Oaklawn horse racing’s prominent pair have achieved their inaugural Oaklawn Stakes victory. On Sunday, in the $150,000 Mockingbird Stakes for 3-Year-Old Filly Sprinters held in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Grace Is Free surged to the front from an outside position early in the turn and maintained her lead in the stretch, edging out Nick Riendim by one length.
Jockey Kelsi Herr, hailing from small-town Slovakia, Arkansas, guided Grace Is Free for trainer and longtime partner Robert N. Klein, an alumnus of nearby Lake Hamilton High School. Mr. Herr also handles galloping and training duties for Klein, who once served as a practice jockey under the retired trainer Larry Jones, a three-time Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner. Grace Is Free was produced and campaigned by Klein through the Dream Chaser Thorobreds partnership.
Before this victory, Herr and Klein claimed only one stakes win—the 2021 Minnesota HBPA Distaff with Best Kept Secret at Canterbury Park. They have frequently contended at Oaklawn Racetrack with horses like the acclaimed Arkansas-bred Bandit Point, Herr’s first career winner and arguably the crowd favorite.
Nick Leandime secured second place, finishing just ahead of the 4th and 5th favorites Woodstock, followed by Walkaway Kay, Wakuda, Prowes, and Evolution. Grace Is Free completed the six-furlong race on a fast track in 1 minute 10.79 seconds.
Grace Is Free, a Kentucky-bred daughter of American Freedom out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Vivian’s Grace, previously finished fourth at six furlongs in Oaklawn’s inaugural Astral Spa Stakes on December 14. She won her debut at Canterbury Park on August 17 and earned her second victory in just her fourth race, pushing her career earnings to $107,710.
Sunday marked the end of Oaklawn’s 13-day holiday racing season, with racing set to resume on January 30 and continue for a 51-day classic season ending May 2.
Quotes:
Winning jockey Kelsi Herr (Grace Is Free): “We’ve liked this filly for a long time and definitely saw her potential. I was a bit surprised by the odds, but I knew I had to get her into position. When I led, I worried I might have gone too early and told myself, ‘Don’t get your hopes up.’”
Winning Trainer Robert N. Klein (Grace Is Free): “This win with Kelsi ranks up there for me. Even if not, this filly’s potential is thrilling. She’s young and hopefully will grow bigger, faster, and better as we move forward. It was a great day, and she’s always delivered on what we expected.”
This news signifies a breakthrough moment for Herr and Klein, highlighting the emergence of new talent in Oaklawn’s racing scene. For fans, it’s a promising sign that exciting horses and dedicated teams continue to raise the sport’s competitive level.
