FULL GATE FOR SPRINGBOARD MILE AT REMINGTON PARK, DECEMBER 20

Remington Park has an opportunity for a full-field of 12 in the $300,000 Springboard Mile for the second consecutive year. The top stakes race of the season for 2-year-olds drew a full gate this morning, featuring four stakes winners including morning-line favorite Spice Runner.

The winner of the Grade 3, $300,000 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. in September, will leave from post-position seven in the field of 12. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds of Las Vegas, Nev. and trained by the all-time leading trainer by wins in North America, Steve Asmussen, Spice Runner is 3-1 in the morning-line odds. Stewart Elliott has been named to ride for the first time.

Spice Runner was seventh, beaten 15 lengths, in his last out, the Grade 2, $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill on Nov. 29. He will seek a cleaner trip in the Springboard where he is the top earner in the field with a bankroll of $316,426.

Trainer Mike Maker will send Arctic Beast to the Springboard from his Oaklawn Park-base in Arkansas. A New York-bred, Arctic Beast has won all three of his career attempts, including the $156,000 New York Breeders’ Futurity in his last start on Oct. 13 at Finger Lakes. The second-choice in the morning-line odds at 4-1, Arctic Beast will be ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr. who has been up for his last two triumphs.

Artic Beast has the most wins in this Springboard Mile with three. He is second in earnings with $205,503.

Essential Time, winner of the $150,000 Clever Trevor Stakes on Sept. 28 at Remington Park will return to the main track after trying turf at 7-1/2 furlongs here on Nov. 6, finishing third. Trained by Danny Pish, Iram Diego will have the return mount at 6-1 odds.

Owner/trainer C.R. Trout has entered Oklahoma-bred Royalamerican for the Springboard. The gelding by Upstart is on a two-stakes winning streak after scoring the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile on Oct. 17 and the Don McNeill Stakes on Nov. 7, both events for Oklahoma-breds.

Royalamerican is one of just four in the Springboard who have won a race at one mile or more. Jockey David Cabrera will seek his third straight stakes on Royalamerican, who is 12-1 in the morning-line odds.

The 12-horse field for the Springboard Mile, a 2026 Kentucky Derby qualifying points race, by program and post-position with jockey, trainer and morning-line odds:
Arctic Beast: Ricardo Santana, Jr., Michael Maker, 4-1
Time For Music: Erik Asmussen, Steve Asmussen, 9-2
Essential Time: Iram Diego, Danny Pish, 6-1
Royalamerican: David Cabrera, C.R. Trout, 12-1
My Dream Zapper: Ernesto Valdez-Jimenez, Stetson Rushton, 20-1
Supreme Good: Christopher Elliott, Ken McPeek, 8-1
Spice Runner: Stewart Elliott, Steve Asmussen, 3-1 (morning-line favorite)
Way Beyond: Ramon Vazquez, Steve Asmussen, 12-1
Western Man: Richard Eramia, Joe Offolter, 20-1
Big Apple Patrick: Walter Rodriguez, Daniel Leitch, 15-1
Jets Rio: Rene Diaz, Ron Moquett, 30-1
Express Kid: Jose Alvarez, Wade Rarick, 20-1

The owners of the top three finishers in the Springboard Mile will have the opportunity to a special season in 2026 to Senor Buscador, standing at Lane’s End in Versailles, Ky.

The Springboard Mile will be the final race of the 2025 Thoroughbred Season at Remington Park, scheduled as race 12 on Saturday, Dec. 20 with an approximate post of 10:26pm.

Other stakes races preceding the Springboard Mile include:
Race 7 – $50,000 Useeit Stakes, one mile, Oklahoma-bred 3-year-old fillies
Race 8 – $50,000 Jim Thorpe Handicap, one mile, Oklahoma-bred 3-year-olds
Race 9 – $75,000 Toby Keith Stakes, one mile, 2-year-old fillies
Race 10 – $75,000 She’s All In Handicap, 1 mile-70 yards, fillies & mares, 3 and older
Race 11 – $75,000 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial, 1-mile-70 yards, 3-year-olds and older

The first race on Springboard Mile night is at 5pm. All times are Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $402 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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