Trainer Trout Bags Oklahoma Classics Triple

C.R. Trout of Edmond, Okla. doubled his career wins in the Oklahoma Classics in just one night. The owner/trainer/breeder of all of his winners came into the 2014 edition with three previous triumphs then promptly won three more including the richest race of the night as Imahit repeated in the Classics Cup, presented by Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, powered by TVG. 

The Trout contingent of runners thrilled onlookers throughout the night as Shotgun Kowboy drew away easily to win the Juvenile and Bringinginthelute rallied from next to last to win the Distaff Turf. In the grand finale, Imahit shot to the front and led throughout, usually by a wide margin, in posting his second straight win in the $155,500 event. 

Under Jareth Loveberry, Imahit immediately took the lead in the 1-1/16 miles Cup and the 5-year-old gelding had things his way from that point. 

“The game plan was to let his legs stretch out right out of the gate and get him nice and relaxed to try and get him an easy lead,” noted Loveberry. “He relaxed on the backside and turning for home I gave him a smooch and he just kept picking it up. He’s fast on his own and was relaxed doing it.” 

Fast was nearly an understatement as Imahit fired off quarter-mile fractions of :23.26 for the opening quarter; :46.33 for the half-mile and 1:10.16 for three-quarters of a mile while cruising into the stretch with a lead of more than six lengths. Imahit hit one mile in 1:35.96 before crossing the finish in 1:42.77 over the fast main track. 

The final time was the fastest in the Cup since Zee Oh Six won the race in 2005 going 1:42.46. 

Z Rockstar, favored at 6-5 odds in the wagering, gained ground in the stretch into second, beaten 2-1/4 lengths. Ibaka also gained for third but was 4-1/4 lengths behind the winner. 

Imahit was 2-1 in the betting and paid $6.60 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Z Rockstar returned $2.80 to place and $2.10 to show. Ibaka paid $3 to show. 

A 5-year-old gelding by Whywhywhy, Imahit is from the Sahm mare Halo Hit. He won his seventh career race from 20 starts with six of the triumphs at Remington Park. The top prize of $93,300 moved Imahit’s overall bankroll to $392,391. 

Imahit became the sixth horse to win the Classics Cup more than once in the history of the Oklahoma Classics. Others that have won the top race of the night at least twice, include: Brush With Pride (1997-98); Mr Ross (1999-2001); Zee Oh Six (2002, 2005-6); George Taylor (2003-04) and Marq French (2008-09).

 

A group of eight older fillies and mares tested the 7-1/2 furlongs of the $129,425 Classics Distaff Turf, presented by Cherokee Nation Entertainment. C.R. Trout’s Bringinginthelute was the first of his three winners on the night, rallying from next to last to score by 2-1/4 lengths. 

Jockey Luis Quinonez let the 4-year-old filly sit over 10 lengths behind during the backstretch of the race before launching a rally coming out of the final turn. Bringinginthelute rolled wide and clear into the stretch with authority to blow past all rivals, crossing the finish in 1:28.83 over the firm course. 

Sooner Superstar and Ridgeofstone dueled for the early lead, cooking quarter-mile splits of :22.89 for the opener then :45.75 for the half-mile before giving way to Katour who led briefly in the stretch. None had a match for the effort of the winner who was followed in second by Okie Nova while Katour held third. Ridgeofstone was the beaten 2-1 wagering favorite, finishing sixth, 11 lengths from the victor. 

At 2-1 in the wagering, Bringinginthelute paid $6.60 to win, $3.40 to place and $3.20 to show. Okie Nova paid $5.40 to place and $3.40 to show. Katour returned $9.80 to show. 

The win was the third from 13 starts for Bringinginthelute with all three of the scores taking place at Remington Park. A daughter of Midnight Lute from the Pioneering mare Starry Pie, Bringinginthelute picked up $77,655 to move her career earnings to $172,289. 

The victory gave Quinonez his 14th career Oklahoma Classics win and his third in the Distaff Turf. 

Another impressive C.R. Trout winner was the 2-year-old gelding Shotgun Kowboy in the $85,500 Juvenile, presented by Chickasaw Nation. 

A 12-3/4 length winner on the season’s Opening Night, Shotgun Kowboy was a solid third in the open-company Kip Deville Stakes in late September before moving back against Oklahoma-breds on Classics night. Outclassing his competition, Shotgun Kowboy rolled to a 6-1/2 length win in 1:09.85 for six furlongs. 

Under Luis Quinonez, Shotgun Kowboy sat off the pace set by Batman Can who managed a quarter-mile in :22.48 and a half-mile in :46.04. Quinonez asked Shotgun Kowboy leaving the turn and he immediately went to the front before the entire field had straightened away in the stretch, drawing high praise from Trout. 

“He’s really matured, this colt, I’ve never had one like him. He really does everything like a professional. He looked like he was making a pretty good move coming off the turn and we felt pretty confident. Luis (Quinonez) said he still had horse left at the end of the race so that’s good.” 

The super-heavy wagering favorite at 1-9 odds, Shotgun Kowboy paid $2.20 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. He Knows Better held second to return $3.60 to place and $2.80 to show. Batman Can faded to third after leading to the stretch, paying $2.80 to show. 

The second win from as many career and Remington Park starts this season was worth $51.800 for Shotgun Kowboy, putting his total earnings to $81,201. He is a son of Kodiak Kowboy from the Siphon (Brazil) mare Shotgun Jane. 

The Juvenile win on Shotgun Kowboy was the 15th Oklahoma Classics win for Quinonez and his first in the Juvenile.