Just 13 days after his last start, Tejano Twist, a 7-year-old Practical Joke gelding, flew home to take the March 14 Whitmore Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The victory marked his second win in the race, having won the 2023 edition.
At odds of 2-1, the Chris Hartman trainee settled at the back of the field after the break. He continued to race as the trailer down the backstretch behind pacesetter Wendelssohn, who set fractions of :21.63, :44.68, and :56.79. On the far turn, Tejano Twist started to close in on the field as they approached the stretch drive. When jockey Francisco Arrieta shook the reins, he took off with powerful strides, reeling in the leaders and drawing off under confident handling by 2 lengths. He hit the wire in a final time of 1:08.93 for the 6 furlongs on a fast main track. Tough Catch finished second, a neck over third-place finisher Gold Sweep. The post time favorite, Wendelssohn, weakened after setting the pace and finished fourth.
The Whitmore Stakes was the fourth start of the year for JD Thoroughbreds and Joey Keith Davis' Tejano Twist, who pushed his earnings to $1,903,882 with his 12th victory in a 47-start career. He was second in a Jan. 2 allowance optional claiming race and in the King Cotton Stakes Feb. 8. He got his first win of the year in an allowance optional claimer March 1. All of his starts this year have come at Oaklawn Park. He was second in the 2024 Whitmore Stakes and third in last year's running.
The race is named after another venerable gelding, 2020 champion male sprinter Whitmore. With earnings of $4,502,350, his most notable win came in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). In his 43 career starts, he won 15 times, including seven graded stakes.
Video: Whitmore S. (G3)
Goodall wins the Purple Martin Stakes
Goodall, the 3-year-old daughter of Yaupon , scored in her first stakes attempt in the Purple Martin Stakes at odds of 5-1.
Owned by Spendthrift Farm and trained by Steve Asmussen, Goodall broke sharply under jockey Erik Asmussen and rated second off the leader, You're in Heaven, who set fractions of :21.53 and :44.70. She continued to stalk while racing down the backstretch, and rounding the turn, she made her bid for the lead. She entered the stretch and was shaken loose, continuing to widen her margin to get the win by 4 1/2 lengths. The 6-furlong dirt race was completed in a final time of 1:08.78. Goodall paid $12 to win.
Post-time favorite River Wind was second, and Our Two Girls was third. There was an inquiry lodged by the rider of the runner-up against the winner for interference on the turn for home, but it was disallowed.
