Mystic Guide Returns in Razorback Handicap

Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide will make his 4-year-old debut in the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) Feb. 27 at Oaklawn Park. The 1 1/16-mile event for 4-year-olds and up is one of multiple stakes at the Arkansas track postponed from Presidents Day weekend due to winter weather.

Mystic Guide is the lightest raced of the seven entries. The Ghostzapper  colt debuted for trainer Michael Stidham in February last year and went on to win the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) in a last-to-first effort at Saratoga Race Course, beating multiple grade 1-placed Jesus' Team and Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) runner-up Dr Post. 

In the final start of his sophomore season Oct. 10 at Belmont Park, Mystic Guide raced off the pace in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) against older horses and briefly took the lead in the stretch before fellow 3-year-old Happy Saver got up to win by three-quarters of a length.

"We were delighted with the way his 3-year-old year turned out," Stidham said. "There were a lot of temptations to run in the (Kentucky) Derby (G1) and different spots and the timing just wasn't right. It just seemed like he needed a little bit more time, so we kept being real patient with him and let him develop. As he developed and those other races showed up, we always felt like a mile and an eighth and farther was going to be helpful to him."

Luis Saez has the mount on Mystic Guide for the first time. The pair will break from the outside.

Also coming back from a grade 1 placing in the fall will be Rupp Racing's Owendale, who rallied from 12th to finish third in the Nov. 27 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at Churchill Downs. The 5-year-old son of Into Mischief  was a three-time grade 3 winner his sophomore season and picked up another black-type win in the Blame Stakes last spring at Churchill. His show finish in the Clark, a race he was second in at 3, came 20 days after finishing fifth in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

Joel Rosario will ride for trainer Brad Cox from post 4.

Bringing Oaklawn experience into the Razorback are Silver Prospector, winner of the 2020 Southwest Stakes (G3); Hunka Burning Love, caught by a nose in the Jan. 23 Fifth Season Stakes; Rated R Superstar, who was claimed for $50,000 in a winning effort Jan. 30 at the track; and Long Range Toddy, a winner of a division of the 2019 Rebel Stakes (G2).

Completing the field is Mailman Money, who last out won a one-mile allowance optional claiming race Nov. 25 on a sloppy track at Churchill.

The $200,000 Spring Fever Stakes for older fillies and mares sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs will also be contested Saturday. Novogratz Racing Stables' Amy's Challenge is entered for the third straight year. The 6-year-old Artie Schiller mare won the 2019 edition by 8 1/4 lengths and returned in 2020 to finish second beaten a neck. Trained by McLean Robertson, she made her first start of the season at Oaklawn and finished second to Frank's Rockette in the Jan. 30 American Beauty Stakes.

Also entered in the Spring Fever is Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari, a returning 4-year-old Munnings  filly trained by Wesley Ward who won the Purple Martin Stakes last spring over a sloppy track at Oaklawn in her season bow.

Entries: Razorback H. (G3)

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, February 27, 2021, Race 7

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $600,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 3:20 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Silver Prospector (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	117	Steven M. Asmussen	5/1
2	2Hunka Burning Love (KY)	David Cabrera	117	Karl Broberg	9/2
3	3Mailman Money (KY)	Joseph Talamo	115	W. Bret Calhoun	10/1
4	4Owendale (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Brad H. Cox	2/1
5	5Rated R Superstar (KY)	Ramon A. Vazquez	115	Federico Villafranco	8/1
6	6Long Range Toddy (KY)	Jon Kenton Court	116	Dallas Stewart	12/1
7	7Mystic Guide (KY)	Luis Saez	121	Michael Stidham	9/5

Entries: Spring Fever S.

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, February 27, 2021, Race 8

• STK
• 5 1/2f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:52 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cashcheckorcharge (KY)	David Cabrera	115	Casey T. Lambert	12/1
2	2Sunny Dale (PA)	Martin Garcia	115	Jerry Hollendorfer	10/1
3	3Amy's Challenge (KY)	Alex L. Canchari	115	McLean Robertson	5/2
4	4Casual (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	5/1
5	5Headland (KY)	Francisco Arrieta	115	Steve Hobby	8/1
6	6Ain't No Elmers (KY)	David Cohen	115	W. Bret Calhoun	8/1
7	7Shesomajestic (KY)	Ramon A. Vazquez	115	John Alexander Ortiz	8/1
8	8Best Kept Secret (KY)	Kelsi Harr	115	Robert N. Cline	20/1
9	9Kimari (KY)	Joel Rosario	115	Wesley A. Ward	2/1