Stakes Advance - Natural State Breeders 2025
By Robert Yates
Defending champion Kantex is the 9-5 program favorite for the $150,000 Natural State Breeders’ Stakes Sunday at Oaklawn.
Probable post time for the Natural State, a one-mile event for Arkansas-bred fillies and mares, 3 and up, is 4:48 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:30 p.m., with the Natural State going as the ninth of 10 races.
Kantex is among three Natural State entrants for trainer Randy Morse, who also bred and campaigns the 6-year-old daughter of Street Strategy with Randy Patterson.
Kantex will be making just her second start since winning the 2024 Natural State. She launched her 2025 season with a fifth-place finish, beaten 2 ½ lengths, in an open allowance sprint April 12 at Oaklawn. Kantex had three local starts leading up to last year’s Natural State, including a victory in the $150,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders’ Stakes for state-bred fillies and mares, 3 and up, at six furlongs.
Kantex is scheduled to break from post 6 under Rafael Bejarano and carry 119 pounds.
Morse is also scheduled to send out Punchy Girl (3-1), who finished fifth in last year’s Natural State.
Punchy Girl won the $150,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes for 3-year-old state-bred fillies at six furlongs in 2022 at Oaklawn for trainer Jason Barkley (now retired) and owner Sara Patterson, who is Randy Patterson’s daughter.
Unbeaten Caliente Star (5-2) exits a three-length victory in the April 6 Rainbow Miss for trainer Tammy Hornsby and owner Jama T. Lopez. Caliente Star (3 for 3) has never raced around two turns.
“Just hope she can stretch out against older horses,” Hornsby said. “She acts like she can, but you never know.”
Caliente Star, a daughter of millionaire Oaklawn stakes winner Tapiture, has won her three starts by a combined 12 lengths. The Rainbow Miss represented Hornsby’s 100th career victory, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization. It was her second stakes victory of the meeting and third overall.
“I hope the high isn’t over yet,” said Hornsby, who saddled her first career winner in 2011.
The 10-horse Natural State field also features the speedy Bennykayandsuzytoo (15-1) for trainer Tommy Vance of Hot Springs and the popular Arr Piratetreasure (12-1) for co-owner/trainer Danele Durham.
Bennykayandsuzytoo finished second in last year’s Natural State. Arr Piratetreasure rallied from far back early to capture a first-level state-bred allowance sprint April 4 at Oaklawn in her last start.
Morse’s third entrant is Appealing Addie (10-1), third behind Arr Piratetreasure earlier this month.
