Oklahoma Derby Horses Post Workouts

A pair of Oklahoma Derby hopefuls posted workouts Saturday, eight days away from the Grade 3, $400,000 event at Remington Park. The state’s richest Thoroughbred race will be renewed for the 27^thtime on Sunday, Sept. 27.

Tale Of Verve worked at Churchill Downs while the lone Oklahoma-bred expected in the race, Shotgun Kowboy, had a breeze at Remington Park.

Hall of Fame Trainer D. Wayne Lukas is giving thought to sending Sharm to Oklahoma City for the race, according to Remington Park stakes coordinator Don Thompson. Based at Churchill Downs, Sharm is still a maiden after 10 career attempts. He is owned by Zayat Stables, the connections of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

Sharm breezed a half-mile at Churchill Downs on Sept. 15 in :50 3/5 seconds.

Including Sharm, the potential field for the Oklahoma Derby would be 13. The race will be contested at 1-1/8 miles. Following is a working list of possible contenders for the headline race on a program that will have six other stakes events and total purse money exceeding $1.1 million.

Tale Of Verve

Preakness Stakes runner-up Tale Of Verve breezed 1:01.40 for five furlongs on Saturday morning at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Jockey Jamie Theriot, a former regular rider at Remington Park was aboard for the effort and is expected to travel to Oklahoma City for the mount in the derby.

Trained by Dallas Stewart, Tale Of Verve finished seven lengths behind American Pharoah at Pimlico in Baltimore during the second-leg of the Triple Crown. Since that effort Tale Of Verve was seventh in the Belmont Stakes in June, sixth in the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer on Aug. 1 and eighth in the Travers Stakes on Aug. 29 at Saratoga.

Stewart spoke with Churchill Downs publicity staff after his breeze Saturday and was hopeful of it leading to a solid effort in the Oklahoma Derby. “I thought he worked great and hopefully he’ll get along with the track at Remington. We’ll see how it plays out.”

Shotgun Kowboy

C.R. Trout’s homebred put in his final official workout prior to entering for the Oklahoma Derby. The gelding breezed a half-mile in :48.07 seconds. Shotgun Kowboy is the main Oklahoma-bred expected for the derby this year. The race has been won by just one other Oklahoma-bred, Clever Trevor in the inaugural running of 1989.

A standout as a 2-year-old at Remington Park in 2014, Shotgun Kowboy finished second in the richest local race for those in their first year of competition, the $250,000 Springboard Mile. He was just a head behind the winner Bayerd in Springboard, leaving owner, trainer and breeder C.R. Trout hopeful of a big 3-year-old campaign. However, those dreams were dashed when the gelding developed a minor issue and a small bout with colic…Time and proper attention to healing helped Shotgun Kowboy get back to action on Aug. 29 when he lit up Oklahoma-bred allowance foes in a race for 3-year-olds at 6-1/2 furlongs, winning by an easy 11-1/4 lengths.

Mobile Bay

Winner of the Grade 2-$400,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La. on Sept. 12, Mobile Bay is expected to wheel right back for the Oklahoma Derby while on top of his game. The Super Derby was by far his top achievement to date with previous stakes scores coming in state-bred company against fellow Louisiana-bred foes…Owned by Tigertail Ranch of Las Vegas, Mobile Bay is trained by Victor Arceneaux… The colt by Lone Star Special has five wins to his credit and has only missed a top-three finish once in 10 career starts. Overall earnings stand at $414,290.

Souper Colossal

Second in the Grade 3-$300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in Philadelphia on Aug. 29, Souper Colossal continued his trend of top-three finishes in graded events while still searching for his first triumph in a race of that category. He was also second in the Grade 2-$750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park on Aug. 1; as a 2-year-old he was seventh in the Grade-$1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park… Owned by Live Oak Plantation of Ocala, Fla., the colt by War Front is trained by Eddie Plesa and last worked on Sept. 12 at Monmouth Park in Oceanside, N.J., breezing a half-mile in :49 4/5… Souper Colossal has four victories and four second-place finishes from his nine career attempt with total earnings of $403,640.

