ERIK ASMUSSEN PUTS EXCLAMATION POINT ON RIDING DOUBLE BY WINNING REMINGTON PARK FEATURE ON IMPERIAL GUN

The hottest jockey-trainer combo of Erik and Steve Asmussen were at it again Saturday night at Remington Park. The son-father duo won a pair of races together, including the featured allowance race with Imperial Gun.

The last time this 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt won for Steve, it was with his other jockey son Keith in the saddle in a race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in allowance company June 15. On this night, however, it was Erik in the irons as he brought this son of Gun Runner, out of the Empire Maker mare Take a Memo, from off the pace in the one mile-70 yard race on the fast main track to skip pass front-runner Awesome Ruta. That wasn’t enough, though, as Erik and Imperial Gun had to hold off a fast-closing Escalation Clause to get to the line first.

Escalation Cause came down the middle of the track wide while Erik hugged the rail with Imperial Gun. The shortest way around the racetrack may have made all the difference for Imperial Gun, owned by HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud of Solana Beach, Calif. The Asmussen trainee held on to win by one length at 5-2 odds.

Escalation Clause, with leading rider Ramon Vazquez up for trainer Greg Compton, was sent off as the betting favorite at 6-5 odds while the fading Awesome Ruta, for trainer Dan Ward, was the third favorite at 3-1.

The victory by Imperial Gun allowed Erik to move back into a tie for fourth in the jockeys’ standings with Floyd Wethey, Jr., at 30 wins apiece this meet. Erik had two wins on the night while Wethey recorded a riding triple. Wethey trailed Erik before the night started, 28-27 in wins.

Imperial Gun broke well back in the pack in the two-turn race, seventh in a field of eight. Asmussen got him to settle and save some energy for the stretch. The colt was still five lengths back at the top of the stretch in third, but he showed a lot of heart to kick it in and catch one horse while fending off another.

The winner paid $7.80 to win, $3.60 to place and $2.40 to show. He covered the distance in 1:41.52. Imperial Gun cut into early fractions of :23.82 for the first quarter-mile, :48.01 for the half-mile, 1:12.46 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:37.46 after a mile. He earned $23,796 for the victory and improved his lifetime record to 15 starts, three wins, two seconds and three thirds for a bankroll of $297,563. He was bred in Kentucky by Adrian Regan and Fergus Galvin.

Wethey Triples
Wethey, Jr., came out riding with a vengeance, sweeping the early daily double and winning three of the first four races on the Saturday card.

Wethey’s wins came aboard She’sskysthelimit ($6.80) in the first, Because ($36.60) in the second and Gonnabeagoodday ($4) in the fourth. The early $2 daily double paid $79.20.

The big payoff on the night came in the second race with Because winning at 17-1 and All Aflutter running second at 52-1 odds, making the $2 exacta return $1,329.80.

Wethey rode his winners for three different trainers – Karen Jacks, Victor Hanson and Francisco Bravo, respectively.

Remington Park racing continues Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 13-15 with the first race nightly at 6pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $399 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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