Mucho Gusto favored in Oklahoma Derby field of 11

A stakes-laden 13-race program has been assembled for Sunday at Remington Park, led by the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, which goes as the 12th race on a card beginning at 3 p.m. CT.

Mucho Gusto was made the 8-5 morning line favorite by odds maker Rick Lee. The Bob Baffert trainee comes into the Oklahoma Derby off a third-place Travers Stakes finish, 3-1/2 lengths behind victorious Code Of Honor.

The son of Mucho Macho Man won both the Grade 3 Laz Barrera Stakes and the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita Park this spring. He then ran second to Maximum Security in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park in New Jersey prior to his Travers effort. Owned by Michael Petersen, Mucho Gusto will be ridden by Joe Talamo.

Owendale, a closing third in the Preakness Stakes Pimlico, beaten only 1 1/4 lengths, is at 3-1 odds the second choice in the morning line. Owendale drew the outside post in the field of 11 and will be ridden by Florent Geroux for the fifth consecutive race. Trained by Brad Cox, Owendale won the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in June at Thistledown.

Tax, a multiple stakes winner this year after taking the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct in February and then visiting the winner’s circle in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 27, is the third choice on the morning line at 4-1 odds. Trained by Danny Gargan, the former claim Tax has earned $786,300 with three wins from nine attempts. Kendrick Carmouche will have the mount.

Remington Park’s current leading trainer, Steve Asmussen, whas a pair of horses entered as he attempts to win his second Oklahoma Derby. Long Range Toddy, winner of the 2018 Springboard Mile at Remington Park and the runner-up in that race, Bankit, will represent the barn. Asmussen won his first Oklahoma Derby in 2017 with Untrapped.

Owned and bred by Willis Horton Racing, Long Range Toddy is at 15-1 odds in the morning line. He won Remington Park’s top 2-year-old races last year in the Springboard Mile and also the Clever Trevor Stakes. This spring at Oaklawn Park, Long Range Toddy was second in the Smarty Jones; third in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes; and won a division of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes before finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.

Long Range Toddy was awarded a 16th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He was then third in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown followed by a fifth-place run in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby.

Jockey Jon Court, who has ridden Long Range Toddy in his last five attempts, keeps the mount. Long Range Toddy is just the second horse to have started his career at Remington Park to compete in the Kentucky Derby, joining Suddenbreakingnews in that small club. 

Bankit, at 8-1 on the morning line, closed from the back of the pack in the 11-horse Springboard Mile here in December. The New York-bred colt by Central Banker launched a furious rally coming off the final turn under Ricardo Santana, Jr. Bankit nearly caught Long Range Toddy in the Springboard, finishing second beaten only a head. Santana has the call on Bankit, owned in partnership by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton.

The complete field for the Oklahoma Derby:

1. Drifting West: Joe Offolter, Luis Quinonez, 50-1

2. View Magic: Bret Calhoun, Iram Diego, 30-1

3. Bankit: Steve Asmussen, Ricardo Santana, 8-1

4. Sleepy Eyes Todd: Miguel Silva, David Cabrera, 20-1

5.  Tax: Danny Gargan, Kendrick Carmouche, 4-1

6. Funny Guy: John Terranova, Rajiv Maragh, 10-1

7. Chess Chief: Dallas Stewart, Miguel Mena, 15-1

8. Cairo Cat: Kenneth McPeek, Richard Eramia, 20-1

9. Long Range Toddy: Steve Asmussen, Jon Court, 15-1

10. Mucho Gusto: Bob Baffert, Joe Talamo, 8-5

11. Owendale: Brad Cox, Florent Geroux, 3-1

There are seven other stakes races on Sunday at Remington Park, including:

Race 3 - $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes, 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs

Race 6 - $150,000 David Vance Stakes, 3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs

Race 7 - $75,000 Ran Ricks Memorial, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 1-1/16 miles (Turf)

Race 9 – Grade 3, $200,000 Remington Park Oaks, 3-year-old fillies, 1-1/16 miles

Race 10 - $50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs

Race 11 - $100,000 Remington Green Stakes, 3-year-olds and up, 1-1/8 miles (Turf)

Race 13 - $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial, fillies, 2-year-olds, 6-1/2 furlongs