FLY TO THE BANK DEFENDS HIS TITLE, WINNING $30,000 SILVER GOBLIN STAKES FOR SECOND YEAR IN ROW

Fly to the Bank still has a way to go to match Remington Park’s all-time winningest horse Welder’s four wins in a row in the Silver Goblin Stakes, but he sure looks like the dominant sprinter currently on the grounds.

For the second year in a row, Fly to the Bank, entered the winner’s circle after taking a victory photo following the $30,000 Silver Goblin Stakes on Friday. Welder won the race from 2017-2020. Only two other horses have won the sprint stakes at 6-1/2 furlongs in back-to-back years – Johnny Whip (2014-15) and Okie Ride (2012-2013). Okie Ride’s record of three wins in the series was broken by Welder. Okie Ride also won the Silver Goblin in 2016. Steal Your Face (2011 and 2009) also was a two-time winner, but he didn’t do it in consecutive years.

Trainer Steve Martin won the race this year with Fly to the Bank, but the 6-year-old gelded son of Euroears (Langfuhr), out of the Kingkiowa mare Take It and Fly, was under the conditioning of James Helzer last year. The veteran sprinter is owned by Juan Carlos Gallegos of Edmond, Okla., and now has two trophies for this race.

Last year, Fly to the Bank won this race by 1-3/4 lengths under the top jockey of the meet in 2022 – Cristian Torres. He did not return with his tack to Oklahoma City this year.

It was Fly to the Bank’s second stakes win of the meet, taking the $99,600 Oklahoma Classics Sprint under jockey Reylu Gutierrez. This was the first time this meet’s leading rider Stewart Elliott had been in the saddle of this fast gelding.

“I have watched him run a couple of times and it seemed like he was always on the lead, but I thought his best race was last time out when he was taken off the pace, so that’s what we did tonight,” said Elliott. “I didn’t know what to expect, but he finished up great.”

Elliott had him settled in fifth down the backstretch and then moved him into third place after a half mile in the 6-1/2 furlong sprint. At the top of the stretch, he was rolling, taking a half-length lead. Fly to the Bank stretched that out to a 1-1/2 length victory at the finish line.

Watching him repeat and defend his title in the race was a true pleasure for Martin.

“I felt like it was a re-run, like we were watching the same movie all over again,” he said. “Last year he won sprinting horse of the year. Maybe we will do it again this year.”

Fly to the Bank chased early fractions of :22.62 for the first quarter-mile and :46.06 for the half, set by Connors Outlaw, the 7-5 wagering favorite, despite losing to Fly to the Bank in the Oklahoma Classics Sprint. The winner was sent off at a generous 4-1 odds and paid $10 to win, $4 to place and $3.80 to show. Connors Outlaw held on for second, finishing one length in front of third-place finisher Tommyhawk (15-1). The rest of the order of finish was Salt Creek Kid (18-1) fourth, Dark Afternoon (2-1 second favorite) fifth, Mesa Moon (27-1) sixth, That’s Something (18-1) seventh, Frigerator (53-1) eighth and Yankee Indian (9-1) ninth.

Fly to the Bank took over in the stretch, doing six furlongs in 1:10.87 and finishing up strong with a winning time of 1:17.43 over the fast track. His winning time last year was 1:17.09. The stakes record is 1:15.00 set by the highly decorated Zee Oh Six in the first year of this race, 2005.

Fly to the Bank earned $18,000 for the Silver Goblin win and improved his lifetime record to 39 starts, 12 wins, seven seconds and five thirds for $479,526. His record at Remington Park is 20 starts, seven wins, three seconds and one third for $348,579. He was bred in Oklahoma by Helzer.

The Silver Goblin Stakes is named after the gray Oklahoma-bred millionaire who won multiple stakes races at Remington Park and numerous graded stakes events around the nation, in a career spanning 1993-1999.

Remington Park racing continues Saturday, Nov. 11 with a first post of 7:07pm. After taking Sunday off, action resumes with a special Monday and Tuesday afternoon card on Nov. 13 & 14 with the first event both days at 2:30pm. All times Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $337 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 to the Springboard Mile, a Kentucky Derby points-qualifying race, on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Parking and admission are always free. 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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