Oaklawn Park. (Coady Photography)
Compiled by Robert Yates
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.—Cody Ungles has been the valet for Oaklawn’s last five leading apprentice jockeys.
Ungles could be in the hunt again during the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting that began Friday because of promising newcomer Tyler Bacon.
Bacon, 17, already has 51 career victories and was the leading apprentice rider earlier this year at Prairie Meadows in Iowa and Fonner Park in Nebraska.
“I think it’s about year 27, 28 for me as a valet,” Ungles said. “Best potential bug boy I’ve had, right here.”
Ungles was the valet for Bacon at Prairie Meadows, where the jockey won 36 races to tie for eighth in the standings. Bacon was the seventh-leading rider at Fonner Park with 15 victories, including his first career winner March 1, 2024.
Bacon said he was steered to Oaklawn by his agent, Brian Assmann, who has represented the jockey since May.
“It’s really beautiful here,” Bacon said. “I like it here.”
A native of Crow Agency, Mont. (headquarters of the Crow Indian reservation), Bacon is the son of former jockey Zachary Bacon, who is credited with 87 career Thoroughbred victories, the last coming in 2021 at North Dakota Horse Park, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization.
Tyler Bacon said he began riding races at a bush track near his home when he was 14.
“As soon as I rode my first race, that’s when I really wanted to do it,” Bacon said of becoming a jockey. “My uncle, he had some horses, so he put me on them, and I won three, four over there. That’s when I decided I really wanted to do it.”
Bacon made his career debut at a recognized pari-mutuel venue, Columbus, Oct. 27, 2023, according to Equibase. After eight mounts at the Nebraska track, Bacon rode a race the following month at Remington Park and another last December at Fair Grounds, where he said he was working as an exercise rider.
Bacon’s career took off when he returned to Nebraska to ride regularly at Fonner Park, which opened in February. After the Fonner Park meeting ended in early May, Bacon moved his tack to Prairie Meadows and hired the established Assmann as his agent.
“A trainer from Prairie Meadows, he came to Fonner and he ran a couple,” Bacon said, referring to Jon Arnett. “I rode one for him and he let Brian know about me and that I was bringing in long shots and stuff like that.”
Bacon’s 267 mounts at Prairie Meadows generated $1,017,608 in purse earnings. Bacon hasn’t ridden since Prairie Meadows closed Sept. 28, but he began getting on horses last month at Oaklawn in advance of the 2024-2025 meeting. Bacon is named on 12 horses over the first two days of racing. He will have a 5-pound apprentice weight allowance throughout most of the meeting that ends May 3, Oaklawn steward Rick Brasher said.
“I just want to get into the winner’s circle,” Bacon said.
Asked about his strengths as a rider, Bacon cited patience. Ungles agreed and also praised Bacon for his “work ethic,” “attitude” and, maybe most important, a “willingness to learn.”
“But the fact is, he can win a race and listen to a veteran tell him how he could have done better,” Ungles said. “Most guys win a race: ‘I didn’t do anything wrong. I won the race. I must have ridden him perfect.’ Big difference.”
Ungles was the valet for Kelsi Harr when she was Oaklawn’s leading apprentice rider in 2020. Ungles repeated with Joshua Morales in 2021, Chel-c Bailey in 2021-2022, Erick Medellin in 2022-2023 and Joseph Bealmear in 2023-2024.
Valets are responsible for the cleanliness and care of a jockey’s tack and equipment and assisting trainers saddle horses before races.
Ungles also works in the morning at Oaklawn as an exercise rider for trainer Randy Morse.
The Wagering Menu
Oaklawn has added another rolling Pick 3 to its wagering format for the 2024-2025 meeting that starts Friday.
The new Pick 3 will begin with the first race. Previously, rolling Pick 3s at Oaklawn began with the second race. The wager requires bettors to select the winners of three consecutive races.
“Just wanted to add to our wagering format is all,” Oaklawn vice president of racing Jason Milligan said.
Oaklawn’s 2024-2025 wagering menu was unanimously approved in October by the Arkansas Racing Commission.
In other wagering tweaks this season, both involving 11-race cards, the second Pick 5 will begin with the fifth race and the second Pick 4 will begin with the sixth race. Those wagers previously began with races 3 and 5, respectively.
The pari-mutuel takeout structure remains the same as past years, 17 percent on straight wagers and 21 percent on exotic wagers. The only exception is the “Show Bet Bonus,” which features a reduced takeout, 10 percent, on show wagers made on-site at Oaklawn. The bet has been popular because those payoffs are higher than the same wagers made off track or through ADW platforms.
“It’s worked well,” Oaklawn attorney Skip Ebel told the commission.
Minimum bets also remain the same: $2 for win, place and show; $1 for doubles and exactas, 50 cents for trifectas, 10 cents for superfectas, and 50 cents for Pick 3s, Pick 4s and Pick 5s.
Oaklawn averaged a single-season record $7.03 million in daily all-source mutuel handle in 2023-2024, according to the track.
Finish Lines … … …… …….
First post Friday and Saturday is 12:30 p.m. (Central). Gates open at 11 a.m. …
Connie K ($539,012) is poised to become the leading Arkansas-bred female money winner history in Friday’s fifth race at Oaklawn, a $131,000 allowance sprint for fillies and mares, 3 and up. The Mary Rose, now retired, earned a record $539,894. …
Disco Ball, a powerful allowance/optional claiming winner Sunday at Churchill Downs, is “50/50” to run in the $150,000 Ring the Bell Stakes Saturday at Oaklawn, trainer David Jacobson said Thursday morning. … Happy Is a Choice is the 2-1 program favorite for the Ring the Bell. …
Saturday is Oaklawn’s annual price rollback promotion, featuring two corned beef sandwiches and a soft drink for $1. …
Steve Asmussen, Oaklawn’s all-time winningest trainer, begins the 2024-2025 meeting with 947 career victories in Hot Springs. He equaled Oaklawn’s single-season victories by a trainer last season with 71. …
After racing Friday and Saturday, Oaklawn will be dark Sunday. Oaklawn begins its normal Friday-Sunday racing format Dec. 13.