The Truth Or Else

Owned in partnership by Harold Lerner LLC and trainer Kenny McPeek, The Truth Or Else is a consideration for the Oklahoma Derby and may travel to Oklahoma City early the week of the race. The colt by Yes It’s True is working his way back to action after last competing in an allowance at Belmont Park on May 22, which he won. He breezed five furlongs at Belmont on Sept. 15 in 1:02 2/5…The Truth Or Else enjoyed his best graded finish this year in the Grade 3-$300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park when he was second. He was subsequently fourth and seventh behind Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the Grade 2-$750,000 Rebel Stakes and Grade 1-$1,000,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn.

Thirtysilverpieces

Trained by former Remington Park regular Butch Marshall and owned by Misty Meadows Farm of Cleveland, Okla., Thirtysilverpieces is currently based at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio… Recently fourth in the Grade 3-$300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in Philadelphia, Thirtysilverpieces also ran fifth in the Grade 2-$750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer and fifth in $500,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown… A gelding by Badge Of Silver, Thirtysilverpieces has four wins from 12 attempts and earnings of $147,100.

Desert Dynamo

Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer won last year’s Oklahoma Derby with Tonito M. He currently is considering sending Desert Dynamo in for this year’s running. Based at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., Desert Dynamo was recently third in the $100,000 El Cajon at Del Mar on Aug. 29. The colt by Desert Party worked five furlongs handily at Santa Anita on Sunday, Sept. 13 in 1:02 4/5.

Bold Conquest

Owned by Ackerley Brothers Farm of Houston and trained by Steve Asmussen, the son of Curlin is currently based at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The colt last worked on Sept. 13, breezing five furlongs in 1:00 4/5… Bold Conquest has been in plenty of dances but has yet to win the bigger prizes, still seeking his second career win. As a 3-year-old he has run in the Grade 3-$300,000 Southwest Stakes (4^th), Grade 2-$750,000 Rebel Stakes (3^rd) and Grade 1-$1,000,000 Arkansas Derby (5^th) all at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. Other graded events this year include: Grade 3-$100,000 Matt Winn Stakes (4^th) at Churchill Downs and the Grade 2-$500,000 Indiana Derby (4^th) at Indiana Grand… Bold Conquest has accumulated $313,042 from his 10 career starts… Asmussen has won 11 training titles at Remington Park, including the last eight seasons consecutively. He is still seeking his first score in the Oklahoma Derby.

Lucky Player

Also trained by Steve Asmussen the colt by Lookin At Lucky is owned by Jerry Durant of Weatherford, Texas…Recently third in a one-mile allowance at Remington Park that served as the local prep for the Oklahoma Derby, Lucky Player finished behind two other potential derby foes Poseidon’s Way and Hillbilly Royalty. That race on Aug. 22 was his first since late February… Lucky Player won the Grade 3-$100,000 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old in Sept. 2014 before running eighth in the Grade 1-$2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile… He recently worked five furlongs handily at Remington Park in 1:00 flat on Sept. 14.

Witt Six

Texas-based Witt Six has returned to his home after spending the summer in the cooler regions of Canada. A winner of four career races, Witt Six won three times while at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg. The trio of victories came consecutively in smaller stakes events before he finished second in the $75,000 Manitoba Derby.

Trained by Jerry Gourneau, Witt Six then traveled west to Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. There he finished second to the talented filly Academic in the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby.

Witt Six worked five furlongs at Retama Park, north of San Antonio, on Sunday, Sept. 13 in 1:02 1/5, breezing.

Remington Park-based horses continue their preparation for the Oklahoma Derby, led by a pair trained by Donnie Von Hemel. The only three-time winning trainer of the Oklahoma Derby, Von Hemel plans on firing Poseidon’s Way and Hillbilly Royalty into the 1-1/8 miles event.

