Compiled by Robert Yates

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023) – Closers ruled Oaklawn’s stakes doubleheader Saturday.

Favored Tejano Twist used a devastating late kick to easily win the $150,000 Ring the Bell for sprinters. Roughly 90 minutes later, Butterbean came from well off the pace to record a narrow victory in the $150,000 Mistletoe for fillies and mares. Tejano Twist ($4.40), last of eight early, roared to the lead in midstretch in beating stablemate and fellow millionaire Necker Island by five lengths. Both horses are trained by Chris Hartman. Sir Wellington finished another three-quarters of a length farther back in third. Chris Landeros rode Tejano Twist, who covered 6 furlongs over a fast track in 1:10.02. Tejano Twist trailed by 10 ¾ lengths after the opening quarter.

“Hoping for a 1-2 finish and got it,” Hartman said. “That’s an impressive throw, I’ll tell you what. That’s just his style. We’re rolling through the (older sprint stakes series here). That’s the game plan. Necker Island ran a swell race. Just second best.”

Tejano Twist won for the ninth time in 28 starts to raise his career earnings to $1,179,854. Winner of the $200,000 G3-Whitmore Stakes last year at Oaklawn. Tejano Twist was exiting a victory in the $300,000 Bet On Sunshine Stakes Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs. Both races were 6 furlongs.

“Special,” Landeros said. “Very special. Got a turn of foot. Could be one of the legit ones, you know? Just blessed to be a part of him. I had kind of the same trip as last time. He’s just one those horses that just eyeballs them from the back and makes his move. Stay out of the way because he’s going to turn it on. At the eighth pole, he’ll you give another gear. Just amazing.”

The Mistletoe finish was much closer. Butterbean ($24.60) edged Misty Veil by a half-length, with Ice Orchid another neck farther back in third in the one-mile race.  Butterbean, under Julien Leparoux, trailed by some ninth lengths early before advancing toward the leaders on the second turn and was up time in the middle of the track. The winning time over a fast track was 1:38.54.

“She’s got one run and the fast pace helped,” said Ray Bryner, who oversees winning trainer Kenny McPeek’s Oaklawn division. “It set up perfect. If we get a quick pace and they back up a little, she really gets her engine running. It worked out well.” The Mistletoe marked the third career Oaklawn stakes victory and first as a regular for Leparoux, a two-time Eclipse Award winner. “She’s got one run,” Leparoux said. “Today, it was good for her. She had a nice finish.”

Butterbean raised her career earnings to $476,410 after winning for the fifth time in 16 starts. The Mistletoe was her fourth career stakes victory.

Saturday’s estimated attendance was 17,000.

Live racing resumes Friday at 12:30 p.m. (Central).

Mistletoe Quotes

Winning jockey Julien Leparoux: “She’s got one run. Today, it was good for her. She had a nice finish.”

Winning assistant trainer Ray Bryner: “She’s got one run and the fast pace helped. It set up perfect. If we get a quick pace and they back up a little, she really gets her engine running. It worked out well.”

Ring the Bell Quotes

Winning jockey Chris Landeros: “Special. Very special. Got a turn of foot. Could be one of the legit ones, you know? Just blessed to be a part of him. I had kind of the same trip as last time ($300,000 Bet On Sunshine Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs). He’s just one those horses that just eyeballs them from the back and makes his move. Stay out of the way because he’s going to turn it on. At the eighth pole, he’ll you give another gear. Just amazing.”

Winning trainer Chris Hartman: “Hoping for a 1-2 finish and got it (stablemate Necker Island was second). That’s an impressive throw, I’ll tell you what. That’s just his style. We’re rolling through the (older sprint stakes series here). That’s the game plan. Necker Island ran a swell race. Just second best.”