DON McNEILL STAKES, SLIDE SHOW STAKES SHOULD DEFINE PECKING ORDER FOR 2-YEAR-OLD OKLAHOMA-BREDS ON HAND THIS MEET
The top juvenile Oklahoma-breds line up for supremacy in the Don McNeill Stakes and Slide Show Stakes on Friday, Nov. 13.
The $75,000 Don McNeill Stakes is for 2-year-olds racing one mile on the main track, while the Slide Show should sort out the picture in the 2-year-old state-bred fillies race at one mile, also on the main track.Don McNeill Stakes
Number One Dude has been made the heavy favorite for the Don McNeill Stakes after winning two races in a row to open his career. He is a 2-year-old gelded son of American Lion, out of the Macho Uno mare Ebony Uno. He was bred and is owned by Terry Westemeir of Broken Arrow, Okla.
Kari Craddock has trained Number One Dude to a win in a maiden special weights race on Sept. 18 when he drew away to outdistance a field by 7-1/2 lengths with jockey Ezequiel Lara in the saddle. Lara was injured before the horse’s next start and Richard Eramia stepped in and won on him in the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile on Oct. 16. Both of those victories were sprints – 5-1/2 furlongs to break his maiden and 6 furlongs in the Classics Juvenile. Lara has been named to ride him again in the McNeill, at one mile.
Stretching out to two turns is the only question the favorite is yet to answer. Morning line maker Jerry Shottenkirk has made him the heavy 6-5 favorite for this race. Number One Dude has earned $81,082 in his two starts. The rest of the field of seven horses has earned about $5,000 more than him if you add up all their bankrolls.
Here’s a look at the field from top to bottom with post position, horse, jockey, trainer and odds:
1) Number One Dude: Ezequiel Lara, Kari Craddock, 6-5 (morning-line favorite)
2) Euroexit: Lindey Wade, Bret Calhoun, 9-2
3) Eurochippygolfer: Roberto Morales, Federico Villafranco, 15-1
4) Winners Luck: Floyd Wethey, Jr., Scott Young, 10-1
5) Canonize: David Cabrera, Lynn Chleborad, 5-1
6) J B’s Legacy: Garrett Steinberg, Boyd Caster, 6-1
7) Bear Den: Lori Biehler, Michael Biehler, 8-1
Gotta See Red Favored in Slide Show Stakes
Trainer Kari Craddock has both of the morning line favorites for the two big 2-year-old events Friday, including Gotta See Red in the $75,000 Slide Show Stakes for Oklahoma-bred fillies, going one mile on the main track.
Gotta See Red, a 2-year-old daughter of Pollard’s Vision from the Kipling mare Gotagogotagogotago, gets in off an impressive victory in the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Lassie on Oct. 16. Craddock’s trainees swept the juvenile categories that night with this filly and Number One Dude in the colts and geldings race.
Gotta See Red is owned by Hal Browning and David Faulkner of Dallas and was bred by the owners. Gotta See Red has won two of three starts lifetime for $87,284 in earnings. The only race she’s lost was against open company in the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Stakes on Sept. 27. She performed well as an Okie-bred, running third in that spot, 3-1/2 lengths behind Kandy Ginger. She has been made a 5-2 favorite in what appears to be a wide-open race.
Her two victories, like Number One Dude, came in sprints at 5-1/2 furlongs (maiden race) and 6 furlongs (Oklahoma Classics Lassie). She tries to stretch out around two turns for the first time. Jockey Lane Luzzi gets the call as he has in all three of her races.
Twilight Curfew (7-2) is the second favorite in the morning line, having run less than a length behind Gotta See Red in the Oklahoma Classics Lassie. This 2-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy, out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Code Book, looked like she was begging for more distance with that runner-up finish. She closed from fourth to take the lead at the top of the stretch before battling to the wire with Gotta See Red.
Somewhat hard to believe but Twilight Curfew is still a maiden. She has gotten shut out in three tries, each time by less than a length. She lost by a neck, running second in a maiden Oklahoma-bred juvenile filly race first time out and lost by another neck in maiden company last try on Oct. 30, running third by a neck. It’s not often you find a second-favorite in a stakes race without a win. Leading rider David Cabrera will get a leg up from trainer Ronnie Cravens III. This filly is owned by Champion Racing Stable of Weatherford, Texas. She was bred at Center Hills Farm’s Oklahoma division, Mighty Acres in Pryor.
Here’s a look from the rail out in the Slide Show with jockey, trainer and morning-line odds:
1) Twilight Curfew: David Cabrera, Ronnie Cravens III, 7-2
2) Green Eyed Belle: Ezequiel Lara, Boyd Caster, 4-1
3) Gotta See Red: Lane Luzzi, Kari Craddock, 5-2 (morning-line favorite)
4) Long Gone Okie: Luis Quinonez, Donnie Von Hemel, 8-1
5) Run Slewpy Run: Floyd Wethey, Jr., Scott Young, 6-1
6) Ekati’s Hit: Jose Alvarez, C.R. Trout, 5-1
7) Courtly: Ramon Vazquez, Lynn Chleborad, 12-1
Remington Park racing continues Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 11-14, with the first race nightly at 7:07pm-Central.
Tracked by more than 164,000 fans on Facebook and 10,500 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $252 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 open daily for casino gaming and simulcast horse racing. The $200,000 Springboard Mile, the top stakes event for 2-year-olds at Remington Park, is featured on Friday, Dec. 18. The 2020 Thoroughbred Season continues through Sunday, Dec. 20. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
-30-