Hot Springs Stakes 2025 Analysis

By Jarrod Horak

The $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes is the 7th race at Oaklawn on Sunday, March 30. Eight sophomores were entered in this non-graded event at one mile on the main track, and Gaming is the morning line favorite.

Hot Springs Analysis

Clever Again missed by a head in his debut at 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland last spring. He disappeared for more than ten months, and he wired the field as the favorite in a slow early/fast late route at Oaklawn on Feb. 23 (first lasix). It is a good sign that he ran faster in his return and the $500k American Pharoah colt is all upside. Jose Ortiz sticks with Steve Asmussen’s promising colt and he shows three solid works since his last start. 

Gaming is the proven class but his recent form is suspect. He won his first two starts at Del Mar last summer including the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. He stretched out, chased his stablemate Citizen Bull, and was second best in the BC Juvenile (G1) last fall. He was a flat third as the favorite in the Los Al Futurity (G2), and he had early trouble and never picked up his feet in the Southwest (G3) on Jan. 25. He was supposed to run in the Virginia Derby on March 14 but got sick and missed that race. He shows four bullets since his last start including back-to-back bullet moves on March 17 and March 23. 

Perfect Force added lasix, turned back, and graduated at six panels on March 2, and stalked and scored again at that same distance on March 21. He stretches back out in his third start after a layoff. He loses lasix and needs to work out a trip from the outside post. 

Hola Joey was part of the trifecta in all four sprints. He won back-to-back local races at six furlongs in December and February, and was second best in the Ozark Stakes on Feb. 17. He tries a route of ground in his third start after a layoff.  

Hot Springs Wagers

#5 to win

Exacta 5-7

Trifecta 5-7-8/4-5-7-8/4-5-7-8

Hot Springs Video