Hillary G give trainer Vance first stakes win in Rainbow Miss
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Aidan Green put an exclamation point on a banner Oaklawn meeting when she sent out 6-5 favorite Blame J D in Friday’s $150,000 Rainbow Stakes for Arkansas-bred 3-year-olds at 6 furlongs. Blame J D marked the first career stakes victory for Green, who recorded her first career training victory Feb. 11 at Oaklawn. The Rainbow marked her eighth victory overall, this meet.
“I didn’t really tell Ramon (Vazquez) anything. I said: ‘However it plays out, I’m confident in you and him.’ I think he rode him great. He showed he can do it all. Happy as can be. It was pretty cool to watch him be that impressive. We’ve had high hopes for him since we broke him as a baby. It was really cool to see,” Green offered.
In the Rainbow, Blame J D, ridden by Ramon Vazquez, raced in third-place as Dusty Hill set the early fractions of :21 4/5 and :45 2/5 for the first half mile. The winner took over entering the stretch and drew clear from there to win by 3 ¾ lengths over Mrs. Beans. Rolling Fork was third. Winning time was 1:09 3/5 over a wet fast track.
Rainbow Stakes Replay
“He came into the race doing so well. He’s a nice horse. For an Arky-bred, he’s a very, very good horse,” Vazquez said.
The Rainbow as the second victory in four starts for Blame J D, a gelding by Blame owned and bred by James W. Matheney Jr. He returned $4.40, $2.80 and $2.40.
Hillary G (Coady)
Two races later, Tommy Vance also earned his first career stakes victory in the $150,000 Rainbow Miss while handling the training duties of winner Hillary G for Texas-based horseman Austin Gustafson, who co-owns the filly with Linda and Michael Mazoch.
“She ran the same race she did last time. (Trainer/co-owner Austin Gustafson) did a great job sending her to me. I got her four days ago as all, but she did everything right. She’s a little bit of a head case. We had to take her straight to the gate, pretty much, because she’s a little wild. She ran like I thought she would,” said Vance.
Ridden by David Cabrera, Hillary G tracked the early leader and 2-1 favorite Heated Argument through early fractions of :21 4/5 and :45 3/5 for the first half mile before assuming command in the stretch and drawing clear of that rival to win by 2 ¾ lengths. Kaboom Baby was third. The winning time was 1:11 1/5 over a wet fast track.
“This filly, she’s got some speed. The last time, she just kind of ran and she didn’t relax all that much and she still won. Today, she came back to me pretty easily and I think that was the whole thing,” Cabrera exclaimed.
Hillary G, an Even the Score filly bred by McDowell Farm, was winning for the second time in three career starts and has now earned $150,475. She returned $12.60, $6 and $4 at odds of 5-1.
Rainbow Miss Replay
Live racing resumes Saturday with a special 12 noon first post. The 12-race card is highlighted by the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) and $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2).
Oaklawn Entries for Saturday, April 17
Oaklawn Park Press Release
Top photo: Blame J D, (Coady)
