Oaklawn Park

A somewhat puzzling and well-beaten fourth as the second betting favorite in the Jan. 24 Smarty Jones S., Ed and Susie Orr's Silver Prospector (Declaration of War) made amends in no uncertain terms in Monday's $500,000 Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park, parlaying a perfect trip into a one-length defeat of pacesetting Wells Bayou (Lookin At Lucky) at better than 9-2. Answer In (Dialed In), favored off his runner-up effort to Shoplifted (Into Mischief) in the Springboard Mile at Remington Dec. 15, checked in a distant third after racing erratically in...

Taraz (Into Mischief), a 3-year-old filly who seemed poised to emerge as a major star, was euthanized Monday after suffering an injury during a workout at Oaklawn Park. The news was confirmed by her owner and breeder Juddmonte Farms, which issued a statement shortly after the injury. "Taraz severely fractured her left front pastern this morning in a workout at Oaklawn Park," the statement read. "She was transported back to the barn where X-rays were taken and reviewed, with the attending veterinarian consulting Dr. Bob Hunt of Hagyard. Given the...

by Andrea Branchini There is quite a Native American connection in the names of the family line of Oaklawn allowance winner FIRECROW. His dam is the artistically named CHEYENNE AUTUMN (by Indian Charlie), resonant of the 1964 very "pro-Indians" John Ford western, defined as "an elegy for the Native Americans". The late Joseph Fire Crow (sometimes spelled as Firecrow or FireCrow) was a famous and talented Cheyenne musician, nominated for a Grammy in 2001 for his album "Cheyenne Nation". 8th-Oaklawn, $88,000, 2-14, (NW3L), 3yo/up, 6f, 1:10.62, ft. FIRECROW (g, 4,...

Gold Street (Street Boss) will carry a three-race winning streak into Monday's $750,000 GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park. The bay has been perfect since earning his diploma by seven lengths at fourth asking at Churchill Downs Nov. 23. He captured the Sugar Bowl S. in his stakes debut at Fair Grounds Dec. 21, then stretched to two turns for the first time for a front-running score with a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure in this track's Smarty Jones S. Jan. 24. All three of his victories have come over...

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - Saturday's Results - Scabbard was sixth and Mailman Money was fourth in their respective divisions of the Risen Star. Ajourneytofreedom was seventh at Golden Gate. Bankroll: $1195. GIII Southwest S. - I really wanted to go...

Ring Leader maintained her perfect record with a score over favored 'TDN Rising Star' Specially in the Listed Dixie Belle S. at Oaklawn Saturday evening. Second choice on the board, the bay, who broke her maiden at first asking at Canterbury Park in June and returned Jan. 24 to romp by 5 1/4 lengths in the mud locally, tracked from third behind an opening split of :22.48. She challenged three deep on the far turn and went on with it, turning into the home straight with all of the momentum....

Old Chapel Farm has built a reputation over the last few years as a boutique weanling-to-yearling pinhooking operation, but owner Andrew Motion decided to look for a more diversified investment and took advantage of the opportunity of his daughter Mary's trip to last month's Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. "My dad has been pinhooking, but now it's just crazy money,"  Mary Motion explained. "He has a broodmare background, so we thought we would get more of a long-term investment out of the mares. I originally went down to...

TARAZ (f, 3, Into Mischief--Silk Route, by Empire Maker) Oaklawn, 2-1, Martha Washington S., 1m, 1:38.64. The unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' and Oaklawn winner owes her name to a smart historical/geographical connection. The 3-year-old is out of the mare Silk Route. The 2000-year-old city of Taraz (now in Kazakhstan) was a major trade center in the inland regions of the Silk Route, which was a series of ancient trade networks that connected China and the Far East with countries in Europe and the Middle East. Sharp, sophisticated name. An Italian...

Taraz earned the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker after romping by 7 1/2 lengths in her Churchill Downs unveiling Nov. 14 and made good on that initial promise with an 11 1/4-length tour de force in the Letellier Memorial S. in the slop at the Fair Grounds Dec. 21. Heavily favored to continue her hot streak in this sophomore bow, the Juddmonte homebred went straight to the front, cruising through early splits of :23.44 and :47.50. Still just cantering along as she turned for home in front, Taraz sauntered home to...

Oaklawn Park, which opened last Friday, posted strong opening week handle and attendance numbers, including record opening day and January handle. Estimated total attendance for the first three racing dates (Jan. 24-26) was 57,500, a 3.6% increase over the corresponding period last year. Total off-track handle of $12,787,682.84 increased 13.1%. Total all sources handle of $15,400,631.44 represented a 7.7% increase. Opening day all-sources handle $5,789,986.10 and off-track handle $4,759,768 were both Oaklawn records, as was the January off-track record of $4,629,703.63 set last year. "What a great weekend to start...

Gold Street earned 10 points towards the GI Kentucky Derby Friday with a front-running score in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones S. Let go at 10-1 in this first try beyond six furlongs, the $150,000 KEESEP buy went straight to the lead under Martin Garcia and loped along through splits of :24.08 and :48.96 with Lynn's Map (Liam's Map) glued to his outside hip. That rival called it quits on the backstretch and 'TDN Rising Stars' Three Technique and Shoplifted ranged up to challenge entering the turn. However, Gold Street still had...

Four colts from the Steve Asmussen barn, three of which have big chances, give the Hall of Fame trainer a strong hand in Friday's Smarty Jones S., the opening-day feature at Oaklawn Park. The two-turn, one-mile test is the first of a four-race GI Kentucky Derby prep series at the Hot Springs oval and promises 10 Derby qualifying points to the winner. Given a slight nod on the morning line at 5-2 is Ed and Susie Orr's Silver Prospector (Declaration of War). Failing to make an impact in three turf...