O'Neill's Fight On to Take On Nine in Fonner Stakes

With the future of racing still in limbo for many tracks across the United States, business at Nebraska's Fonner Park continues to boom. As the host of a few stakes races this spring, runners from all over the country have made the trek to America's bread basket to try their luck. 

Making his Fonner debut April 29 in the $50,000 Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes is Doug O'Neill trainee Fight On, who is looking for his first stakes win in just over a year. 

Owned by C T R Stables and Westside Racing Stable, Fight On took home his first black-type event last year at 4, when the son of Into Mischief  won the Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park. 

Shipped to Dubai at the start of the 2020 season, Fight On tested his skills four times on the Meydan Racecourse dirt, hitting the board in the March 7 Mahab Al Shimaal Sponsored by Emirates Skywards (G3) before returning to the U.S. The dark bay most recently finished off the board in the April 11 Oaklawn Mile Stakes. 

Fight On will partner with jockey Armando Martinez from post 6 in the field of 10.

Hoping to give Fight On a run for his money is 6-year-old gelding Pendleton, who enters off a second in the Feb. 9 Winsham Lad Handicap at Sunland Park. Though he has yet to win a stakes race, he finished third in the 2019 Downs At Albuquerque Handicap at Albuquerque and fourth in the Zia Park Sprint Stakes at Zia Park. 

Owned by Bill and Susan Tomasic and trained by Justin Evans, the son of Giant's Causeway has eight wins and has never finished worse than sixth in 15 starts. He will leave from post 9 under Francisco Arrieta. 

The only trainer with two entered in Wednesday's race is owner/trainer Marissa Black, who will send out 8-year-old geldings Blue Harbor (post 2) and Mr. Tickle (post 3). 

Blue Harbor, a son of Rockport Harbor, will look for his second stakes win at Fonner Park this year. He enters off a victory in the April 15 non-black-type Dowd Mile Stakes, where he defeated Mr. Tickle by 1 1/2 lengths. 

Mr. Tickle, a son of Street Sense, will be making his 42nd start in the Bosselman Pump. The Dowd Mile was the first stakes test for the bay, who has won 12 starts. 

Entries: Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner S.

Fonner Park, Wednesday, April 29, 2020, Race 8

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $50,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 7:20 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Taruca (KY)	Danny Sorenson	119	H. Ray Ashford, Jr.	8/1
2	2Blue Harbor (KY)	Dakota Wood	119	Marissa Black	6/1
3	3Mr. Tickle (KY)	Bryan McNeil	117	Marissa Black	8/1
4	4Sleepy Eyes Todd (KY)	Quincy Hamilton	123	Miguel Angel Silva	5/1
5	5Yo Y Me (AZ)	Jake L. Olesiak	119	Jason Wise	12/1
6	6Fight On (KY)	Armando Martinez	123	Doug F. O'Neill	4/1
7	7Cabin John (KY)	Chris Fackler	117	Brent Janssen	10/1
8	8Thetrashmanscoming (KY)	Nathan Haar	123	David C. Anderson	15/1
9	9Pendleton (KY)	Francisco Arrieta	123	Justin R. Evans	3/1
10	10Rock City Roadhog (AR)	Scott A. Bethke	123	Schuyler Condon	15/1