Gar Hole, Connie K Shine in Arkansas-Bred Stakes

On a day where no less than 16 graded stakes races were run across the country, a pair of Arkansas-breds stole the spotlight in two $150,000 added-money events at Oaklawn Park. Both homebreds provided their Arkansas-based sires with their first black type stakes winners on Saturday, and although dominant amongst state-breds, one of them may even test the waters of open stakes company in his next start following his spectacular victory.  

John Ed Anthony's Gar Hole , named for a bar in the Marion Hotel in downtown Little Rock, Ark., strolled to his fourth straight score in Saturday's Nodouble Breeders' Stakes. The son of grade 3-placed Tekton, who was also campaigned in the name of Anthony's Shortleaf Stable, has raced up the condition ladder in effortless fashion ever since romping in his maiden Dec. 4 at Oaklawn. Going into the Nodouble, trainer John A. Ortiz had no choice but to run the bay gelding in stakes competition, as there are currently no third level allowance contests offered for Arkansas-breds in the Oaklawn condition book.

Heavily favored in a field of 10, Gar Hole pressed the early pace before assuming command past the half-mile pole under regular pilot Ricardo Santana Jr. From there the gelding extended his stride at the top of the lane and widened his advantage down the stretch, winning by a geared-down 5-lengths and stopping the clock in a stakes record time of 1:09.06 for the six furlongs.

"It was a perfect horse race," said Ortiz, who landed his first Oaklawn Park stakes win in the Nodouble. "A 1:09 flat? Listen, this is not just an Arky-bred. He's a serious racehorse and he's a champion Arky-bred right now."

Ortiz indicated that Gar Hole very likely could take on open company in his next start, preferring to keep the speedy gelding at the six-furlong distance. Although Ortiz is armed with proven sprinters in Mucho  and Hollis , the April 23 $500,000 Count Fleet Stakes (G3) could be in the cards for Gar Hole.

"Open company is definitely a consideration," Ortiz said. "He has to now. There's another race (May 7 Arkansas Breeders' Championship), obviously, at the end of the meet that's going to go two turns. I'm not sure if that's what I want to do with him right now, but it is against Arky-breds. But when you change distances, it's a new level. So, do we want to do that? I'm not sure. We'll find out. I'll talk to Mr. John Ed Anthony and we'll take it from there."

Gar Hole increased his earnings to $272,274 after the Nodouble and sports a near-perfect record of four wins from five starts, save for a disappointing debut finish in January of 2021.

Anthony's racing manager John Gasper explained that Gar Hole was sent to Rood & Riddle Equine following his debut, where he was diagnosed with a minor hind ankle injury and ascended testicle. The 4-year-old was gelded shortly after and given the majority of last year off to recover and grow into himself.

"We had to get that squared away," Ortiz said. "Gave him the summer off and he came back bigger, stronger and more mature. And obviously, he's got one thing on his mind and that's to win."

Gar Hole is out of the Afleet Alex  mare Dovecot, the dam of three winners from four to race. Dovecot has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Double Irish  named Irish Alex.

Tekton, a 10-year-old son of Bernardini, stood previously at McDowell Farm and was pensioned from breeding duties in 2020.

Earlier on the card, Randy Patterson and Randy Morse's Connie K  eked out her third consecutive win in the Downthedustyroad Breeders' Stakes. Trained by Morse, the 4-year-old Street Strategy   filly zipped to her customary position on the front end and dictated the pace throughout. After opening a 2-length two lead turning for home under  jockey Jon Court, Connie K dug in late to hold off the closing rush of Unbridled Twister  by a neck under the wire.

Favored at the windows in the field of 8, Connie K raced the six-furlongs in 1:10.97.

"Believe me, I’m glad she won, but she probably got a little tired today," said Morse. "I haven’t done a lot with her. She’s nice. We own the mare. Now, she’s a stakes winner. That’s huge.”

In Connie K's previous start, she aired a group of Arkansas-bred fillies and mares by 7 3/4 lengths in a Jan. 8 allowance optional claiming race. Unlike Gar Hole, Connie K defeated open company three starts back when scoring in a Nov. 5 starter optional claiming contest at Churchill Downs. She now boasts a record of 4-0-1 from eight starts for earnings of $255,193.

Connie K is out of the winning Indian Charlie mare Indian Clarkie, the dam of three winners from three foals to race. Indian Clarkie is represented by an unraced juvenile filly by Double Irish and a yearling filly by Lord Nelson . Her sire Street Strategy, a stakes-winning son of Street Sense  , stands for $1,000 at Lake Hamilton Equine Center in Royal, AR.