BREAKABLE CODE RUNS THEM DOWN IN STRETCH OF OKLAHOMA CLASSICS SPRINT AT REMINGTON PARK

One thought came into jockey Walter De La Cruz’s head at the 16th pole Friday night in the $99,600 Oklahoma Classics Sprint in the saddle of winner Breakable Code.

“I thought, ‘I hope we get it,’ “ said winning jockey De La Cruz. “I was just sitting on him, waiting for my one move.”

That move came in the latter stages of the stretch run as Breakable Code still had one horse to run down at the wire and that was Connors Outlaw, who had taken the lead after a half-mile of the six furlongs sprint on the fast main track. The two would come together at the finish line and it was Breakable Code who had the longest neck as that was the margin of victory.

The 5-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Code West, out of the Broken Vow mare Honorable Break, was the second of three wins in a row Friday night for the tandem of Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer Joe Offolter and owner-breeder Bryan Hawk of Shawnee, Okla. Breakable Code went off as the 7-5 betting favorite in the Sprint and paid $4.80 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show.

The top-two finish in the Classics Sprint was close but the race for third was even tighter as Tzedakah (48-1) and Salt Creek Kid (89-1) dead-heated for third, 2-3/4 lengths back of the top two.

“He has never done anything wrong,” said Offolter. “He has always shown a lot of talent. Walter has a good clock in his head and I always like riding him on my horses. Bryan always brings me good horses. That can make a trainer look smart.”

Hawk pulled no punches when speaking about Breakable Code.

“He’s probably the best horse in our barn,” he said. That’s high praise for a horse stabled with Mister Omaha, winner of the Oklahoma Classics Cup and third-place finisher in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby. To be fair, that comment came before Mister Omaha blew them away in the Cup.

Still, Breakable Code won $59,760 from the purse and improved to 11 starts, seven wins, two seconds and a bankroll of $229,812.

Past the dead-heat for third, the rest of the order of finish was Missin Hollywood (8-1) fifth, C W Prize (2-1) sixth, Cold Fact (21-1) seventh, Our Cornerstone (82-1) eighth, Ghost Hero (4-1) ninth and Boozeintheblender (89-1) 10th.

The final running time for Breakable Code was 1:10.60. De La Cruz rated him in mid-pack early and cut into fractions set in the first quarter-mile of :21.44 by Ghost Hero, who quickly faded and then Connors Outlaw took the lead, putting up the half-mile in :44.44 and the five-eighths of a mile in :57.12.

The victory on Breakable Code was the first Oklahoma Classics triumph for De La Cruz.

Remington Park racing continues Saturday night Oct. 18 with a first post of 6 p.m.-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 Springboard Mile, a 2026 Kentucky Derby qualifying points race, takes place Saturday, Dec. 20, the final night of the Thoroughbred Season. Guests must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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