D’code Makes Strong Debut at Oaklawn Park

D’code, a promising young thoroughbred, made a strong return to the track at Oaklawn Park on Wednesday morning. The horse covered a half-mile in :51.20 under the guidance of trainer H. Ray Ashford Jr. Bethany Taylor, who typically rides D’code during morning workouts, was aboard for the session, which took place over a fast track. The time ranked 16th out of 18 works published at that distance.

Ashford shared his thoughts on the workout, emphasizing that it was intentionally slow. “It was slow, by design,” he said. “We started out a little slow at each pole and picked it up as he went. We’re doing just what we want, we think.”

If all goes well, D’code is expected to make his stakes and two-turn debut in the $1-million Southwest (G3) on January 31. This race, which offers 42 points to the top five finishers, is Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races. The 1 1/16-mile event is a key step for horses aiming to qualify for the Triple Crown.

D’code made his racing debut on December 14 at Oaklawn, where he won a maiden special weight sprint with a front-running victory by 8¼ lengths. Under jockey Cristian Torres, D’code set a new record for the fastest six furlongs run by a 2-year-old at Oaklawn, finishing in 1:09.57. The performance earned him a high Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

Ashford remains optimistic about D’code’s future. “Still moving forward, pointing for the Southwest,” he said. “If everything goes as planned, that’s the plan.”

D’code is a son of sprint champion Speightstown and is owned by breeder Tom Durant, a Texas automobile dealer.

Jockey Cristian Torres Reaches Major Milestone

Jockey Cristian Torres celebrated a significant achievement at Oaklawn Park, recording his 300th victory aboard favored Tiz in Sight ($3.20) in Friday’s fifth race. The race was a $50,000 starter/optional claimer for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs, and Torres was riding for trainer Mark Casse.

“I’m really happy to accomplish that here, the place that I call home,” Torres said after the race. “Just to win 300, in what, four or five years? I’m just really thankful to all the trainers and the owners that have supported me. It took a little time to give them the confidence to let me ride their horses.”

Torres, 28, joined Oaklawn in early 2021 after being brought there by agent Ruben Munoz, known for his work with eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. Prior to that, Torres had been based at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

A native of Puerto Rico, Torres has made a significant impact at Oaklawn. In 2021, he won 22 races, and in the 2021-2022 season, he added 19 more. His most impressive season came in 2022-2023, when he finished with 100 victories and $6,163,941 in purse earnings—a single-season local record. Retired Hall of Famer Pat Day is the only other jockey to reach 100 victories at an Oaklawn meeting.

Torres also claimed the riding championship in 2023-2024 with 82 victories and finished second last season with 62. Represented by agent Cody Autrey, Torres enters Saturday with a meet-high 15 victories in the 2025-2026 season.

“Cody’s doing a great job,” Torres said. “He’s always picking up some nice horses. It’s a team.”

Santana, the fourth-winningest rider in Oaklawn history, currently holds 799 victories in Hot Springs. Pat Day, the winningest rider in Oaklawn history, has 1,264 victories.

Kathleen O’Connell Makes History at Tampa Bay Downs

At Tampa Bay Downs, trainer Kathleen O’Connell achieved a notable milestone by sending out four winners on Friday, tying the Oldsmar, Fla. oval’s record for most victories by a conditioner on a single card. O’Connell previously accomplished this feat in 2003, and others like Gerald Bennett, Jamie Ness, and Chad Brown have done so multiple times.

O’Connell has amassed 2,601 career wins. Her first two victories on Friday were ridden by Sonny Leon. Fullmoonmagic won the first race, and Justamomentplease claimed the sixth. The latter was later claimed for $16,000 by trainer Ralph N. Baez for new owner Alexis Ruiz-Beltran.

O’Connell added another win in the eighth race with Princess Britni, ridden by Jose Ferrer. She completed the late daily double by winning the ninth race on the turf with Katies a Lady, ridden by Ademar Santos.

On Saturday, Juan Carlos Avila saddled three winners, extending his lead in the trainer race to 16-11 over Juan Arriagada. Avila won the third and fourth races with Midnight Onyx and Homer Jones, respectively. His 4-year-old Florida-bred Flatter colt Gianluca Be Lucky also impressed, going gate-to-wire in the ninth race under jockey Daniel Centeno.

Sunday Racing Returns to Tampa Bay Downs

Sunday racing at Tampa Bay Downs will kick off its 2025-26 season with a nine-race card beginning at 12:32 p.m. (ET). If course conditions permit, three turf races are scheduled—the fifth, seventh, and ninth—each at a mile.

The tradition of Sunday racing at Tampa Bay Downs began on December 7, 1986, following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the ban on gambling on horse racing on Sundays. Despite initial opposition, Sunday racing has become a staple at the track, attracting a new fan demographic.

Starting Sunday, January 25, Tampa Bay Downs will host a series of “Mouse’s Kids & Family Days” in the Backyard Picnic Area. These events will feature pony rides, bounce houses, games, a food truck, and visits from the track mascot, Mouse the Miniature Horse.