Poseidon’s Way

Owned by Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Stable of Versailles, Ky., Poseidon’s Way was triumphant in a one-mile allowance race at Remington Park on Aug. 22. He won the race by a head over Hillbilly Royalty in an event that served as the local prep for the Oklahoma Derby.

Poseidon’s Way has had two workouts since his victory, recently traveling six furlongs in 1:13.41, handily, on Friday, Sept. 11. The derby would be just his second stakes attempt as he was third in the $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. in April.

Hillbilly Royalty

Attempting to put more endurance into his game, Hillbilly Royalty worked seven furlongs at Remington Park in 1:29.70, handily, on Sunday, Sept. 13. The gelding owned by Toby Keith’s Dream Walkin Farms of Norman, Okla., was second in the Northern Spur in April before racing in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pat Day Mile on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby in May, finishing sixth. Since that effort, Hillbilly Royalty won the $75,000 Prairie Meadows Mile in Iowa and was then fifth in the Grade 3, $250,000 Iowa Derby before his runner-up effort behind Poseidon’s Way.

$200,000 Remington Park Oaks

Include Betty

The headliner on the nomination list for the Oaks, the winner of the Grade 1, $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park on June 27,  has danced in nearly every major stakes event for 3-year-old fillies this year, including:

-       Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs in March – 5th

-       Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn in April – Winner

-       Grade 1, $1,000,000 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in May – 8^th

-       Grade 2, $250,000 Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico in May – 2^nd

-       Grade 1, $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park in June – Winner

-       Grade 1, $300,000 Coaching Club America Oaks at Saratoga in July – 3^rd

-       Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga in August – 5^th

Include Betty has won four times from nine attempts with total earnings of $574,500. She worked Sept 18 at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, breezing five furlongs in 1:00 4/5… Owned in partnership by Brereton C. Jones and Tim Thornton, Tom Proctor has guided the filly.

High Dollar Woman

Trained by former Remington Park-based conditioner Steve Hobby, High Dollar Woman is considering the Oaks… A daughter of Super Saver, High Dollar Woman won the Grade 2-$200,000 Indiana Oaks at Indiana Grand on July 18. She could not parlay victory in two straight events, faltering to 10^th in the Grade 3-$100,000 Monmouth Park Oaks on Aug. 22… High Dollar Woman is currently based at Churchill Downs.

$150,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup

Ivan Fallunovalot, trained by Tom Howard, breezed a sharp half-mile on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Remington Park in :47.64 seconds. It was the ninth best half-mile work of the morning from 57 recorded.

Owned by Lewis Mathews of Arkansas, Ivan Fallunovalot will once again attempt a sweep of the major sprint stakes at Remington Park this season, trying to add the $150,000 Sprint Cup to his August score in the $75,000 David M. Vance Sprint. He finished fourth in the Remington Park Sprint Cup a year ago after winning the Vance Sprint earlier in the season.

A winner of 10 career races, Ivan Fallunovalot won the $100,000 King Cotton Stakes at Oaklawn in February. He stayed in Arkansas and finished second in both the $100,000 Hot Springs Stakes in March and the Grade 3, $300,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap in April.

The entire program for Oklahoma Derby Day at Remington Park will be drawn in the track’s racing office onThursday, Sept. 24. The other stakes races on the card include:

-       $100,000 Remington Green Stakes, 3 and older, 1-1/8 miles (turf)

-       $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes, 2-year-old, six furlongs

-       $75,000 Ricks Memorial Stakes, fillies and mares, 3 and older, 1-1/16 miles (turf)

-       $50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes, fillies and mares, 3 and older, six furlongs

Oklahoma Derby Day will feature a special 1:30pm start time on Sunday, Sept. 27.

Open daily at 10:30am for casino gaming and simulcast racing, Remington Park features the Bricktown Brewery on the casino floor. Admission, general parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park, home of the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday, Sept. 27.

Source: Remington Park