4/12/26 Barn Notes
by Robert Yates
Reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty was installed the 4-5 program favorite for Saturday’s $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles.
Entries were accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the Oaklawn Handicap, which headlines a 12-race card that begins at 12:45 p.m. CDT. Probable post time for the Oaklawn Handicap, the 11th race, is 6:20 p.m. Two other stakes races will be run Saturday – $200,000 Bathhouse Row for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles and the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors for 3-year-old fillies at one mile.
The six-horse Oaklawn Handicap field from the rail out: White Abarrio, Irad Ortiz to ride, 121 pounds, 7-2 on the morning line; Liberal Arts, Reynier Arrieta, 116, 15-1; Sovereignty, Junior Alvarado, 123, 4-5; Duke of Duval, Keith Asmussen, 116, 20-1; Journalism, Jose Ortiz, 119, 5-2; and Publisher, Erik Asmussen, 118, 15-1.
Sovereignty will be making his 4-year-old debut after winning five of six starts last year for Hall of Fame trainer Bill 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.
Journalism was also one of the country’s top 3-year-olds of 2025 after winning the Preakness – the second leg of the Triple Crown – Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) and running second behind Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont.
Journalism hasn’t started since finishing fourth in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Michael McCarthy, Journalism’s trainer, won the 2018 Oaklawn Handicap with City of Light.
White Abarrio 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). White Abarrio’s trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr., won the 2024 Oaklawn Handicap with Skippylongstocking.
Liberal Arts will be making his first start for trainer Heather 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 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 needed 12 starts to break his maiden, but he is now riding a three-race winning streak for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen after capturing the $135,000 American Pharoah Overnight Stakes March 28 at Oaklawn in his last start. Stablemate Duke of Duval was a Dec. 28 allowance winner, marking the 1,000th of Asmussen’s Oaklawn career.
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.
Eight horses are entered in the Bathhouse Row – Thebabeslayer, Western Warrior, Chad Allan, Khon Han, Highly Connected, Honey’s to Blame, Crupper and Royalamerican. The Bathhouse Row winner, if Triple Crown nominated, receives automatic entry into the Preakness.
Eight horses are entered in the Valley of the Vapors – Spitfire, Holly’s Holiday, Grace Is Free, Miss Call, Scot’s Law, Sticker Shock, Jolly Jolene and Knickleandime.
Silent Tactic Works Toward Kentucky Derby
Arkansas Derby runner-up Silent Tactic worked an easy half-mile over a fast track Sunday morning for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, the colt’s final Oaklawn breeze before departing for Churchill Downs to continue preparations for the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
Silent Tactic worked immediately following the surface renovation break under regular rider Cristian Torres. Silent Tactic, following an opening quarter-mile in :24.80, covered the distance in :49.40 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.80 and 6 furlongs in 1:17.60.
“Today, he just had a little easier work,” said assistant trainer Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse’s Oaklawn division. “Next work will be a little more serious going into the Derby and that will be about nine, 10 days out. Silent’s not so much the best work horse. He likes to show up in the afternoons. We like to see that.”
Arthur said shipping plans are fluid for Silent Tactic, but he could leave Wednesday with Counting Stars and Search Party, Casse’s scheduled Kentucky Oaks starters.
Silent Tactic has secured a spot in the Kentucky Derby with 100 qualifying points to rank seventh on the official leaderboard released by Churchill Downs. The field is limited to 20 starters.
Silent Tactic was the only horse to go through Oaklawn’s four-race Kentucky Derby prep series, finishing second in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3, winning the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 6 and finishing second in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 1 and the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 28.
Arkansas Derby winner Renegade collected 125 points and ranks third on Kentucky Derby leaderboard. The only other Oaklawn-raced horse with enough points to qualify for the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby, at the moment, is Rebel winner Class President. However, Class President was recently withdrawn from Kentucky Derby consideration because of reported bone bruising.
Next-race plans are pending for Arkansas Derby third-place finisher Taptastic, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Friday morning. Taptastic won his one-mile career debut March 8 at Oaklawn before being wheeled back in 20 days for the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby.
“Came out of the race good,” Asmussen said. “Shipped him to Kentucky and undecided on what will be next for him. Obviously, we’re very pleased with the two races he’s put in. There’s a lot of year left, so we’ll take our time.”
Counting Stars, Search Party Work Toward Kentucky Oaks
Oaklawn stakes winners Counting Stars and Search Party both recorded half-mile workouts over a fast track Sunday morning for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse in advance of scheduled starts in the Kentucky Oaks May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Search Party worked just after the track opened under exercise rider Autumn Lavertu. Search Party was timed in :48.60 and galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.80 and six furlongs in 1:16.40. Counting Stars, under regular rider Francisco Arrieta, was clocked in :48.20. Counting Stars galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 and six furlongs in 1:15.20. She worked immediately after the surface renovation break.
“The girls, I thought, looked real good,” said assistant trainer Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse’s Oaklawn division. “Looks like they’re ready to go.”
Arthur said Counting Stars and Search Party are scheduled to ship Wednesday to Churchill Downs and will have their final works there for the Kentucky Oaks around April 22. The 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks is the country’s biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.
Counting Stars (100 points) and Search Party (67.5) rank fifth and 12, respectively, on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard. The race is limited to 14 starters. Explora (95) is the only other Oaklawn-raced horse, at the moment, with enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Oaks. She ranks eighth.
Search Party and Counting Stars were the only horses to go through Oaklawn’s three-race Kentucky Oaks series. Search Party won the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 6. Counting Stars won the $1 million Fantasy Stakes (G2) March 27. Explora won the second leg, the $750,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 1, for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Explora missed the Fantasy because of a fever and is training up to the Kentucky Oaks.
