OP Stakes Race Preview - $150,000 Nodouble Stakes – Saturday, Feb. 21

It’s the rubber match.

Navy Seal and Bohemian Bo tangle again Saturday at Oaklawn in the six-furlong $150,000 Nodouble Breeders’ Stakes for accredited Arkansas-breds, 3 and up.

Probable post time for the Nodouble, the eighth of 10 races, is 4:10 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:30 p.m.

Navy Seal and Bohemian Bo have accounted for the last two runnings of the Nodouble, which is named for the former all-time leading Arkansas-bred money winner and the country’s champion older horse in 1969 and 1970.

The speedy Bohemian Bo was a front-running 1 ½-length winner of the 2024 Nodouble, with Navy Seal finishing fourth. They swapped positions last year. Navy Seal surged late under Julien Leparoux to post a 1 ¼-length victory. Bohemian Bo faded to fourth after holding a clear lead in midstretch.

As an appetizer for Saturday’s race, Bohemian Bo edged Navy Seal by a nose in a state-bred allowance sprint Dec. 20 at Oaklawn.

“Looks like it’s going to be good weather, so I’m excited,” said Nancy Knott, who trains Navy Seal. “Navy’s doing really good. Excited to see him and Bohemian Bo run together.”

Bohemian Bo, the 8-5 program favorite, will be making his first start since Dec. 20 for trainer Tommy Vance of Hot Springs. Walter De La Cruz has the return call from post 3. Just to Bohemian Bo’s outside is Navy Seal, the early 2-1 second choice who is reunited with Leparoux.

Navy Seal launched his 8-year-old campaign with a fourth-place finish in open company in the six-furlong $135,000 Commodore Overnight Stakes Jan. 3 at Oaklawn. Navy Seal finished 5 ¼ lengths behind Bourbon Bash after losing ground in the stretch.

“(Navy Seal) was sitting too close to the pace,” Knott said. “He wasn’t even sitting close on his own. You can see the jockey (Javier Castellano) tapping him with the stick to try to keep up. You can’t do that. You’ve just got to let him get comfortable getting into his stride and then wait for his run at the end. Even though he breaks really good, you’ve just got to let the speed go.”

The 2025 Nodouble was the first career stakes victory for Knott, the wife of Oaklawn starter Bill “Blue” Knott.

Six other horses are entered in the Nodouble, including Touchdown Arkansas (3-1) for trainer Tom Van Berg and Willow Creek Road (8-1), who will be making his first start for trainer Rodolphe Brisset.

Touchdown Arkansas exits a runner-up finish in an Arkansas-bred allowance sprint Feb. 6 at Oaklawn. Willow Creek Road ran second in the 2024 and 2025 Nodouble for trainer Mac Robertson.

One Ten Stadium and Lochmoor, both winners of the $200,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship, are also entered. The 1 1/16-mile Arkansas Breeders’ Championship is the richest race run at Oaklawn for state-breds.

Lochmoor, the 2024 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship winner, is a 7-year-old half-brother to Navy Seal. One Ten Stadium won the 2025 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs. Willow Creek Road won the 2023 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship.

Al’s Romeo and Cybertown, both trained by Shea Stuart, complete the field.