DARK AFTERNOON WILL DEFEND HIS TITLE IN $50,000 REMINGTON PARK TURF SPRINT ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 20

Nominations have come out for the $50,000 Remington Park Turf Sprint scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20, and trainer Austin Gustafson says Dark Afternoon will defend his stakes title.

Eyebrows were raised when the 4-year-old gelded Oklahoma-bred son of Black Bear, out of the Came Home mare Afternoon Liaison, was a soundly defeated ninth by 16-3/4 lengths on the dirt in his summer/fall debut at Remington Park on Aug. 23.

“He came back this past Friday and ran a great race (on the grass),” said Gustafson. “I think he has decided he is turf only. Yes, he will run in the upcoming Remington Park Turf Sprint.”

Dark Afternoon’s last race was Sept. 6 at Remington Park when he sprinted five furlongs on the lawn and just missed by three-quarters of a length in fifth against a stakes caliber field. It was a $40,000 allowance race against open company. Four-time jockey title-winning David Cabrera was in the saddle for Gustafson and owner Black Hawk Stable (James Rogers of Elk City, Okla.). Dark Afternoon raced in the $50,000 Oklahoma Stallion Handicap about the same time last year to prep for the RP Turf Sprint Stakes and ran third in that black-type event, beaten one length.

It appears Dark Afternoon is coming into the RP Turf Sprint Stakes in similar fashion to last year’s run-up to the race. He was sent off as the 5-2 second favorite in last year’s race when he won under jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan.

“Jermaine said, ‘don’t panic if he breaks bad; he will be all right,’“ Rogers said after the big win. “His half-brother Denver City won this race (in 2022), so maybe more good things are coming.”

If Dark Afternoon does successfully defend his title, it won’t be an easy chore. He could face other stakes winners who were nominated, including one who beat him last year in the $100,000 Oklahoma Turf Classics Handicap. Dark Afternoon ran fourth, losing by two lengths to Eakly, a horse from the barn of Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer Donnie Von Hemel. That was in a race that covered 1-1/16th miles, however. The RP Turf Sprint Stakes is five furlongs, a distance at which Dark Afternoon has won two-of-five. Eakly is zero-for-three at the short haul.

Dark Afternoon’s record is 13 starts, five wins, one second and two thirds for $146,476 in earnings.

Eakly is a 4-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding by Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Caleb’s Posse, who also was trained by Von Hemel. Eakly’s lifetime running record is 14-3-4-3 for owner Cheyenne Stables (Everett Dobson) with a bankroll of $167,866.

Another stakes winner who was nominated for this year’s RP Turf Sprint Stakes was Fly to the Bank, who won two stakes races here last year, but both on the main track, sprinting. Last year’s success came in the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint against Oklahoma-breds going six furlongs with jockey Reylu Gutierrez up for trainer Steve Martin and owner Juan Carlos Gallegos. Fly to the Bank won by 2-1/4 lengths at 8-1 odds.

The connections switched to leading rider Stewart Elliott for the $50,000 Silver Goblin Stakes at 6-1/2 furlongs on the dirt and he won by 1-1/2 lengths against Oklahoma-breds at 4-1 odds. The 7-year-old gelded Oklahoma-bred son of Euroears, out of the Kingkiowa mare Take It and Fly, has raced only twice on the grass and has been off the board in both tries.

Fly to the Bank would be the top earner in the field should Martin point him toward the RP Turf Sprint Stakes with $540,836 earned.

There were a total of 18 nominations for the Remington Park Turf Sprint Stakes. The list also included Bobwhite Bobby, Breakable Code, C W Prize, Code Jorgie, Den’s Dynasty, El Blaze, Jimmy Slice, Judge McBee, Just Chillin, Mister Wayside, Our Cornerstone, Papa Bill, Quality Blastoff, Tap N Play and Twentyone N Change.

Live racing continues this week with a Wednesday-Saturday schedule. First post nightly is 6:30 p.m. CDT.

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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