Who Says Older Horses Have Nothing Left?

This last weekend brought us the running of many great races. The fourtheenth race on the card here in Arkansas was the Grade I Oaktree Handicap. The race took place on the dirt, listed as fast as expected for race day, over a mile and one eigth. The race was open to all horses of four years of age and older.

We field was a little shy of being full with a total of twelve runners. The twelve experienced veterans loaded into the starting gates professionally as horses, jockies and crowd awaited the moment when the bell would sound, the gates would crash open, and the horses would come charging out.

Out to an early lead from one of the outside post positions was Toxicsuperfreakout , owned and trained by darylcal. The horse maintained a one and three-fourths lengths lead over second-place runner, rail-breaker Open The Gate , owned by deantroops. Racing behind in third was stoners trained Forgotten Halo. In fourth and fifth were Fly For Buda and Alyczar , trained and owned by gg and jedi respectively. Having a little trouble out of the gate and off a bit late was Scent From Dubai , owned by elesto who was running seven and one-fourth lengths off the leader.

Next it was Toxicsuperfreakout still in the lead and lengthening it, now to lead over two lengths over Open The Gate. Moving up into third making an early bid is Fly For Buda with Forgotten Halo dropping back into fourth. Alyczar is still running behind in fifth. Still trailing the pack and losing more ground was Scent From Dubai.

Now the field was coming around the turn and it was Fly For Buda in the lead by the narrow margin of a head over Open The Gate. Rocketing from back in seventh place and into third was mcjonny4 owned Biting Insects. From sixth into fourth was Gus Of August, trained by waremblem4. Previous leader Toxicsuperfreakout had dropped back into fifth but was quickly faltering and losing more ground on the quickly gaining field. Alyczar was back in sixth with Privileged, owned and trained by saver begining to make his move and sliding into seventh. Forgotten Halo had slipped back into eighth with Al Hirt, trained by zooomr running in ninth. Early-line favorite, karen owned Formulated Risk was back in tenth and showing no signs of picking up the pace, he was obviously having an off-race. Losing ground and falling to elventh was U Boat Commander trained by tresstable. Trailing the field now by seven and one-fourth lengths was Scent From Dubai.

That last the field of twelve powerful Thoroughbreds came thundering toward the wire and it was the veteran six year old by Fusaichi Pegasus, Biting Insects, ridden by jcokey V. Cabaniss and owned and trained by mcjonny4 to clinch the win by three-fourths of a length and posting a recorded speed figure of one hundred eleven. Taking home the second palce was late-charging Privileged with Fly For Buda in third.

Also Rans include: Guns Of August, Al Hirt, Open The Gate, Formulated Rish (GB), U Boat Commader, Alyczar, Scent From Dubai, Forgotten Halo, and Toxicsuperfreakout rounding out the field.