Springing Into the Kentucky Derby at Remington

The final day of the 2018 Remington Park Thoroughbred meet proved to be a history maker in more ways than one for the track.

The day included six stakes races and a dedication of a statue of one of Remington Park’s most famous runners. But first, Uncail (Uncle Mo) got the show started in spectacular style when he broke his maiden by 10 ¼ lengths in his eighth lifetime start to get the card started.

The second race fittingly saw Donnie Von Hemel in the winner’s circle. Von Hemel trained Clever Trevor (Slewacide) and had spent earlier that week telling me how the Oklahoma-bred gelding had affected his early training career. Later that day, Clever Trevor's saddling paddock statue was to be dedicated.

After taking a quick break to grab a bit at Henry Hudson’s where I had a view of the track – and Steve Asmussen tying his own single season win record, then breaking it – for the next few races, it was time to see the dedication of Clever Trevor’s statue.

An amazing statue, I had grabbed a few photos of it from a few different angles before the dedication began.

During the ceremony a large crowd gathered in the paddock with Donnie Von Hemel and others saying a few words. It was obvious how much everyone – both those who had worked with the horse every day and those from Remington Park – had loved him.

Once the ceremony was over, it was time to focus on the stakes races. The first one up was the Useetit Stakes for 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred fillies. It was another fitting victory with Von Hemel taking the win with Sydney Freeman (Tizway).

In the Jim Thorpe Stakes, all eyes were on Shannon C (Latent Heat). He had won the Oklahoma Stallion Stakes back in September and had the misfortune of running into Welder (The Visualiser) his next two starts. With that horse out of the field, the gelding looked to be a clear winner here.

But it was United Patriot (Flat Out), who had been close in his past few starts without a victory, who looked Shannon C in the eye in the stretch before flying past him to win by 3 ½ lengths with Daaher’s Success (Daaher) also passing Shannon C close to the wire.

United Patriot has been all over North America since his debut in July of 2017 and got a well deserved pat for his victory here.

Steve Asmussen had already broken his win record earlier on the card and was looking to add to it while also hoping to get a second win on the day as an owner in the She’s All In Stakes. It was a tough race with horses such as Grade 3 winner Cosmic Burst (Violence) and Grade 2 placed Adore (Big Brown) both lining up.

Cosmic Burst

Adore

But it was Asmussen’s Clever Serve (To Honor And Serve) making her stakes debut that gave her trainer/owner a victory in the race when proving she belongs in stakes company.

Next up it was time for the 2-year-old fillies to take their turn in the spotlight. The Trapeze Stakes attracted eight fillies with only one horse above 16-1 in the betting.

Favorite Bella Alicita (Bellamy Road) was on her toes heading out to the track but looked like she was going to be dangerous in the race.

But it was the Retama Park dual stakes winner Cowgirls Like Us – a fitting name for the region she’s located in – who made easy work of the field. The My Golden Song daughter controlled much of the race and was able to draw away at the end of the race by a solid 3 ¼ lengths.

She is also the subject of my favorite photo of the night … if not the month with her happy groom and the steam coming off of her in the winner’s circle.

Finally, it was time for the big race of the night. The Springboard Mile is the final Kentucky Derby prep race of the season in the United States and attracted 11 colts and geldings.

First to the paddock was race favorite and shipper Epic Dreamer (Orb), from the barn of Kelly Breen.

He was followed by the very well-bred Kaziranga – a Calumet-bred Candy Ride son of War Front’s half-sister Teammate – who was the first of five runners for Asmussen in the race.

I was quite surprised to see that even with his stakes credentials, Bankit (Central Banker) wasn’t the favorite. He definitely looked the part of a New York stakes winner on the walk over.

One horse that caught my eye in the walk was another Asmussen trainee in Tone Broke (Broken Vow). He was only fourth in the Springboard Mile but watch him in the future as he stretches out.  

With Christmas lights surrounding the paddock and Toby Keith giving the “riders up” command, the Springboard Mile truly felt like an Oklahoma Christmas race.

In an early Christmas present for Willis Horton, it was an exacta for the owner with his homebred Long Range Toddy (Take Charge Indy) beating out his co-owned Bankit by a head. It was also a big race for trainer Steve Asmussen, who trained three of the top four finishers.

It was quite the victory for Long Range Toddy, who went off as the longest shot of Asmussen’s five runners and beat his shortest shot.

To say jockey Richard Eramia was over the moon would have been an understatement.

After Long Range Toddy headed home with his 10 Kentucky Derby points, it was time for the nightcap – the Jeffrey A Hawk Memorial.

Shotgun Kowboy (Kodiak Kowboy) is a hero in the region and much like when he ran while I was there in September, I heard him talked about hours before his race. I’ve also become quite fond of the gelding as well after seeing him a decent amount this year.

A horse I absolutely fell in love with at Remington in September was Hence (Street Boss), who was back in Oklahoma again after a few runs in Kentucky. If you want to see a horse that is muscle on muscle just look at Hence, especially when he’s headed to the paddock. 

When I saw Lone Rock (Majestic Warrior) I wondered why Quality Road was at the track. Then I wondered who his son was. Turns out Lone Rock isn’t by the stallion, but give him a few years and he may be his hair twin.

The power of the hair was strong with this one and his forelock and mane flowed in the wind as he won by a neck.

Understandably, Alex Canchari was thrilled to win the very close finish, celebrating when he returned to the winner’s circle.

Lone Rock has been on fire the last few races so the amount of steam coming off the 3-year-old was fitting. The older horse division looks in need of some new blood with some of the higher profile 3-year-olds and older horses retiring, so Lone Rock could definitely step up in that division if he keeps improving.

With Lone Rock heading back to his stall after the winner’s circle festives, the 2018 Remington meet was officially over. Live racing at the track will resume on March 8 when stock horses take over the track for the Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa meet.