Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen tied the late Bob Holthus as Oaklawn’s all-time winningest trainer when Tapicita ($7) broke her maiden by 4½ lengths in Friday’s second race.
Trainer Steve Asmussen won four races on Oaklawn's 12-race card, including the $1-million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) with Clairiere, who used an electrifying late kick under Joel Rosario to edge favored Secret Oath by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile event for older fillies and mares.
The ride is becoming smoother for jockey Keith Asmussen, who resumed his career last fall after earning a master’s degree in professional accounting earlier in 2022 from the University of Texas’ McCombs School of Business.
Winning the Arkansas Derby would be an end in itself for Frank Fletcher, another octogenarian making news at his home track, where he was prominent long before it became Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.