COALCOWBOY PULLS UPSET IN FEATURED REMINGTON PARK ALLOWANCE OVER GRADED STAKES PLACED INNOVATOR

Innovator had a nice closing kick as the odds-on 3-5 wagering favorite in Remington Park’s featured allowance race, but Coalcowboy’s kick was even nicer at 13-1 odds.

While Innovator was passing all the horses ahead of him, looking like a winner in deep stretch, he forgot about the horse behind him, Coalcowboy. Innovator, a $900,000 purchase by BC Stables from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale of 2023, was a colt for which the Steve Asmussen barn had high hopes early in the year. The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Authentic was actually on the Kentucky Derby trail, finishing third, beaten less than a length in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. After all, his sire, Authentic had won the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic, the two biggest races in North America.

At Remington Park on Wednesday night, this story turned into David-and-Goliath, the remix, as Coalcowboy gave jockey Jose Alvarez his third win of the night. While Innovator had Kentucky Derby dreams, Coalcowboy, a 3-year-old Texas-bred son of Coal Front, was running in minor stakes races in Texas and losing handily. This was after he was bought at the bargain price of $4,500 out of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Yearling Sale of 2023. He had run seventh in the Texas Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Derby, losing by 30 lengths at Sam Houston Race Park in March, about the same time that Innovator was nearly winning the Lecomte.

After Innovator’s Kentucky Derby trail lost its momentum and he began to drop in class, Coalcowboy hit the skids as well. He had run two fifths, two sixths and one seventh in his last five starts before finding the winner’s circle Wednesday for the first time since Kentucky Derby Day on May 3 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. It was no wonder he was let off at 13-1 odds on this night.

Innovator, with Erik Asmussen in the irons for his father, Steve, had come from seventh in this field of 10 to pass them all in the stretch and appeared to be the winner until Coalcowboy came flying from the clouds. This blur down the middle of the track that was Coalcowboy zipped passed the leader and nipped him at the wire by a neck. Innovator finished second, a half-length in front of third-place finisher Runhappy d’Oro (11-1) to complete the trifecta.

Coalcowboy, from the Jimmy Creed mare Mostly Distorted, was racing out of the barn of trainer Mike Abney for only the second time. He had moved over from Steve Martin’s barn, the original purchaser for the pittance it took to pick up this horse. He was bred in Texas by Douglas Scharbauer. Sherry Abney of Glenpool, Okla. is the owner.

Innovator, is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Inspired and was bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds.

Runhappy d’Oro set the pace and led by two lengths a furlong from the finish. He handled the quarter-mile in :22.00, then a half-mile in :45.88 before having company on his shoulder near the finish. Coalcowboy hit the winning finish in a time of 1:05.76 for the 5-1/2 furlongs over the fast track.

Coalcowboy paid $28.40 to win, $6.60 to place and $4.20 to show. He earned $23,070 from the $39,000 allowance purse and improved to 10 starts, three wins, and one second for a total bankroll of $79,665. Innovator improved to 17 starts, one win, six seconds and two thirds for earnings of $310,461.

Just two race nights remain in the 2025 Thoroughbred Season at Remington Park. Action on Friday, Dec. 19 starts at 6pm, while the final evening, Springboard Mile Night is underway at 5pm. The $300,000 Springboard Mile, a 2026 Kentucky Derby qualifying points race is the headliner as race 12. All times are Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $402 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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