KING PEANUT RULES THE RAINBOW STAKES SHE’S STORMING PULLS MILD UPSET IN RAINBOW MISS

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jennifer Hoyt, Director of Racing

jhoyt@oaklawn.com or 501-363-4305

She's Storming and Jockey Kylee Jordan

Photo credit: Coady Photography

KING PEANUT RULES THE RAINBOW STAKES

SHE’S STORMING PULLS MILD UPSET IN RAINBOW MISS

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Saturday, April 8, 2023) – Richard Christian’s King Peanut has now won two of three career starts and earned a chance to face older horses in the $200,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship Stakes May 6 after winning Saturday’s $150,000 Rainbow Stakes for Arkansas-bred 3-year-olds.

King Peanut, the 9-5 second choice, and Midnight Taxes, the 6-5 favorite, raced head and head early through opening fractions of :22 2/5 and :45 4/5 for the first half mile. The winner cut the corner coming into the stretch to gain the lead as his rival faded and drew off to win easily by 3 ¼ lengths over Bohemian Bo. Debater, the longest price in the field at 36-1, raced in third throughout and held that position at the end. The winning time was 1:10 4/5 for six furlongs over a fast track.

King Peanut, trained by Danny Peitz and ridden by Francisco Arrietta, has now earned $156,050 from his two wins. The Mo for the Money colt bred by Eugene Thompson Benight returned $5.80, $3.80 and $2.80.

Two races later, Michael Tedder’s She’s Storming pulled the mild upset at 7-1 to give trainer Michael Hewitt his first career stakes win and jockey Kylee Jordan her first Oaklawn stakes win in the $150,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes.

Forwardly placed early, She’s Storming was second for an opening quarter mile in :22 2/5 before assuming the lead after a half mile in :46 2/5. She maintained control to the wire, drawing clear by 1 ¾ lengths over 4-5 favorite Bennykayandsuzytoo in a final time of 1:11 4/5 for six furlongs over a fast track. Ms Carroll County was third.

She’s Storming improved her record to 2-1-1 in seven career starts, all at Oaklawn this season, and has now earned $165,952. The Hightail filly bred by Dr. Jesse Clement, returned $17, $5.60 and $3.80.

There is no live racing Sunday in observance of the Easter holiday. Racing will resume Friday, April 14 with a 12:30 p.m. first post.

Stakes Quotes:

Winning jockey Francisco Arrieta, King Peanut: “Everybody stayed out from the rail and I decided early to take it. I didn’t want to wait for it (rail) to close. I said, ‘I’m taking it,’ so I pushed him and took the hole and waited a little bit and started looking for the lead early.’ He kept it up. That’s a nice baby.”

Winning trainer Danny Peitz, King Peanut: “I wasn’t expecting that (inside) trip, really. I thought he (Francisco Arrieta) might let him settle a little more and then try to work his way out. But I think once he broke, they didn’t really clear him. I think he thought, ‘I’m in here and I better stay in here and get up on in there, so I don’t get shut off.’ It worked out. I’m anxious to try him a little longer.”

Winning Jockey Kylee Jordan, She’s Storming: “I thought there was a lot of speed in this race, but she broke really nice and I just sat there with her. I could tell that I had horse all the time. She just ran really well.”

Winning trainer Michael Hewitt, She’s Storming: “Unthinkable. I ran her back in seven days. I ran her in an open allowance race seven days ago against older horses and she ran a big race. We almost won it and I told the owners, ‘I’m going to enter the Rainbow Miss. Can’t promise you I’ll run her because she may not bounce back that quick.’ She just came back really good off that race. She said, ‘I’m ready.’ So, I ran her. She’s always broke really sharp. Been a good little gate horse. I told her (Kylee Jordan) there’s a lot of speed in here, just don’t let them get away from you. Just get you a spot and be sitting and be ready. It just went. It happened.”

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