TOP TWO TRAINERS IN THE COUNTRY NOMINATE SIX HORSES FOR OKLAHOMA DERBY; SPRINGBOARD MILE WINNER COAL BATTLE TOPS IN EARNINGS FOR THE REMINGTON PARK EVENT

The top trainer in the country, Brad Cox, will be trying to win his fifth Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday, Sept. 28, in the past seven years.

Cox, along with the second-leading trainer in the country, Steve Asmussen, have each nominated three horses to possibly run in Remington Park’s cornerstone race for 3-year-olds at 1-1/8 miles. Asmussen has been the leading seasonal trainer at Remington Park 19 times.

Cox currently resides at the top of the trainer standings nationwide with his horses earning more than $22 million. Asmussen is second at more than $18 million.

Coal Battle, last year’s Springboard Mile winner for 2-year-olds that led to him qualifying for the Kentucky Derby this year, also could return to Remington Park. He would attempt to become only the third horse to win the Springboard and the Oklahoma Derby. The other two were Golden Yank in 2007-08 and Going Ballistic in 2006-2007.

Coal Battle is owned by Norman Stables (Robert Norman) of Thomasville, Ala. and trained by Lonnie Briley. The 3-year-old colt by Coal Front from the Midshipman mare Wolfblade moved on from his Springboard win to score the $250,000 Smarty Jones and Grade 2, $1,250,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. before finishing third in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. He then was 11th over the sloppy track behind Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs where he was also third in the Grade 3, $400,000 Matt Winn Stakes on June 8.

The most recent effort for Coal Battle was a hard fought second, beaten only a half-length by Tip Top Thomas, in the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 5. Coal Battle would be the top earner in the Oklahoma Derby with a bankroll of $1,287,675 if he should enter.

A total of 22 horses were nominated to the Oklahoma Derby. Among them are five graded stakes winners and three other graded stakes-placed horses.

Cox won the Derby last year with Most Wanted for owners Gary and Mary West. Prior to that, Cox had put together a three-race win streak in the Derby with Owendale (2019), Shared Sense (2020) and Warrant (2021).

Asmussen has won the Oklahoma Derby twice – Untrapped (2017) and How Did He Do That (2023).

One of Cox’s nominations is a graded stakes winner and the other two have strong resumes.

Disco Time is lightly raced but is undefeated after three starts and has stepped up in class and stretched out in distance each outing. The Kentucky-bred colt by Not This Time, from the Jump Start mare Disco Chick, broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 1 last year at seven furlongs. He came back at Churchill and won an allowance-optional claiming $100,000 race at one mile on Nov. 30, 2024. Cox then shipped him to the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, where he won the Grade 3, $250,000 Lecomte Stakes by a neck, coming from dead last in the field of 10 to get up right at the wire on Jan. 18. That was the last racing venture for Disco Time who has been preparing for his comeback effort, training at Churchill Downs in recent weeks. Disco Time is owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms.

Instant Replay is a two-time Derby winner and finished third in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby for the Wests as they try to win the Oklahoma Derby in back-to-back years. The colt most recently won the $250,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City on Sept. 6 and the $300,000 Texas Derby on May 26 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie. Instant Replay is a son of Maximum Security, who was disqualified from his Kentucky Derby victory in 2019.

Cox’s third horse is Admiral Dennis, winner of the Delaware Derby two races back on June 14. The Kentucky-bred son of Constitution, out of the Union Rags mare Gulf Coast, is owned by Albaugh Family Stables and was bred by WinStar Farm. He was recently third in the $300,000 Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 10.

Asmussen’s three nominations are graded stakes winner Magnitude, Publisher and Iron Dome. Magnitude, a Kentucky-bred son of Not This Time, out of the Bernadini mare Rockadelic, won the Grade 2, $500,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds by 9-3/4 lengths on Feb. 15 this year, and followed that up with a 9-1/4 lengths win in the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows.

Asmussen, the all-time winningest trainer in North American horse racing history, thought enough of Magnitude to enter him in the Grade 1, $1,250,000 Travers Stakes at Saratoga in upstate New York against Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty. Magnitude was the second favorite in the race at 7-2 odds and finished third to Sovereignty, 20-3/4 lengths behind. Magnitude is owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and was bred by Ron Stolich.

Publisher may be the most praised maiden in the country. The Kentucky-bred son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, from the Proud Citizen mare Indian Pride has yet to win a race in nine starts, but he was the runner-up in the Grade 1, $1,500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn to Sandman on March 29, beaten 2-1/2 lengths. He finished 4-1/2 lengths ahead of third-place Coal Battle in the Arkansas Derby. Publisher then raced in the Kentucky Derby, but was roughed up shortly after the start, never finding his best effort. As a maiden, Publisher has earned $425,396.

Iron Dome, Asmussen’s third nominee, has won his last three races in a row by a combined 28-1/4 lengths, including the $200,000 Albany Stakes at Saratoga. That came on Aug. 21 and he won by 6-3/4 lengths. Iron Dome, is a New York-bred son of Into Mischief, out of the Speightstown mare Speightful Affair. He is owned by L and N Racing of Tulsa, Okla., and Chester Broman, Sr. He was bred by Chester and Mary Broman.

Bracket Buster, who ran second in the Travers, 10 lengths behind Sovereignty, also has been nominated to the Oklahoma Derby by trainer Victoria Oliver for owner BBN Racing. Bracket Buster, a Kentucky-bred colt by Vekoma, out of the Dance With Ravens mare Spring Dance, ran second to Gosger in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 12. Gosger was the runner-up to Journalism in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Maryland and in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

The other graded stakes winners nominated to the Oklahoma Derby were:
Chunk of Gold, owned by Terry Stephens and trained by Ethan West, the winner of the Grade 3, $400,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer on Aug. 3. He was also second to Magnitude in the Grade 2 Risen Star and then second again in the Grade 2, $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby this spring at Fair Grounds. Chunk of Gold finished ninth in the Kentucky Derby.
Macho Music, owned by Mark Fletcher Taylor, Rohan Crichton and Daniel L. Walters, also trained by Crichton, was bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm. He won the Grade 2, $600,000 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on May 3 on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Take Charge Tom, owned by Randy Howg and trained by Robertino Diodoro, was the winner of the Grade 3, $200,000 Canada Derby at Century Mile in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Aug. 23. Howg and Diodoro teamed to win the 2013 Oklahoma Derby with Broadway Empire, who also starred in Canada prior to his Remington Park effort.

Mister Omaha, victorious in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile and the Don McNeill Stakes for Oklahoma-breds as a 2-year-old at Remington Park, has been nominated by owner/breeder Bryan Hawk and trainer Joe Offolter. Mister Omaha was fourth in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 6 after finishing third in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows in July. He finished fourth in the Texas Derby behind Instant Replay.

Oklahoma Derby nominees who have already won this season at Remington Park include:
Colonel Yorke, a two-time winner this season who recently won the restricted Oklahoma Stallion Handicap for Colts & Geldings on Aug. 29.
Go Go Boss, an allowance winner on Sept. 13.

Remington Park racing continues Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 18-20 with the first race nightly at 6pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $390 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. The 2025 Oklahoma Derby takes place Sunday, Sept. 28. The Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 20. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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