BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Mister Iceman will look for his second victory of the Oaklawn Park season while taking on stakes horses for the first time Sunday in the $175,000 Eclipse, a six-furlong contest for 4-year-olds and older.
Owned by Gary Barber, Mister Iceman traveled to Oaklawn from trainer Peter Miller’s base in Southern California to win a six-furlong allowance race by three-quarters of a length as the 5-2 favorite on New Year’s Day. He was unlucky in his second race at the Hot Springs oval in a second-level, $62,500 optional claiming won by Major Blue with Eclipse rival Tut’s Revenge second on Jan. 27.
Mister Iceman and jockey Francisco Arrieta were shuffled back shortly after the start of the six-furlong test that day but began to make up ground from eighth with a half-mile to the finish. They continued to pass horses around the far turn while six-wide then brushed with a foe at the top of the stretch but remained determined in the stretch to finish fourth.
Mister Iceman has two wins and two seconds and a third in 10 career starts while earning $189,210. The 4-year-old gelded son of Girvin is out of Cherohala, by K One Thing and was bred in Florida by Ponder Hill Inc.
A two-time graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales, Mister Iceman initially sold for $43,000 to Brian Kalmar at the 2021 OBS October Sale where he was consigned by Abbie Road Farm. Miller purchased him as an agent for $80,000 out of the All in Sales consignment at the 2022 OBS Spring Sale.
Supplemented by Barber and Miller to the Eclipse, Mister Iceman is 10-1 on the morning line. Arrieta gets the return mount and they will break from post eight in the field of 10.
Miller will also saddle Tapatio Leo, who is the 9-2 third choice on the morning line for the Eclipse.
Tapatio Leo went wire to wire to win a second level, $62,500 optional claiming at Oaklawn on Feb. 10 over a muddy six furlongs then was fractious in the gate and was off last before finishing seventh in a Feb. 23 allowance at Oaklawn in his last race.
Tapatio Leo will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. from post six.
Tut’s Revenge makes his first start for trainer Mike Maker Sunday after being claimed for $62,500 out of the previously mentioned race on Jan. 27.
The 8-year-old son of Eskendereya also had his share of unfortunate luck at Oaklawn this year having finished seventh after stumbling at the start and racing five-wide in an upper level, $62,500 optional claiming won by next out-winner Skelly on Dec. 30. Eclipse entrants Edge to Edge and Sir Wellington finished second and third respectively in that race.
Ramon Vasquez takes the riding assignment on Tut’s Revenge from post seven.
The 2-1 program favorite is Gun Pilot, who has won his last two races for trainer Steve Asmussen. He took a second condition, $50,000 optional claiming at Fair Grounds on Jan. 27 and an upper level, $75,000 optional claiming at Oaklawn on March 10.
Cristian Torres will ride the son of Gun Runner from post five.
Rounding out the field are Alto Road and jockey Harry Hernandez, Chasing Time with Keith Asmussen aboard, Gabriel Saez rides Sir Wellington, Kavod will be ridden by Emmanuel Esquivel, Edge to Edge has Rafael Bejarano as his rider and Walter De La Cruz will guide Morello.