Nodouble Breeders' Stakes Recap 2026
Compiled by Robert Yates
Contact: Chris Ho, Vice President of Marketing, cho@oaklawn.com, 501-623-4411 ext. 4201
Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026
Photo Credit: Coady Media
TOUCHDOWN ARKANSAS - Nodouble Breeders' Stakes - 18th Running
For Immediate Release
Oaklawn Stakes Race Recap - $150,000 Nodouble Breeders' Stakes
Touchdown Arkansas collared favored Bohemian Bo in deep stretch to win the $150,000 Nodouble Breeders’ Stakes for accredited Arkansas-bred sprinters, 3 and up, Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn.
Ridden by Francisco Arrieta, Touchdown Arkansas finished three-quarters of a length ahead of fast-closing Cybertown, with pacesetting Bohemian Bo another three-quarters of a length farther back in third. Bohemian Bo led inside the sixteenth pole, but the 2024 Nodouble winner was unable to hold off Touchdown Arkansas and Cybertown on the outside in the final yards.
Navy Seal, the 2025 Nodouble winner, finished fourth, a neck ahead of Lochmoor, who was followed, in order, by One Ten Stadium, Willow Creek Road and Al’s Romeo.
Touchdown Arkansas, who went off 4-1, paid $10, $6 and $4. Cybertown paid $24.60 and $7.40. Bohemian Bo paid $2.80. Tom Van Berg trains Touchdown Arkansas for Lewis E. Mathews Jr. of nearby Bismarck, Ark., best known for campaigning millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes-winning sprinter Ivan Fallunovalot.
As expected, the speedy Bohemian Bo grabbed the lead out of the gate. Touchdown Arkansas, from post 8, tracked Bohemian Bo and Willow Creek Road through a :46.39 half-mile before engaging the leaders on the outside turning for home. Touchdown Arkansas was able to wear down Bohemian Bo to secure his first career stakes victory. The winning time over a fast track was 1:10.31.
Touchdown Arkansas, a 5-year-old son of Grade 1 winner Bee Jersey, lifted his lifetime earnings to $257,500 and improved his record to 3-1-0 in his sixth start.
Touchdown Arkansas was exiting a runner-up finish in an Arkansas-bred allowance sprint Feb. 6 at Oaklawn.
Racing resumes Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (Central).
Nodouble Quotes
Winning Jockey Franciso Arrieta (Touchdown Arkansas): “Nice horse. I have to give a lot of credit to Tom (Van Berg), all of the connections. They did a great job to keep this horse sound, to bring him in shape for this race. He was feeling so good in the post parade. I knew Bohemian Bo was the speed. When the 5 (Willow Creek Road) went to chasing him, I just sat and asked him slowly. When I asked him for his best, he gave me his all. He kept running. I was confident we would get there.”
Winning Trainer Tom Van Berg (Touchdown Arkansas): “I saw Francisco (Arrieta). I said: ‘We’re sitting good. He’s comfortable.’ But he started to ask him a little bit early and I thought he wouldn’t have had to. I think it was just more because he had him so relaxed. He said: ‘Tom, I was comfortable. He was sitting perfect. I didn’t want to move when I didn’t have to.’ Then when he started asking him and he responded – I didn’t know we would get there for sure. In the last sixteenth, he kind of kicked it in. Looked like he was pretty strong.”
