Primal Given Top of 121 Pounds for Razorback

Primal, winner of four straight races in Florida, has been assigned top weight of 121 pounds for Saturday’s $150,000 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

Owned by the Tartan Stable and trained by James Bracken, Primal will spot his opponents from 3 to 11 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile event.

Earlie Fires, who has ridden Primal in his last three starts, is to ride on Saturday. The Razorback, which attracted seven older horses, is a tuneup for the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 14.

Primal had two firsts, three seconds and three thirds in his first eight starts of 1989 and ended the year with a victory in the Tropical Park Handicap at Calder on Dec. 31. Two weeks later, he won an overnight handicap at Calder.

On Feb. 3, Primal came from slightly off the pace to win a handicap at Gulfstream Park as the 6-5 favorite. Three weeks later, again as the favorite, Primal beat Ole Atocha by a neck in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream. Primal has won 13 of 32 starts and earned $814,875.

Trainer Richard Lundy, who won the Razorback last year with Blushing John, has entered Opening Verse. Like Blushing John, Opening Verse is owned by A. E. Paulson and has done most of his racing on the grass in England.

Opening Verse finished second in an allowance race at Santa Anita on Dec. 31 and then was fifth in a Grade II event. In his last start, the son of The Minstrel went to the front and won a one-mile allowance race at Santa Anita by almost three lengths.

Pat Day is to ride Opening Verse, who will carry 116.

Silver Survivor is the second high weight with 118 pounds.

Owned by Carolyn Manning and trained by Glenn Hild, Silver Survivor won four of 14 as a 3-year-old. He was beaten a neck in his first start of the year at Aqueduct and won the Assault Handicap in New York on Jan. 27. In his last start, Silver Survivor finished fifth as the even-money favorite in the Stymie Handicap.

Don Howard is to ride.

Saturday’s favorite may be Forli Light, owned by David Beard and trained by Larry Robideaux. Forli Light scored a front-running victory in a six-furlong stakes event at Oaklawn on Feb. 17 and then duplicated the feat in the 1 1/ 16-mile Essex on March 3. His time of 1:42 4-5 was the fastest of the meeting for the distance.

David Guillory is to ride Forli Light, who will carry 117.

Total Assets may challenge Forli Light for the early lead. In his first start of the year, Total Assets scored a two-length victory in an allowance race and led all the way. Larry Snyder is to ride Total Assets, who will carry 110.