ASMUSSEN, ELLIOTT PAD LEADS IN TRAINER, JOCKEY STANDINGS WITH EQUUS WINNING REMINGTON PARK FEATURE

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and runaway leader in the jockey standings, Stewart Elliott, padded their leads in both categories by winning the featured allowance race Thursday night with Equus.

Asmussen, trying for his unprecedented 19th training title at Remington Park this meet, won for the 13th time when Equus was an easy winner in the eighth of nine races on the card by 2-1/4 lengths. The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Eclipse Award-winning champion sprinter Mitole, out of the Speightstown mare Sweet Esprit, stalked the early pace in second for the one-mile-70-yard race on the main fast track, and flew past the front-runner as they turned for home. West Coast Fashion (4-1 co-second favorite) set the early pace, but faded to fourth.

Equus was the other 4-1 choice by the betting public and she stopped the timer in 1:43.28 after chasing interior fractions of :24.51 for the first quarter-mile, :49.40 for the half-mile, 1:14.05 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:39.06 for the mile.

Equus paid $10.60 to win, $5.60 to place and $3.40 to show. Contour (11-1) finished second, another 4-3/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Love Tank (2-5 wagering favorite).

Equus was bred by Post Rock Farms and she was purchased by Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron Winchell) of Las Vegas, Nev. at the 2022 Keeneland Yearling Sale for $115,000. She earned $21,549 for the win from the $36,000 purse and improved her career record to six starts, three wins, and one second for earnings of $68,489.

Elliott kept his cushion of 13 wins ahead of second-place Floyd Wethey, Jr., with his 31st victory through the first 18 race dates of the season. Wethey, who also won on the card, moved to 18 victories. Harry Hernandez moved into third place ahead of David Cabrera with his 16th win of the meet. Cabrera has 15 trips to the winner’s circle.

Asmussen has 13 wins this meet, four head of second-place Dick Cappellucci, who also had a winner on the night.

Remington Park racing continues Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20 & 21. Three stakes races headline the Friday program, all for Oklahoma-breds over the turf. The Remington Park Turf Spring, the Bob Barry Memorial and the Red Earth Stakes are the main events of the evening with a first post time of 6:30pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $357 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 simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The 2024 Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 13. The Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby takes place on Sunday, Sept. 29. 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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