‘McFadden’ to run at Oaklawn
Some call him “Run DMC” after the late 1980s hip hop group composed of DJ Run, Jam Master Jay and D.M.C. Now, former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, a two-time Heisman trophy runner-up and two-time winner of the Doak Walker Award, has another name to deal with — his own.
A horse named after the bulking, long-legged Arkansas runner will race at Oaklawn Park in beautiful Hot Springs this season. The 3-year-old Arkansas colt has started in just one race since November, trainer Ron Moquett said in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. McFadden — the horse, not the man — finished third in a maiden-claiming sprint Nov. 22 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., according to the Jan. 6 article.
Here’s more from the article:
“I’m a huge fan of Darren McFadden,” said Moquett, who tied for seventh among Oaklawn trainers last year with 14 victories.
“He’s got ‘Arkansas bred’ tattooed on his stomach. Obviously, he’s one of the best Arkansas-bred runners. I hope now I’ve got one of the best.”
We bring this up because the colt was scheduled to run today in a $33,000 purse race at 2:27 p.m., but wintry weather forced race officials to cancel the 122-pounder’s Arkansas debut. No word on when the race will be rescheduled.
McFadden will just have to wait to continue his pursuit toward the $50,000 Rainbow Stakes on March 30.
Meanwhile, the former Arkansas running back McFadden will just continue to train for his big payday — the NFL Draft on April 26.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.