Arrieta Making Big Impression In First Year At Oaklawn Sponsored by:
Francisco Arrieta was second in the jockey stands going into Sunday s card at Oaklawn
Francisco Arrieta points his right index finger to the sky following each victory. The jockey said it s not about finishing No. 1, but acknowledging the heavens.
Arrieta had raised his right arm 19 times through Saturday, the 18th day of racing at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark. In a room full of newcomers at the 2021 meet, Arrieta has clearly made the biggest impression, trailing only seven-time local riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. in the standings. Santana ended Saturday with 21 victories. Arrieta s purse earnings of $886,253, from 82 mounts through Saturday, ranked third.
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Local Prep Winner Will s Secret Hasn t Missed A Beat Ahead Of Saturday s Honeybee - Horse Racing News
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Wicked Whisper and Joe Bravo win the Miss Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3, 2020
Wicked Whisper was poised for a championship in the fall of 2019. Now, it s a career reboot and step one in 2021 is the $150,000 Pippin Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 mile Saturday at Oaklawn.
Probable post time for the Pippin, the eighth of nine races, is 4:47 p.m. (Central). First post for the second of 57 scheduled race days is 1 p.m. (Central).
Wicked Whisper is the slight 3-1 program favorite for the Pippin, which drew a field of 12 and is Oaklawn s first of three preps for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17. The series continues with the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 and the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 13.
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Caddo River headlines Friday s Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn
No owner has won all four of what are now Oaklawn s Kentucky Derby points races, but one will have that chance Friday when trainer Brad Cox sends out Caddo River for John Ed Anthony s Shortleaf Stable in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes.
Probable post time for the Smarty Jones, a 1-mile event that highlights Oaklawn s opening-day nine-race program and goes as the eighth race, is 4:11 p.m. (Central). First post is 12:30 p.m. There is a 40-percent chance of showers Friday morning before skies clear and afternoon temperatures climb to the mid-50s, according to weatherunderground.com.