Okie Ride wins Oklahoma Classics Sprint for fourth time

A change back to regular equipment and trust in the talent of a veteran horse, is all Okie Ride needed in winning the $122,800 Oklahoma Classics Sprint on Friday at Remington Park for a record-tying fourth time.

Okie Ride joins Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer Highland Ice as the only other horse to win the Classics Sprint four times. In gaining his fourth victory in the Classics series, Okie Ride now moves into a tie for second in all-time wins, joining She’s All In and Notable Okie. Only Highland Ice has won more in the Oklahoma Classics as the gray speedster racked up five triumphs before retiring.

Owned and bred by the Richter Family Trust of Perkins, Okla. and trained by Kenny Nolen, jockey Luis Quinonez let the 9-year-old Okie Ride dictate his own race. He made that decision after the pair finished a poor fifth in the David M. Vance Sprint on the Oklahoma Derby undercard in September.

“He showed up today. The last time, I think I started to reach too much. I told Kenny today that I was just going to let him run his race and I would adjust to him. He knows how to win.”

Okie Ride also received a switch-back to blinkers, after Nolen had removed the equipment prior to the Vance Sprint, to try and alter the way Okie Ride was starting his races. “He had been getting himself left at the gates and we thought we’d try something different (taking blinkers off). That didn’t work very well, so we went back to what had been working (using blinkers).”

Okie Ride was a relaxed fourth after a quick start in the six-furlong Sprint. Quinonez let him sit back behind runners going into the turn. Then, just before a quarter-mile left to run, Quinonez let Okie Ride begin to roll into the stretch. Welder set the pace with a quarter-mile fraction of :21.88 and a half-mile split of :44.60. The quick pace set up the rally by Okie Ride as he caught Welder at the 70-yard pole and went on to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:09.83 over the fast track. Perfect To Please was a closing third, 5-3/4 lengths behind Okie Ride.

The remaining order in the Sprint was: Johnny Whip (4th), Pure Chrome (5th), Yonaguska (6th), Golden York (7th), Agent (8th), Eurobond (9th) and My Validation (10th).

Away at 2-1 odds, Okie Ride paid $6.40 to win, $3.40 to place and $2.60 to show. Welder, the 8-5 betting favorite, paid $2.80 to place and $2.60 to show. Perfect To Please paid $4.60 to show.

The Classics Sprint is the 15th career win for Okie Ride from 40 starts. A gelded son of Candy Ride (Arg) from the Geiger Geiger mare Tic Tic, Okie Ride picked up $73,680 in his fourth Classics Sprint. He has now earned $759,714.

Okie Ride’s latest Sprint gave Nolen his fifth career Oklahoma Classics win.

GIANNA’S DREAM WINS SECOND STAKES RACE OF REMINGTON PARK SEASON, WINNING OKLAHOMA CLASSICS DISTAFF TURF

Gianna’s Dream continues to prove to be too tough when left alone on the lead as she glided to an easy 2-1/4 length win in the $118,900 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf at Remington Park.

The speedy 3-year-old filly won the Bob Barry Memorial on the undercard of the Oklahoma Derby in September in similar fashion for owner Jordan Wycoff of Fort Washington, Penn. Trained by Michael Maker and ridden by C.J. McMahon, Gianna’s Dream was never challenged over the 1-1/16 miles that she handled in 1:42.68 over the firm course. Zeta Zody, winner of the Classics Distaff Turf a year ago, rallied for second while Penguini was another length behind in third.

STRONG RALLY GAINS OKLAHOMA CLASSICS LASSIE FOR OKIE DIVA

Okie Diva circled the field in the $85,500 Oklahoma Classics Lassie on Friday at Remington Park, winning her second consecutive race.

Owned and bred in Oklahoma by the Richter Family Trust of Perkins, Okla., Okie Diva handled the six-furlong event for 2-year-old fillies in 1:11.08 over a fast track. Jockey Luis Quinonez had the assignment for trainer Donnie Von Hemel. Okie Diva looped the field from seventh leaving the backstretch, scoring a driving 2-1/4 length win over a closing Baby K. The third-place finisher was Natalie’s Mischief, six lengths behind the winner.

STEEL CUT PULLS CLEAR IN OKLAHOMA CLASSICS DISTAFF

Steel Cut was a popular winner of the $133,500 Oklahoma Classics Distaff for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and upward. The five-year-old mare by Cactus Ridge was a comfortable winner at 3-5 odds, earning $80,100 for owner and trainer Wesley Hawley of River Ridge, Louisiana.

Steel Cut was claimed by Hawley at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. for $10,000 in January 2015. She has now earned $346,805 since being claimed. “She’s an unbelievable claim,” said Hawley. “She’s been a dream come true.”

EURO K SHOTGUN REMAINS UNDEFEATED AFTER WINNING OKLAHOMA CLASSICS DISTAFF SPRINT

Euro K Shotgun has now run her lifetime race record to three wins in as many starts after winning the $118,900 Oklahoma Classics Distaff for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and upward.

Bred, owned and trained by C.R. Trout of Edmond, Okla., Euro K Shotgun was sent off as the betting favorite at 7-5 odds. Winning jockey Luis Quinonez did an outstanding job of rating her speed from just off the lead. “I was really just trying to get away in good order and try to have a good position in the turn and give her a chance to win. She was there when I asked her to run and she responded well and went by them to win the race.”

TAXMAN’S QUEST EASILY TAKES OKLAHOMA CLASSICS JUVENILE FOR SECOND CAREER VICTORY

Taxman’s Quest recovered after a tardy break to win the $85,500 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile on Friday night at Remington Park by an expanding 5-3/4 lengths as the 4-5 odds wagering favorite.

Bred and owned by the Litsch Family of Edmond, Okla, the two-year-old gelded son of Euroears from the Dehere mare Radiant Rose, won his career debut in his only previous start, an Oklahoma-bred maiden special weight race at Remington Park on August 12. Winning trainer Roger Engel knew he needed to be patient with his young horse, “He started to get some sore shins after his first start so I wanted to back off and give him some time.”

RUNANDYRUN CLOSES FROM LAST TO FIRST TO PULL UPSET IN OKC TURF CLASSIC

The $120,850 OKC Turf Classic was the final stakes race on the million-dollar evening on Friday that is the Oklahoma Classics at Remington Park. Runandyrun pulled the upset, running from last after a half-mile to win, defeating Ibaka who was previously unbeaten over the lawn.

Owned and bred by Mike Jones of Bristow, Okla., Runandyrun is trained by Tyrone Shaw. Jockey Belen Quinonez was aboard for the rousing run as Runandyrun trailed by nine lengths along the backstretch of the 1-1/16 miles event. The 7-year-old gelding was so full of run before the final turn that Quinonez had to work to get him to wait for the proper time to release his best effort while letting others try to soften up the 2-5 betting favorite, Ibaka, near the front of the field of nine.

“I just tried to get him to relax and get him in position. It’s 1-1/16 miles and there might be someone to go with Ibaka, so we had to just be patient and punch him late for home and have some horse. We had to work for it.”

Source: Remington Park