Holly Dolly, who is tied for winningest horse of the current meet at Remington Park, is being pointed to an upcoming stakes at Zia and later this year will winter at Oaklawn Park, according to her trainer, Ray Ashford Jr.
Ashford will have a division of about 10 horses at Oaklawn for the first time and said he is setting up shop at the Arkansas meet at the request of prominent owner Tom Durant.
“I’m going to be testing new waters and I know it’s tough, tough sledding over there, but Mr. Durant has got me some really, really nice horses and we’re going to go over there and give it a swing.”
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Durant races Holly Dolly, as well as the stakes winner Run Classic, who is being pointed to the Ring the Bell on Dec. 7 at Oaklawn. Among other horses Ashford has for Durant are Big City, who is being pointed to the $300,000 Zia Park Derby, and 2-year-olds by Justify and Uncle Mo.
Holly Dolly has won her four starts at the current Remington meet by a combined margin of 17 lengths. Her victories include the Flashy Lady Stakes on Sept. 29 and a local allowance on Oct. 25.
“We got her over here and she’s just kind of turned the light on and everything’s been going really well for her,” Ashford said.
Holly Dolly, who is by Brody’s Cause, has built her current win streak in sprint races and has won from both on and off the pace.
“You can do about anything you want with her,” Ashford said. “She’s a real easy filly to train. She’s very straightforward.”
Holly Dolly will be looking for her fifth consecutive win in her next start, which Ashford said would be the $100,000 Zia Park Distaff for fillies and mares at six furlongs on Nov. 26.
“She can run a mile,” Ashford said. “The races, it’s just how it’s come up and while she’s doing so good sprinting, we’re just going to keep her sprinting” for the stakes.
Big City will run on the same card as Holly Dolly when he starts in the Zia Park Derby. He is coming off a one-mile allowance win at Remington for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96. Big City, who won off by six lengths, is a son of City of Light.
Ashford said Durant’s juvenile by Justify, who is named Just Classic, is on schedule to make his career debut at Oaklawn. Ashford said Just Classic is a half-brother to millionaire Necker Island. Super Cruise, the Durant juvenile by Uncle Mo, also is likely to debut at Oaklawn.
Ashford said the Oaklawn division will eventually include Wildatlanticstorm, a past winner of the Springboard Mile at Remington Park. Wildatlanticstorm is an earner of more than $500,000 for his breeder, James Jorgensen.
Ashford’s other winter division will be Sam Houston, where he will have approximately 40 horses – including runners for Durant – at the meet that opens in January. Oaklawn opens Dec. 6.
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