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Mystic Guide Returns in Razorback Handicap

Ghostzapper colt won Jim Dandy (G2) and was second in Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at 3.

Mystic Guide wins the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course

Mystic Guide wins the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course

Coglianese Photos

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)
PPHorseJockeyWgtTrainerM/L
11Silver Prospector (KY)Keeneland Sales GraduateRicardo Santana, Jr.117Steven M. Asmussen5/1
22Hunka Burning Love (KY)Keeneland Sales GraduateDavid Cabrera117Karl Broberg9/2
33Mailman Money (KY)Keeneland Sales GraduateJoseph Talamo115W. Bret Calhoun10/1
44Owendale (KY)Keeneland Sales GraduateJoel Rosario120Brad H. Cox2/1
55Rated R Superstar (KY)Ramon A. Vazquez115Federico Villafranco8/1
66Long Range Toddy (KY)Jon Kenton Court116Dallas Stewart12/1
77Mystic Guide (KY)Luis Saez121Michael Stidham9/5

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)
PPHorseJockeyWgtTrainerM/L
11Cashcheckorcharge (KY)David Cabrera115Casey T. Lambert12/1
22Sunny Dale (PA)Keeneland Sales GraduateMartin Garcia115Jerry Hollendorfer10/1
33Amy's Challenge (KY)Alex L. Canchari115McLean Robertson5/2
44Casual (KY)Ricardo Santana, Jr.122Steven M. Asmussen5/1
55Headland (KY)Keeneland Sales GraduateFrancisco Arrieta115Steve Hobby8/1
66Ain't No Elmers (KY)Keeneland Sales GraduateDavid Cohen115W. Bret Calhoun8/1
77Shesomajestic (KY)Ramon A. Vazquez115John Alexander Ortiz8/1
88Best Kept Secret (KY)Kelsi Harr115Robert N. Cline20/1
99Kimari (KY)Joel Rosario115Wesley A. Ward2/1