HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Juddmonte Farm Inc.’s Fulsome, winner of last year’s Oaklawn Stakes, returned to Hot Springs for his 4-year-old debut and pulled the mild upset in the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3), the first edition as a graded stakes.
Fulsome got shuffled back to last at the break and stayed there while Market Analysis set the early fractions of :22 3/5 and :45 4/5 for the first half mile. Cezanne, the 4-5 favorite, came from third to grab the lead at the top of the stretch, but could not hold off the fast closing winner, who got up in the final jump to win by a neck in 1:36 2/5 for a mile over a fast track. Runnin’ Ray was third.
“I think his wheelhouse is when he gets a pace,” winning trainer Brad Cox said. “A mile, a mile and sixteenth, I think whenever there’s some pace to run at, he’s going to come running. He’s a very honest horse. He always tries and that’s kind of what I was hoping for coming into this race - we were going to see some pace. I think lots of times the mile races here at Oaklawn, you get some pace. They don’t always back up, but they are quick enough. The horses up close were the ones we went by. It didn’t completely fall apart, but he was able to get things set up for him and he made a big run and had his momentum down the lane. He ran big.”
Fulsome, an Into Mischief colt making his first start since the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) last September, improved his record to 6-1-1 in 11 starts and has now earned $879,324. He returned $18.80, $5.40 and $3.80.
Kicking off the stakes action on the 13-race card was the $200,000 Carousel Stakes won by Acting Out in front running fashion.
The 5-year-old mare was the quickest out of the gate and had plenty left to hold off 1-2 favorite Frank’s Rockette by a half-length in 1:09 1/5 for six furlongs over a fast track. Novell Squall was third.
Acting Out improved her record to 5-3-0 in 12 starts and has now earned $323,840 for owners Sherman Racing, Inc, Zvika Akin and Robert Harkins and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. She returned $15.40, $4.80 and $3.40.
Live racing resumes Sunday with a 1 p.m. first post.