Ring the Bells, Mistletoe Supply Oaklawn Stakes Action

An Oaklawn Park meet offering a record number of stakes races—45—and for record stakes purses—$13.75 million—gets underway Dec. 9 in Hot Springs, Ark. With the $150,000 Advent Stakes highlighting opening day, the $150,000 Ring the Bells Stakes and $150,000 Mistletoe Stakes supply the stakes action Dec. 10.

The top three betting favorites in the six-furlong Ring the Bells will all be looking to bounce back after recent last-out losses.

Bloom Racing Stable and David Bernsen's Chattalot , one of two 3-year-olds in the seven-horse field along with second choice Kavod , enters the Ring the Bells off a 14-day turnaround. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the son of Midnight Lute   led nearly every step of the way in the Nov. 24 Thanksgiving Classic Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots before being passed in deep stretch. He settled for third behind older rivals Surveillance  and Heart Rhythm .

A stakes winner last year as a juvenile, Chattalot ships into Oaklawn from his New Orleans home base in hopes of securing his first victory since taking an allowance contest last March.

Jockey Isaac Castillo, riding his first full winter meet at Oaklawn, has the call.

Chattalot is likely to face pressure on the front end from Nov. 2 Horseshoe Indianapolis allowance victor One for Richie  as well as from Kavod. The latter, winner of the Advent over this course last year before embarking on Oaklawn’s series of Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prep races for sophomores, has since returned to shorter distances. Owned by James Rogers and Michael Robinson,  the Lea   colt ran a notable 104 Equibase Speed Figure when landing a Sept. 21 allowance contest at Churchill Downs over 3-year-olds before running a game fourth, beaten a half-length for third, against older horses in the Nov. 13 Bet on Sunshine Stakes.

Francisco Arrieta has the mount for trainer Chris Hartman.

A formidable older horse taking on the two favored 3-year-olds is Jerry Namy’s Flash of Mischief . The 4-year-old son of Into Mischief  , a four-time stakes winner, finished ninth at 20-1 in the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) last out after demolishing his foes by 6 1/4-lengths in the Sept. 25 David M. Vance Stakes at Remington Park. The Karl Broberg trainee ran the six-furlongs in a time only two ticks off the six-furlong Remington track record, collecting a monster 117 Equibase Speed Figure for the performance.

Flash of Mischief will again be piloted by Remington’s leading jockey Cristian Torres on Saturday.

Coach Faces Correas' Flashy South American Import in Mistletoe

Kueber Racing’s Coach , who did her best running at Oaklawn early this year when splashing home a three-length winner of the Pippin Stakes in January, returns in the 1-mile Mistletoe Stakes to face a potentially dangerous adversary in Chilean import Le Da Vida .

After enjoying Breeders’ Cup success with the Argentinian mare Blue Prize (ARG) in the 2019 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), trainer Ignacio Correas appears to have yet another talented South American filly gracing his barn.

“(Le Da Vida) was very good in Chile,” Correas said. “The last race in Chile, I think, she finished second running a mile against the colts. She’s always been very good. She ran in a lot of races against the colts and hit the board.

“She adapted herself very well (to the U.S.). A big part of that is the owner (Masaiva Corp.) let me take me take the time that they need, the adaptation process, to run them when they’re doing well."

Group 1-placed in her native country, Le Da Vida has scored two handy victories since arriving in the U.S. In her most recent start, she defeated stakes winners Mariah's Princess  and Will's Secret  in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race at Keeneland Oct. 29.

French jockey Vincent Cheminaud flies into ride the 5-year-old Gemologist  mare. Correas indicated that the Mistletoe has been on his radar the last "four or five weeks", with the Apple Blossom (G1) next spring as the long-term goal.

Coach wheels back in three weeks for trainer Brad Cox. The Commissioner  filly exits a disappointing fourth in the Nov. 19 Chilukki Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. The runner-up in that race, Shortleaf Stable’s Ice Orchid , had been entered in the Mistletoe but was scratched Dec. 9 with trainer John Ortiz targeting the Jan. 7 Pippin instead.

Entries: Ring The Bell S.

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, December 10, 2022, Race 7

• STK
• 6f
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:18 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Flash of Mischief (KY)	Cristian A. Torres	124	Karl Broberg	7/2
2	2Long Range Toddy (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	121	Dallas Stewart	12/1
3	3Boldor (VA)	David Cabrera	124	Steven M. Asmussen	15/1
4	4Baytown Bear (KY)	Jon Kenton Court	117	Paul McEntee	15/1
5	5One for Richie (KY)	Emmanuel Esquivel	121	Cipriano Contreras	4/1
6	6Kavod (KY)	Francisco Arrieta	124	Chris A. Hartman	2/1
7	7Chattalot (KY)	Isaac Castillo	121	Steven M. Asmussen	5/2