On Fire Baby to train up to Ky Oaks; Isn't He Clever to Ark Derby

On Fire Baby to train up to Ky Oaks; Isn't He Clever to Ark

Derby

Trainer Gary "Red Dog" Hartlage said Thursday morning that owner Anita Cauley

wants a "fresh horse" for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks May 4, so the decision has

been made not to start their multiple Grade 2 winner On Fire Baby in either the

Grade 2 Fantasy on April 11 or the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 14. Both

races had been under consideration since the Smoke Glacken filly won the Grade 3

Honeybee at Oaklawn on March 10.

"This was completely Anita's decision," Hartlage said. "She wants a fresh

horse for the Kentucky Oaks, and that's what she's going to get. I know I can

get her ready. I already know she can get the distance. She's fine. Everything

is OK. We have just decided to train up to the Oaks."

On Fire Baby became an early favorite for the Kentucky Oaks last fall when

she won both the Grade 2 Pocahantas and Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs.

In addition to her win against her own sex in the Honeybee, she also finished

third in the January 16 Smarty Jones Stakes against males.

Entries for the Fantasy Stakes will be taken Friday.

In other Oaklawn news, Grade 3 Sunland Derby runner-up Isn't He Clever is

among the new shooters for the $1 million Arkansas Derby.

Nominations for Oaklawn's signature event closed with 97 horses being made

eligible for the 1 1/8-mile race, including several horses that had not been

part of the early-bird nomination process prior to the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes

February 20. Among the new names on the list were Isn't He Clever and Grade 3

Spiral Stakes third-place finisher Heavy Breathing.

Isn't He Clever, by 2004 Arkansas Derby winner Smarty Jones, is expected to

arrive April 12 from his New Mexico base as he attempts to pad his bankroll of

$188,000 in graded stakes earnings. With several key Kentucky Derby preps still

remaining, he is sitting precariously on the bubble on the earnings list, the

determining factor in making the 20-horse Derby field.

"He's doing good -- real good," trainer Henry Dominguez said. "We're just

hoping he runs a similar race to the Sunland Derby, but maybe wait a little

longer this time. It's his style (to be near the front) and we're not going to

try and change him."

Isn't He Clever has four wins and two seconds from seven starts while

employing stalking tactics. His only "off-the-board" performance came in the

Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita in February, when he went straight

to the lead and eventually faded to fifth. He was elevated for fourth in that

race with the disqualification of Groovin' Solo.

"We've kind of thrown that race out," Dominguez said. "It was his first race

of the year and he was fresh. That's not his style. He's done well since then

and really matured."

Dominguez said that jockey Robby Albarado, who won the 2007 Arkansas Derby

with Curlin, will have the mount.