Ari Oakley kicked off 2023 with the first stakes win of her career on Jan. 8 with a hard-fought victory in the $65,000 Bold Ego S. at Sunland Park.
The 4-year-old filly is the first stakes winner of the year for Gun Runner, who also had a pair of stakes-placed runners in the first week of 2023. Gun Runner was the leading Second-Crop Sire of 2022 and First-Crop Sire of 2021.
Ari Oakley sat just off a very quick pace in Sunday’s 5 ½-furlong contest before making a swift move to take command just before entering the stretch. Flying Falynn made it close in the late stages, with Ari Oakley holding her off by a neck to secure the win.
Ari Oakley is 4-1-1 in 10 starts and has earned $277,888 for her owner/breeder Stonestreet Stables. The bay filly is out of the Grade 2 winner Belle of Perintown, who has produced three stakes winners and five stakes horses in total.
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