Barn Notes 12-21-24

Compiled by Robert Yates

Haulin Ice is home. Whether it will be a happy homecoming remains to be seen.

One of the leading Arkansas-breds in training, Haulin Ice is scheduled to tackle open company again in Sunday’s ninth race at Oaklawn, a six-furlong $133,000 allowance sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Haulin Ice made her first five career starts last season at Oaklawn for trainer Lindsay Schultz before being sold privately and transferred to Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Joseph decided to send a string of horses to Oaklawn for the first time in 2024-2025, so Haulin Ice was an obvious candidate to make the trek back to Arkansas.

Haulin Ice is a three-time Oaklawn winner and a stakes winner for Joseph.

“Obviously, she has already accomplished quite a bit,” Joseph said. “Her resume speaks for itself.”

Haulin Ice was sold following an allowance victory against open company May 3 at Oaklawn. In her first start for Joseph, she finished second in the six-furlong $75,000 Game Face Stakes June 1 at Gulfstream Park. Haulin Ice then scored her biggest victory to date July 13 at Gulfstream Park, rolling home by 9 ½ lengths in the $75,000 Azalea Stakes at seven furlongs.

A victory in her next start, the $750,000 Charles Town Oaks (G2) Aug. 23 at Charles Town, would have made Haulin Ice the leading accredited Arkansas-bred female money in history. Instead, she bombed as the favorite in the tricky two-turn, seven-furlong race and finished seventh. Haulin Ice also finished seventh in her last start, the $350,000 Raven Run Stakes (G2) Oct. 19 at Keeneland.

“She’s coming off some disappointing runs,” Joseph said. “One (Charles Town Oaks) was a two-turn seven-eighths, which was a different configuration. The last time at Keeneland, I’m not really sure why she ran so poorly. The plan was always to get her back to Oaklawn this year. This is a good allowance spot. Hopefully, she can rebound and get back to her winning ways. It is a competitive spot. She’s going to need to fire one of her good races. Hopefully, she does going home.”

Haulin Ice (6-1 on the morning line) is scheduled to break from post 9 under Francisco Arrieta. The gray daughter of millionaire Oaklawn stakes winner Coal Front has a 4-3-0 record from nine lifetime starts – all this year – and earnings of $364,550.

Mink’s Palace, fifth in this year’s Raven Run, is the 3-1 program favorite for trainer Eddie Kenneally.

Probable post time for Sunday’s ninth race is 4:14 p.m. (Central).

Finish Lines

Saturday’s fourth race at Oaklawn will be the 10,000^th race call in the career of track announcer Matt Dinerman. Dinerman is in his second season as Oaklawn’s track announcer. … Francisco Arrieta recorded a riding double Friday at Oaklawn, pushing his career total to 995 in North America, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization. Arrieta won the sixth race aboard Scrupulous ($11.20) for trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs and the eighth race aboard Happy Strike ($24.40) for trainer F. Dewaine Loy. Happy Strike marked Arrieta’s 250^th career Oaklawn victory. … Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen recorded his record-extending 950^th career Oaklawn victory in Friday’s first race with Great Barrier ($7.20).

Poinsettia States Recap

HOT SPRINGS, AR – The best horse on paper proved it.

Grade 2 winner Spirit Wind justified her 7-5 favoritism with a victory in the $150,000 Poinsettia Stakes Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn.

Spirit Wind finished three-quarters of a length ahead of an unlucky Fibber in the 5 ½-furlong race for fillies and mares, 3 and up. It was another half-length farther back to Royal Spa in third.

Spirit Wind ($4.80) provided jockey Fernando Jara with his first career stakes victory. It was the second career Oaklawn stakes victory for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who captured last season’s $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) with Skippylongstocking.

Spirit Wind, in the second flight early, uncorked a three-wide bid turning for home, gained a clear advantage in midstretch and held Fibber safe in the final yards. The latter closed strongly after being steered to the outside when lacking room in midstretch. 

Spirit Wind, under equal top weight of 124 pounds, ran 5 ½ furlongs over a fast track in 1:04.28. The original 12-horse field was reduced to seven following the scratches of Dealing Justice, Girls Weekend, Laura’s Charm, Makeup and Ms. Bucchero. 

Spirit Wind races for Miller Racing (Myron Miller), which privately purchased the now-5-year-old daughter of Bahamian Squall following a victory in the $150,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) in December 2023 at Gulfstream Park.

Spirit Wind has won three stakes races since moving to Joseph’s barn following the sale, including the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint May 27 at Lone Star Park and the $200,000 Honorable Miss Handicap (G2) July 24 at Saratoga. Spirit Wind is a six-time stakes winner overall.

The Poinsettia was Spirit Wind’s eighth victory in 16 lifetime starts, raising her earnings to $729,590. She raced without blinkers Saturday after wearing the equipment in her previous six starts. Spirit Wind was cross-entered in Saturday’s Sugar Swirl at Gulfstream Park. The Florida-based Joseph won the Sugar Swirl with favored Mystic Lake.

Racing continues Sunday at Oaklawn. First post is 12:30 p.m. (Central).

POINSETTIA QUOTES

Winning jockey Fernando Jara (Spirit Wind): “She broke good and put me in a good position. Down the lane, she came on strong.”

Winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. (by phone-Spirit Wind): “She got her job done, thank God. For sure, she ran great. He (jockey Fernando Jara) took her back early. I thought she was getting out a little bit without the extended blinker. But once she straightened up, she kind of looked like she had the race. Then, towards the end, it kind of got a little closer. But she held on and that’s the important thing.”