Oscar’s Hope secured a 1 1/2-length victory in the $150,000 Ozark Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters at Oaklawn on Monday. The horse, ridden by Luis Saez, denied trainer Mark Casse a stakes win as the favorite Ewing finished sixth after a poor start. This sprint race marked a strong return for Oscar’s Hope following a distant finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes.
The Ozark Stakes featured seven 3-year-old sprinters after scratches of Dirty Rich and Extract’s Arrow. Oscar’s Hope, starting from post 7 as the 5-2 second choice, stalked leaders Tiz Mary’s Comet and Swung through a half-mile in :45.37. The Tom Amoss-trained horse made a three-wide move turning for home, taking the lead at the eighth pole and finishing the 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.34.
Tiz Mary’s Comet held on for second, one length ahead of Swung, with Chad Allan, Gnome, Ewing, and My Dream Zapper following in the order of finish. Betting payouts reflected the upset: Oscar’s Hope returned $7.20 to win, $4.40 to place, and $4.00 to show; Tiz Mary’s Comet paid $6.40 to place and $5.60 to show; Swung returned $5.40 to show.
Owned by Michael McLoughlin and saddled by Chris Richard, who manages Amoss’ Oaklawn operations, Oscar’s Hope improved his record to four wins in seven starts, boosting earnings to $323,434. The victory came after an eighth-place finish in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes on January 3, Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby qualifying race at 1 1/16 miles. Oscar’s Hope’s prior win was the Jean Lafitte Stakes on November 26 at Delta Downs in his last start as a 2-year-old.
Ewing, the 3-5 favorite trained by Mark Casse, entered unbeaten in two starts with a Grade 2 win but struggled with an awkward start in his 3-year-old debut, finishing sixth and preventing Casse from securing his ninth stakes win at the 2025-26 Oaklawn meeting, which began December 12.
