DON’TCROSSTHEDEVIL STAYS UNBEATEN AFTER TWO STARTS, WINNING FEATURED ALLOWANCE
Trainer Jaylan Clary knew what she was doing when she sent her broodmare, The Devil is Mine, to be bred to Cross Traffic two years ago.
That cross produced 2-year-old colt Don’tcrossthedevil, who remained unbeaten Tuesday after two starts at Remington Park, taking the featured allowance race by six lengths. It was a 6-1/2 furlong sprint for 2-year-olds. Clary bred this winner and owns him in conjunction with Kevin Knuckley of Weatherford, Texas.
This colt’s sire, Cross Traffic, stands at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky for $7,500. Don’tcrossthedevil has won $39,894 in his two starts, winning $20,349 in Tuesday’s race from the $34,000 purse.
The indications were there that Cross Traffic might be a strong stallion when, in 2018, he was the No. 1 first-crop sire across the board by earnings, winners, black type winners, graded stakes winners and grade 1 winners. He was also only the seventh freshman sire whose progeny earned more than $2 million.
Cross Traffic also sired NY Traffic, a horse that lost by only a nose to Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in the 2020 Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes. If that’s not enough to take the $7,500 risk, Cross Traffic himself was quite a runner when he was on track. He won three of his six starts lifetime with more than $100,000 won per start at $687,967. Cross Traffic won the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga in upstate New York on Aug. 3, 2013.
It appears Don’tcrossthedevil has inherited some of his sire’s talent and ability, cruising to victory in his first try against winners.
“We had bought a couple of Cross Traffics and liked them,” Clary said. “We decided to give our best broodmare the chance with a well-known stud to see what she could produce. We wanted to try to get a baby we could stretch on out with. He was born with giraffe legs and we knew he was pretty special.”
Judging from the wagering, he was supposed to be only the third-best horse in the race. Swift Tap (6-5) and Shadowless (3-5) were heavily bet and could only manage second and fourth, respectively. Don’tcrossthedevil, at 7-1, paid $17.80, $4.40 and $3.60 across the board.
Jockey Lane Luzzi rode Don’tcrossthedevil perfectly, patiently awaiting in fifth down the backstretch in the field of six. Front runners Saint Charles and Swift Tap took their toll on each other with fractions of :22.31 and :45.99 for the first quarter and half mile. At the top of the stretch, Don’tcrossthedevil took command with a three-length lead. He stretched those giraffe legs out well by the time he hit the wire with no other horse in sight.
Swift Tap, a colt that U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer shipped from his string at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., was the runner-up, 1-1/2 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Pinky Ring Bling (26-1).
Remington Park racing continues this week with Friday and Saturday night cards, Dec. 3-4, that begin at 7:07pm-Central. There are now just nine race dates remaining in this season that concludes on Dec. 17.
Tracked by more than 167,000 fans on Facebook and 10,500 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $278 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 for the $400,000 Springboard Mile on Friday, Dec. 17. Simulcast horse racing featured daily, the casino is always open! Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
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