BLACK COFFEE BUZZ POSTS FIRST WORKOUT OF REMINGTON PARK PRE-SEASON
Oklahoma-bred Black Coffee Buzz recorded the first official workout of the Remington Park pre-season this morning. The filly worked at 7:30am under overcast skies with temperatures in the high 80s.
Owned by Kristen Anderson and trained by Joe Merrick, the 4-year-old moved four-furlongs (half-mile) in :54.92, handily over a fast track. She is by Indy Express from the Offlee Wild mare Oflee Wicked and was bred by Merrick. Eduardo Ramos was up for the drill.
“She’s not a hot-shot work horse,” Merrick said. “The track is kind of loose and dry, like it can get in the summer but everything will come around. She’s a nice filly for us.”
Black Coffee Buzz started three times at Remington Park in 2021, managing one third-place effort. She managed to break her maiden status on March 28 this spring at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla. at 5-1/2 furlongs. She then picked up her second career score in a $7,500 claiming event on April 25 going six furlongs.
Merrick saddled his first career winner in 1986 at Ruidoso Downs, N.M. and has competed at Remington Park from the time the track opened in 1988. He has 80 wins in Oklahoma City from 710 starts, with 92 seconds and 78 thirds for total earnings here of $933,761. He is ready for racing to get underway in mid-August.
“I’ll have three or four we keep at Remington but most of our horses will stay at the ranch. It works better for me to be home and handle things. I’ll rotate horses from the ranch to the track as needed.”
The ranch is the famed 14 Ranch in Sayre, Okla. Operated by the Merrick family under the watch of Walter Merrick, a Hall of Fame horsemen, to the time of his passing in 2006. Joe carries on the ranch operation with the Merrick family.
“Still hanging on,” Merrick said of the 1,600 acre property. “We still have plenty of horses and cattle. Not as many horses as we used to have when we had stallions here, mostly broodmares, yearlings and some 2 and 3-year-olds. It is more than enough to keep us busy.”
Merrick has been involved with a viral sensation in recent days. Mine That Bird, the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner who lit up the tote board at 50-1 odds, was ridden by Merrick during the Dust Bowl Days parade in Sayre on July 16. Video of the 16-year-old gelding in the parade has been a hot view online. Mine That Bird has been in western Oklahoma for most of the summer.
“Mine That Bird has been at the ranch for a couple of months. His owners, Mark and Tawnya Allen are good friends,” Merrick said. “Bird has been going to the track here with our young horses every morning and likes the activity. When the Dust Bowl Days came up here in Sayre, Mark suggested we put him in the parade. He was great and handled it well. When his name was announced, the crowd started clapping and he really started showing out for them.”
Merrick has 131 career wins with 153 seconds and 129 thirds, for total earnings of $1,530,870 from 1,194 starts according to Equibase.
Tracked by more than 170,000 fans on Facebook and 10,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $295 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 features simulcast horse racing daily and the casino is always open! Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
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