Ivan Fallunovalot Tops Count Fleet Sprint

Multiple stakes winner Ivan Fallunovalot, who has won or placed in 12 of 16 starts, tops the eight-horse field of older horses entered in the $300,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (gr. III) April 9 at Oaklawn Park.



Topweighted at 121 pounds for the six-furlong test that is the eighth race on the weekday card, Ivan Fallunovalot has nine wins to his credit, six of which have been for Lewis E. Matthews Jr., since he was claimed for $25,000 during a winning performance at Oaklawn on March 6 of last year. Trained by Tom Howard, the Texas-bred 6-year-old gelded son of Valid Expectations comes into the Count Fleet with a victory in the $100,000 King Cotton Stakes Feb. 7 and second in the $100,000 Hot Springs Stakes March 7, both over the same six furlongs at Oaklawn.



Ivan Fallunovalot breaks from 6 with Calvin Borel aboard.



Harry T. Rosenblum's Hot Springs Handicap winner Gentlemen's Bet will have the services of jockey Mike Smith for trainer Ron Moquett in the Count Fleet as he continues on the comeback trail after a lengthy absence.



A 6-year-old horse by Half Ours  , Gentlemen's Bet has six wins and four thirds, with no seconds, and earnings of $483,200, on his resume. After finishing third, only 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Secret Circle, in the 2013 edition of the Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), Gentlemen's Bet missed all of 2014. In his first race back, the Florida-bred horse finished second in allowance company at Oaklawn before taking the Hot Springs.



Trainer Steve Asmussen, who recently became the second trainer in history to reach the 7,000-win mark, sends out multiple grade III winner Unbridled's Note, leading earner in the field with $706,117 gleaned from a record of 5-6-5 in 25 starts. Winless in nine starts since taking the Daytona Stakes (gr. III) at the end of 2013, the 6-year-old son of Unbridled's Song owned by Mike McCarty has two seconds in allowance company from four starts this year.