Pioneer Spirit Extends Win Streak in Fifth Season

Lawrence Roman, Heads Up Racing, and Lucky Dog Stables' Pioneer Spirit ran his win streak to three Jan. 25, holding off Bankit to prevail by a head in a division of the $100,000 Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park. 

Opening Saturday at the Hot Springs, Ark., track attracted a crowd of 30,000, which witnessed a day of tight finishes, including two dead heats. While it was another narrow victory by Contreras Stable and David Rodriguez's Guest Suite in the other Fifth Season division, Fox Hill Farm's Whoa Nellie was a runaway favorite in the $100,000 Pippin Stakes.

Pioneer Spirit, ridden by Orlando Mojico, was a slight 5-2 second choice behind Bravazo in the second division of the Fifth Season. He was a head off the pace through a quarter-mile in :23.68, then took over to lead through splits of :47.75 and 1:13.04. The 7-year-old son of Malibu Moon  pulled ahead by three lengths in the stretch but came under pressure as Bankit got out of traffic and made a fast-closing bid from seventh. 

A head separated them at the wire, but Pioneer Spirit held on to complete one mile in 1:38.94 on a good track. Mocito Rojo was third and Bravazo finished fifth.

Pioneer Spirit was a $150,000 claim by trainer Robertino Diodoro in November at Churchill Downs. He won the Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in his first start for his new connections. Diodoro said Pioneer Spirit will most likely target the Feb. 17 Razorback Handicap (G3).

"He's been doing real well. He's been really coming around. He's a nice horse, and hopefully we can keep him healthy and have some fun with him during the Oaklawn meet. One step at a time," Diodoro said. "Things are going to get a little tougher here as the money goes up, as we get a little deeper into the stakes schedule, but we'll see what happens.

"Got to like an old classy horse that's got a big heart. He's got a couple of wins in a row now. He's got a big heart on him. Keep him healthy and we'll keep moving forward."

Guest Suite, a $62,500 claim by trainer Cipriano Contreras in October at Keeneland, made it a close call in the first division of the Fifth Season as well. At 11-1, the winner got past favorite Snapper Sinclair by a neck.

"He ran a big race. He's a nice old horse," Contreras said. "We got lucky, I guess. It's nothing really I did. He made $300,000 before I got him. He's got a world-class pedigree. You just claim them and hope for the best." 

Snapper Sinclair was a head off fractions of :23.79 and :48.04 before taking over to lead three-quarters in 1:13.02. Jockey Walter De La Cruz took Guest Suite back, dropping from third to fifth, before steering three wide and sending his mount. Guest Suite just got up to complete a mile in 1:39.18 on a muddy (sealed) track. Night Ops ran third behind Snapper Sinclair.

"(Snapper Sinclair) was the speed. I just sat in the back and just waited and waited," De La Cruz said. "From the three-eighths (pole), I asked him, and he gave me everything."

In the Pippin, Whoa Nellie, the 2-1 favorite, drew off to a 4 1/2 length victory. Despite her name, the 4-year-old Orb  filly was content to race in eighth under Joe Rocco Jr. as fractions went it :22.94 and :46.38. Whoa Nellie began to make her move five wide entering the stretch and took off to complete the mile in 1:39.50 on a good track. 

"It worked out good. There was a lot of speed on paper and it developed in front of us, and it went really fast," Rocco said. "My filly was there the whole time. A little wider than I wanted, but that's how the field played out. That's what we needed to do, and we had plenty for the ride home. She has a great name. The whole way I was saying, 'Whoa Nellie, Whoa Nellie.'"

Special Relativity and Cairenn finished second and third, respectively.

Trainer Larry Jones said Whoa Nellie will point for the Feb. 17 Bayakoa Stakes (G3).

"She's been doing very well. You always wonder. Her only bad race came over this racetrack," he said. "I said last year, 'Man, I hope it's not that she doesn't like the track.' But she works lights out over it. I just don't think the trainer had her fit enough last year when we ran her. I ran a short horse and didn't realize it." 

Video: Fifth Season S. (BT)

Video: Fifth Season S. (BT)

Video: Pippin S. (BT)