4/11/26 Barn Notes
by Robert Yates
It’s quality over quantity.
The Oaklawn racing department listed five probables Saturday morning for the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses, including reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and 2025 Preakness winner Journalism for trainer Michael McCarthy.
Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the Oaklawn Handicap, along with two other stakes races April 18 at Oaklawn. Other horses expected to be entered in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap are millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner White Abarrio for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., Grade 3 winner Liberal Arts for trainer Heather Irion and Publisher for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope assigned Sovereignty 123 pounds, one pound less than 124-pound highweight Skippylongstocking, a millionaire Grade 1 winner also trained by Joseph. Skippylongstocking, a multiple Oaklawn stakes winner, is expected to make his next start in the Alysheba Stakes (G2) May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Sovereignty, who would be making his 4-year-old debut, won five of six starts last year for Mott and breeder/owner Godolphin, including two legs of the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes). Sovereignty hasn’t started since a 10-length romp in the Travers Stakes (G1) at 1 ¼ miles Aug. 23 at Saratoga. He has never faced older horses.
Mott was Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1986 and won the Oaklawn Handicap in 1995 with future two-time Horse of the Year Cigar and 1996 with Geri. Godolphin won the Oaklawn Handicap in 2023 with Proxy and 2025 with First Mission.
Sovereignty, who is based in south Florida, worked a half-mile in :49.60 Saturday morning at Payson Park Training Center.
Journalism (119 pounds) received the green light for the Oaklawn Handicap following a five-furlong work in 1:00.60 Friday at Santa Anita.
Journalism also won last year’s Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) and finished second behind Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont. McCarthy won the 2018 Oaklawn Handicap with City of Light.
White Abarrio (121) has bankrolled $7,713,920 in his career. His resume includes victories in the 2022 Florida Derby (G1), 2023 Whitney Stakes (G1), 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and the 2025 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1).
Liberal Arts (116) would be making his first start for Irion and owner Osmel Nunez after being purchased for $120,000 in Fasig-Tipton’s December Digital Selected Sale. Liberal Arts had six published workouts this year at Oaklawn before moving to Fairmount Park, where Irion is now based. Liberal Arts worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 Tuesday at Fairmount Park.
Liberal Arts won the Street Sense Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds in 2023 at Churchill Downs for trainer Robbie Medina. Liberal Arts, in his last start, won the Knicks Go Overnight Stakes last May at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox.
Publisher (118) needed 12 starts to break his maiden, but he is now riding a three-race winning streak after capturing the $135,000 American Pharoah Overnight Stakes March 28 at Oaklawn in his last start.
Sovereignty would be the fourth reigning Horse of the Year to run at Oaklawn, following Favorite Trick, Azeri and Thorpedo Anna.
Favorite Trick, Mott’s 1997 Horse of the Year, suffered his first career loss in the 1998 Arkansas Derby (G2). Azeri was the 2002 Horse of the Year. A three-time Apple Blossom (G1) winner (2002, 2003 and 2004), Azeri was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010. Thorpedo Anna was the 2024 Horse of the Year. She won the 2025 Azeri Stakes (G2) and Apple Blossom enroute to an Eclipse Award as North America’s champion older dirt female.
Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles and the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at one mile.
Probables for the Bathhouse Row, according to the Oaklawn racing department, include Chad Allan for trainer Bob Young, Crupper (Donnie K. Von Hemel), Khon Han (Bernardo Lopez) and Royalamerican (C.R. Trout). The Bathhouse Row winner, if Triple Crown nominated, receives automatic entry into the Preakness.
The Oaklawn racing department listed six probables for the Valley of the Vapors – Grace Is Free for trainer Robert N. Cline, Jolly Jolene (Lindsay Schultz), Kaboom (Mike Lauer), Knickleandime (Randy Morse), Scot’s Law (John Ortiz) and Sticker Shock (Brad Cox).
Finish Lines
Mitty’s Griddy ($8.20) won Saturday’s first race to give trainer Chris Hartman his 295th career Oaklawn victory. Hartman was Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 2015. The race honored D. Wayne Lukas, the late Hall of Fame trainer who was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Friday night at the Oaklawn Event Center. Lukas was Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1987 and 2011. … Trainer Ron Moquett saddled two winners Friday, pushing his career Oaklawn total to 391. Moquett won the fifth race with World Fair ($5.40) and the ninth race with favored Hymn ($6.40). World Fair is owned by Oaklawn President Louis Cella, who was also inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Friday night. … Favored Payne, an 11-year-old gelding, stormed home from last to win Friday’s eighth race, a $20,000 claiming sprint for older horses. It was the eighth career Oaklawn victory for Payne ($3.80) and bumped his overall earnings to $961,728. Cristian Torres rode Payne for trainer Rob Atras. It was one of three victories on the card for Torres, who pulled into a 55-55 tie with Ramon Vazquez for leading rider.
