Race: Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap
Track: Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas
Scheduled Post Time: 4:36 p.m. CT
Distance/Surface: 6 furlongs, dirt
Purse: $500,000 • Age/Sex: 4‑year‑olds and up
Venue, weather, and track conditions
Oaklawn Park sits in Hot Springs, Arkansas, a speed‑friendly dirt oval that rewards tactical sprinters who can finish.
Expected weather (seasonal pattern):
Temperature: mid‑60s to low‑70s°F
Conditions: partly cloudy, light breeze, moderate humidity
Track expectation: Fast dirt, barring significant rain
These are climatology‑based expectations for mid‑April in Hot Springs, not an official forecast.
Field overview
Eight older sprinters line up; post positions match program numbers.
PP1 – Maximum Bourbon – 3‑1 ML
PP2 – Tough Catch – 12‑1 ML
PP3 – Booth – 7‑2 ML
PP4 – Mad House – 15‑1 ML
PP5 – Roll On Big Joe – 2‑1 ML (ML favorite)
PP6 – Wendelssohn – 10‑1 ML
PP7 – Tejano Twist – 6‑1 ML
PP8 – Dreaminblue – 8‑1 ML
Recent‑form strings below use Sporting Life’s notation (most recent on the right).
Horse‑by‑horse analysis
PP1 – Maximum Bourbon (3‑1 ML)
Connections: Jockey Ramon A. Vazquez, trainer Philip D’Amato
Recent finishes: 15‑112 – comes in off a sharp win streak after a layoff.
Profile: A 4‑year‑old gelding by Maximum Security, he’s lightly raced but rapidly improving. D’Amato ships with intent, and Vazquez rides Oaklawn extremely well. He has tactical speed to sit just off the pace and pounce—very logical win candidate and a key in verticals.
PP2 – Tough Catch (12‑1 ML)
Connections: Jockey Jose L. Ortiz, trainer Dallas Stewart
Recent finishes: 1/042‑12 – most recently 2nd in the 2026 Whitmore Stakes (G3).
Profile: A Complexity colt who just chased Tejano Twist home in the Whitmore. Stewart’s horses often outrun their odds in graded sprints. From an inside draw with Ortiz, he can secure a stalking trip; needs a slight figure jump, but his last race says he belongs.
PP3 – Booth (7‑2 ML)
Connections: Jockey Erik Asmussen, trainer Steve Asmussen
Recent finishes: 11142‑2 – a string of wins followed by solid graded efforts.
Profile: A 5‑year‑old by Mitole with serious early speed and a strong Oaklawn profile. Asmussen is lethal in this division, and Booth’s form suggests he’s right at Grade 3 level. If he breaks sharply and controls the inside pace, he’s a major threat.
PP4 – Mad House (15‑1 ML)
Connections: Jockey Paco Lopez, trainer David VanWinkle
Recent finishes: 11110‑1 – multiple wins, then a flop in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), then a rebound.
Profile: A Vekoma gelding with a win‑streak profile and one bad line against elite company. Lopez is aggressive and may send from this mid‑gate draw. He’s a volatile type—ceiling is high, but he must prove he can match these on pure speed.
PP5 – Roll On Big Joe (2‑1 ML)
Connections: Jockey Julien Leparoux, trainer Robert B. Hess Jr.
Recent finishes: 15411‑1 – comes in off three straight stakes wins, including the King Cotton at Oaklawn.
Profile: The morning‑line favorite and the “now” horse. A 6‑year‑old Prospective gelding, he’s thriving at Oaklawn and has shown the ability to sit just off hot fractions and finish. If he maintains current form, he’s the most likely winner on paper.
PP6 – Wendelssohn (10‑1 ML)
Connections: Jockey John Velazquez, trainer Chris Hartman
Recent finishes: 131‑434 – mixed results but consistently competitive in stakes.
Profile: A Mendelssohn horse with some tactical speed and Hartman’s sharp sprint program behind him. Velazquez adds class in the saddle. He’s a bit of a “tweener”—good enough to be in the frame, but needs a perfect trip and maybe a pace collapse to win.
PP7 – Tejano Twist (6‑1 ML)
Connections: Jockey Francisco Arrieta, trainer Chris Hartman
Recent finishes: 63‑2211 – back‑to‑back wins in the Whitmore Stakes (G3), including the 2026 edition just weeks ago.
Profile: A 7‑year‑old Practical Joke gelding and a true Oaklawn specialist, closing hard off hot paces. Hartman has him in career form, and Arrieta times his runs well here. If the early fractions get hot, Tejano Twist is the most dangerous closer in the race.
PP8 – Dreaminblue (8‑1 ML)
Connections: Jockey Rafael Bejarano, trainer Randy Morse
Recent finishes: 27031‑1 – comes in off a win and has prior stakes experience.
Profile: A Street Boss gelding with improving figures and a versatile running style. Morse is a savvy Oaklawn horseman, and Bejarano can adapt to the pace scenario. He’s a live mid‑price who could easily hit the board if he takes another small step forward.
Pace and race shape
Primary speed: Booth (3), Mad House (4), Maximum Bourbon (1)
Pressers/stalkers: Roll On Big Joe (5), Tough Catch (2), Wendelssohn (6), Dreaminblue (8)
Closers: Tejano Twist (7)
A fast, contested pace is likely, with multiple need‑the‑lead or near‑lead types. That scenario slightly upgrades Roll On Big Joe (who can sit just off) and Tejano Twist (deep closer), while still leaving room for a sharp speed horse like Booth or Maximum Bourbon to gut it out if the track plays strongly to speed.
Projected outcome
Roll On Big Joe (PP5) – Current form, perfect stalking style, proven at Oaklawn
Tejano Twist (PP7) – Oaklawn closer who thrives on hot paces
Maximum Bourbon (PP1) – Improving 4‑year‑old with ideal inside trip
Booth (PP3) – Classy speed; hangs on for a share if pace isn’t suicidal
