Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Athena won’t have it easy
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Athena will face a competitive group of female sprinters on Saturday when she attempts to win her third straight race at the Oaklawn meet in the $150,000 Carousel. Chanteline is a threat to wire the field of seven, while Marquee Miss has been knocking on the door and Illussion Artist is a new threat from Louisiana.
The Carousel, for fillies and mares, will be run over six furlongs. It is one of two stakes on the card. In the $100,000 Arkansas Breeders’ at 1 1/16 miles, Weast Hill and Racer are rematched.
Athena beat Marquee Miss by a neck in an allowance Jan. 13 on the first card of the meet. Athena returned in the $125,000 American Beauty on Jan. 28 and overcame trouble for a threequarter-length win. Following the American Beauty, trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi said the plan was to await the Carousel, and while Athena has been away, there have been some developments in her division.
Chanteline has stepped up her game since running fourth to Athena on opening day. She enters the Carousel off a 4 3/4-length allowance score here March 19. Chanteline set a quick pace and covered six furlongs in a rapid 1:09.49.
“That was her best race to date,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “She’s had nice, consistent form, but that’s her best race to date.”
Chanteline will start from post 2 with Luis Contreras aboard for owner Ten Broeck Farm. Joe Rocco Jr. has the mount on Athena from post 7 for owner Mary Grum.
Illussion Artist is making her Oaklawn debut off a pair of stakes starts at Delta Downs. She won the $65,000 Lookout at a mile Dec. 30, then ran second in the $100,000 Premier Night Distaff at the same distance Feb. 11. Illussion Artist finished four lengths behind Big World, who has since won a high-end optional-claiming route at Oaklawn.
“We’re shortening her up a little bit off her Delta races,” said Brad Cox, who trains Illussion Artist for Arkansas-based Steve Landers. “There’s really not a lot of options with her right now. We think she can get a mile, and really, beyond a mile, it’s a little bit of a question mark. The three-quarters is a tick short, so we’re in a little bit of a pinch finding a great race. Mr. Landers is from Little Rock, and the filly’s doing great, so we felt like we would give her a shot in this race.”
Illussion Artist will break from post 4 under Richard Eramia.
“She probably won’t be on the lead but sitting off of it, and if she can get a good trip, I think she can be effective,” said Cox.
Weast Hill looks to rebound
Weast Hill finds himself in an unfamiliar spot as he defends his title in the Arkansas Breeders’ Stakes, restricted to 3-yearolds and up bred in Arkansas. He enters off his first loss in eight starts at Oaklawn, having finished second to Racer in the $100,000 Nodouble. The pair will break side by side for the rematch.
“He’s going to be forwardly placed,” trainer Cox said of Weast Hill. “He’s naturally got speed, so he’ll put himself up in the race like he did last year. It’s just the second time in his life that he’s gone two turns. He was successful last year in
this race, but the horse Racer obviously has stepped up, and he’s had a great winter, and you know, he’s not the only one. It’s a solid race. I think we have to step up. I think he’s going to need to move forward off his last effort to win, and I think it can happen because he’s training really well.”
Joe Rocco Jr. has the mount on Weast Hill from post 4 for owner Starsky Weast.
Racer, who starts from post 3 under Jon Court, is returning to the statebred ranks after running third in a March 19 allowance route at Oaklawn. He finished 1 1/4 lengths behind winner Take to the streets, who is nominated to the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap. Racer earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 86, the same number he earned for his 1 1/4-length win over Weast Hill. Tim Martin trains Racer for owner Val Yagos.
Ivan Fallunovalot sidelined
Ivan Fallunovalot, one of the top sprinters at Oaklawn, will miss the Grade 3, $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap here April 15, trainer Tom Howard said Thursday.
Howard said Ivan Fallunovalot has a soft-tissue injury in his left hind ankle. He said there is no timeline for the horse’s recovery, but he is hopeful Ivan Fallunovalot will be ready to resume racing next winter at Oaklawn.
Ivan Fallunovalot, a Grade 3 winner and an earner of $832,058, was considered the chief threat to Whitmore in the Count Fleet.
“We were looking forward to it,” said Howard, who trains Ivan Fallunovalot for the Arkansas-based Lewis Matthews Jr.