Sir Laff Alot Leads Field in Oaklawn’s Dixieland

Oaklawn Park begins its 55-day winter-spring meet with a nine-race card today in Hot Springs, Ark.

The main event is the $50,000 Dixieland Stakes, a 5 1/2 -furlong dash for 3-year-olds.

Sir Laff Alot, who won an allowance race by 7 3/4 lengths in his last start, Oct. 29 at Keeneland, heads a field of 10 in the Dixieland. Trained by Bob Holthus for Fly Racing LLC, the 3-year-old General Royal colt will be ridden by John McKee in his Oaklawn debut.

Other contenders include Cherokee Path, who is trained by high-percentage conditioner Tom Amoss; Razor, who has won two of four for Padua Stable and trainer Steve Asmussen; Smoke Smoke Smoke, who has also won two of four racing at Arlington Park and Canterbury in Shakopee, Minn., City Code and Stormy But Crafty, an Arkansas-bred who has won his last two for trainer Cole Norman.

McKee was the leading rider at Oaklawn last year, winning 71 races. Norman, with 56 winners in 207 starters, was the top trainer.

Race of the day: Buckland Manor, who has won three of five on the Santa Anita turf course, including a neck victory on Dec. 27, will be the even-money favorite to repeat in today’s seventh, a $65,000 allowance at a mile.

Rene Douglas will ride the 5-year-old Bien Bien horse for owner-breeders John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery and trainer Paco Gonzalez. Inesperado, who finished second to Buckland Manor last month, Ay Caramba, Del Mar Show and Seinne complete the field.

One for the road: Idle since facing Proud Accolade in an allowance race last Sept. 1, Calypso Band can fire a big shot for trainer Mark Hennig in today’s eighth at Gulfstream Park. John Velazquez will ride the 3-year-old Dixieland Band colt in the $33,000 allowance at six furlongs.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Crowning Victory in the second, Carla Rose, Memogram and Reatta Pass in the third and Only One Way, New Cloud, Preemptor and Juliesugardaddy in the fourth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/52. Money: Previous day/meet total: $18/$285.20. Total money bet: $324.