Oaklawn Park

'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun), currently sitting at number two on the TDN Top Kentucky Derby contenders sponsored by Fasig-Tipton, went an easy half-mile in :50.60 at Oaklawn Park Friday morning as he prepares for his next start in the $1-million GII Rebel S. in Hot Springs Mar. 13. It was the Shortleaf Stable homebred's first serious piece of work since a 10 1/4-length thrashing of his rivals in the Smarty Jones S. Jan. 22. Breezing prior to the first renovation break beneath exercise rider Gustavo Abrego, Caddo...

Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off his 14-length debut win and 104 Beyer at Gulfstream two years ago, Hidden Scroll (Hard Spun) disappointed as the favorite in both the 2019 GI Florida Derby and GII Fountain of Youth and only managed one other win during his nine-race tenure in two seasons for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. The former Juddmonte runner was always highly regarded, but frequently tried his connections with behavioral issues which were never more apparent than when going to the Gulfstream gate last January after an eight-month...

8th-Gulfstream Park, $50K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, post time: 3:42 p.m. ET RICHEBOURG (Curlin), an $800,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Alpha Delta Stable, kicks off her career for Chad Brown. Produced by a half-sister to MGISW Evening Jewel (Northern Afleet), she is a half-sister to GI Triple Bend S. winner Denman's Call (Northern Afleet). Scarlett Lace (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to ill-fated champion sprinter Points Offthebench (Benchmark), debuts for Brian Lynch. She RNA'd for $500,000 at Keeneland September. TJCIS PPs 7th-Oaklawn Park, $85K, Alw, N3L, 4yo/up, 6f, post time:...

The 57-day meeting at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, AR, is set to be conducted with a limited number of spectators, pursuant to the directives of the Arkansas Department of Health. "We've been working on plans covering numerous scenarios and we're happy to announce we will be welcoming back race fans in 2021, albeit on a limited basis," General Manager Wayne Smith said. "We know that the fans are what make Oaklawn so special, but our main concern is for the safety and well-being of our guests and team members....

Two winners and two second-place horses who subsequently tested positive for caffeine at Oaklawn Park back in February have been disqualified from their placings and purses, and the trainer of all four, Federico Villafranco, will be suspended for the first 30 days of the Oaklawn Park meet under the Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC)'s "absolute insurer" rule. Caffeine, a stimulant, is listed as a Class 2, Penalty Category B drug on the Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances list published by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI). For a first-offense...

Editor's Note: In Monday's TDN, Bill Finley made reference to Mark Casse's comments on Clenbuterol in a Mar. 2 Op/Ed in the TDN. Casse sent us this note in response. Much has changed since my Mar. 2 Op/Ed with regards to Clenbuterol. Canada made big changes to their Clenbuterol policy and, as a result, we have seen almost none of the nonsensical form reversals that had haunted us in the past at Woodbine in 2020. I was elated to see the Clenbuterol changes for 2021 in the Mid-Atlantic region. Also,...

Robertino Diodoro, the leading trainer at the 2020 Oaklawn Park meet by wins and the season's third-highest purse-earnings conditioner, had two winners and a fifth-place horse disqualified via a trio of Aug. 31 stewards' rulings that cited prohibited use of two different Class 4 substances detected in post-race testing. The three individual horse rulings did not impose any fines upon Diodoro. However, a separate fourth ruling docked Diodoro $3,500 for failing to meet the "absolute insurer" requirements of a trainer licensed by the Arkansas State Racing Commission. The disqualified horses...

Pending approval from the Arkansas Racing Commission, Oaklawn plans to conduct its regular 57-day meet highlighted by four $1-million stakes races--$1-million GII Rebel S., $1-million GI Arkansas Derby, $1-million GII Oaklawn H. and $1-million GI Apple Blossom H.--and the richest purse structure in its 117-year history. The 2021 season, which will be accentuated by the opening of a multi-purpose event center and a luxury 200-room hotel overlooking the track, is scheduled to run Friday, Jan. 22--Saturday, May 1. In addition, 21 stakes will have their purses raised by at least...

Until horses live in a laboratory environment, environmental contamination will occur...hich means zero tolerance is impossible. "Zero Tolerance" is a great soundbite, but unrealistic. The recent final disqualifications of Charlatan and Gamine from their Oaklawn victories for minute levels of lidocaine are ridiculous. A lidocaine backpatch could easily be the source of such a tiny amount, as could a simple caslick procedure on a filly or a "no itch" topical ointment. Let's also consider the amount of the banned substance in their systems. Charlatan tested positive with 46 picograms of...

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert has been suspended 15 days for previously announced lidocaine positives found in post-race samples from two runners on Oaklawn Park's May 2 card, GI Arkansas Derby division winner Charlatan (Speightstown) and allowance winner Gamine (Into Mischief). The Oaklawn Park Board of Stewards has also disqualified both horses from their wins and ordered purse monies to be redistributed in rulings dated July 14 and made public Wednesday. News of the positives first surfaced in late May, and it was revealed last week that split samples taken...

Split samples taken from Charlatan (Speightstown) and Gamine (Into Mischief) after wins on the Arkansas Derby Day card at Oaklawn Park May 2 confirmed positive results for the local numbing agent Lidocaine, according to a report in New York Times Monday evening. Both horses are trained by Bob Baffert. Charlatan was a six-length victor in a division of the GI Arkansas Derby, while Gamine won an allowance race on the card and has since gone on to a romping victory in the GI Acorn S. A statement released by attorney...

Jason Milligan has been promoted to Vice President of Racing at Oaklawn Park, effective immediately. "We are so happy to have Jason step into the role of Vice President of Racing," General Manager Wayne Smith said. "Having a career of over 25 years here, 11 as Director of Operations, Jason truly knows the ins and outs of all things Oaklawn. He has worked closely and built great relationships with the racing office, racing officials, and horsemen and we look forward to the knowledge and enthusiasm he will bring." A Hot...