CHASIN JASON TAKES $50,000 DON McNEILL STAKES AFTER FULL SISTER WON EARLIER ON CARD
Chasin Jason took a cue from his full sister Always Be Dancin and said anything you can do I can do better by winning the $50,000 Don McNeill Stakes on Friday night at Remington Park.
Both horses are owned, bred and trained by Pat Swan of Jones, Okla., and he led them both into the winner’s circle. Always Be Dancin won a claiming race for non-winners of two races lifetime in race four. Chasin Jason basically said, “A claiming race? Pffffft. Hold my sweet feed. Watch this.”
Chasin Jason, under jockey Harry Hernandez, battled with Bromigo (9-2) from gate to wire and finally put him away in deep stretch to draw away to his second win in two tries. The margin of victory was 1-3/4 lengths. He and Always Be Dancin are both offspring of Mister Lucky Cat (Storm Cat), out of the same Surf Cat mare, Frieda Zamba. Chasin Jason is a 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred and Always Be Dancin is his 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred older sister.
“He is named after my favorite nephew in New York,” Swan said. “He told me I needed to name a horse after him and I said we had to wait to get a good one. Jason follows our races. Looks like we found a good one.”
Hernandez became the ninth different jockey to win this race in nine years of its running. He described the feeling of winning as he held his new baby Hayden in the winner’s circle.
“Last time he was a little sharp at the break,” said Hernandez. “Today, he was perfect. I took him to the outside to get him to relax. After that, he did the job. He took me all the way to the stretch.”
Chasin Jason was sent off at 3-1 odds as the second favorite and paid $8.40 to win, $4.80 to place and $3.60 to show. He earned $30,000 for Swan and increased his bankroll after two races to $50,043. His winning time at the mile was 1:40.77. He and Bromigo set the first fraction in :24.40 for the quarter-mile, while Chasin Jason set the rest in :49.41 for the half-mile, 1:14.96 for six furlongs and 1:27.56 for seven-eighths of a mile.
Bromigo held on for second, 1-1/4 lengths ahead of Okie Smoke (5-1) in third. They were followed by Running Flat Out (13-1) in fourth, R D C Posse (21-1) fifth and heavy favorite Boom Baby Flats (4-5) dead last. He made a move to get into fourth during the race but faded to a badly beaten sixth.
The Don McNeill Stakes is named in honor of the late Don McNeill. The owner and breeder who was so prominent in Oklahoma-bred racing, represented by many talented horses including top Oklahoma-breds Clever Trevor and Mr. Ross, as well as 2011 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Caleb’s Posse. McNeill passed in 2015.
Remington Park racing continues Saturday, Nov. 11 with a first post of 7:07pm. After taking Sunday off, action resumes with a special Monday and Tuesday afternoon card on Nov. 13 & 14 with the first event both days at 2:30pm. All times Central.
Remington Park has provided more than $337 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 is home to the Springboard Mile, a Kentucky Derby points-qualifying race, on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Parking and admission are always free. 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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