HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Kale’s Angel won his second stakes race of the Oaklawn Park meet Saturday, when he edged stubborn pacesetter Perfect Magic by a neck in the $150,000 Renaissance Stakes, a six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds. It was another neck back in third to Piquant and a nose to fourth-place finisher Wildncrazynight.
Following the race there was a stewards inquiry into the stretch run in which Wildncrazynight was forced to steady as he attempted to advance between Kale’s Angel and Perfect Magic. There was no change to the order of finish.
Kale’s Angel ($2.60) registered his first local stakes win in last month’s Advent Stakes. He then moved to two turns for the Smarty Jones and after running third in the race was back sprinting Saturday, settling off the pace in the Renaissance as Perfect Magic ran the opening quarter in 21.98 seconds while dueling with El Dandi.
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Perfect Magic continued on through a half-mile in 46.24 seconds while Kale’s Angel launched a four-wide bid on the turn and went after the leader in the stretch. The pair continued on together to the wire, with Kale’s Angel covering the distance on a fast track in 1:12.75.
Ramon Vazquez was aboard for trainer Peter Miller.
Kale’s Angel is a son of Complexity who races for Tom Kagele and Ernest Marchosky. He is named for Kale Robinson, a 17-year-old relative of Kagele’s who died last February. Robinson won the Texas Bass Nation High School State Fishing Championship in 2022.
Kale’s Angel has now won 3 of 7 starts for earnings of $249,625. He is 2 for 3 on dirt after beginning his career on the turf in Southern California.
Racing is scheduled to resume Sunday, but Oaklawn has moved Monday's holiday card to Thursday due to a forecast for freezing temperatures.
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