pegasus Wind ran upfront through the blistering early fractions in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, leading briefly before falling back to finish eleventh. Pegasus Wind’s sole win came in a maiden special weight at Saratoga on July 29. He has four other starts, all in stakes company.
Pegasus Wind is trained by D. Wayne Lukas for Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack.
Tiz Wonderful- Tiz Wonderful turned heads with an impressive 6 1/2 furlong win in his September 2 debut at Saratoga, then won Churchill Downs’ 1 mile Iroquois Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths on October 29 and the 1 1/16 mile Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, also at Churchill Downs, on November 25.
While it is not certain that Tiz Wonderful will appear in any of Oaklawn Park’s Triple Crown preps, it is certainly a solid possibility given that the 200-horse Steve Asmussen stable is always well-represented at the Arkansas track. And Scott Blasi, Asmussen’s long time assistant, has proven to be a capable substitute while Asmussen serves a 6-month suspension issued by the Louisiana racing board.
One thing is certain, with a month to go before Oaklawn’s first post of 2007, this year’s Arkansas Derby field is already shaping up to be among the most competitive in recent memory.
For more information on Oaklawn Park and all other U.S. thoroughbred, quarter horse and greyhound tracks, visit http://thorocap.com.