GOSPEL LUCILLE PICKED A FINE TIME TO LEAVE HER COMPETITION BEHIND MONDAY IN FEATURED ALLOWANCE RACE
Owner-trainer-breeder Steve Williams had tried three different riders on Gospel Lucille earlier this season at Remington Park. It was the fourth jockey that finally managed a victory with her, winning Monday’s featured allowance.
Ramon Vazquez got a leg up and he got the job done, winning the first-level allowance for Oklahoma-breds at 1 mile-70 yards on the dirt. To be fair to the other riders, it was the first time the 4-year-old filly by Awesome Patriot, out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz a Lady Colonel, had tried the distance. She had been closing like a freight train in sprints in her first 11 career races before Williams tried to see if that late kick would translate to a route race. It did.
Gospel Lucille was sent off at 5-2 odds by the betting public and broke dead-last from the gate in the field of seven, her usual modus operandi – running on late from the back of the field. In her sprints she would just run out of real estate, finishing third in three of her last four races. This time, Gospel Lucille reached the front runners entering the lane turning for home and reeled off a 4-1/4 lengths win as she hit the wire in front of runner-up Tesuque (7-1). Gospel Lucille paid $7.60, $4, and $3.40 to win, place and show. The 2-1 wagering favorite, Eutychia, was a neck back of Tesuque, in third.
The triumph was worth $22,023 for Gospel Lucille from the $38,250 purse and she improved to 12 starts, two wins, three seconds and five thirds for lifetime earnings of $76,692. Gospel Lucille is a home-bred by Williams in Oklahoma. Only once in her 12-race career has she failed to earn a paycheck, running ninth in a maiden race at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., when she was coming off a six-week layoff and changing barns.
On Monday, Shobiz Superstar uncharacteristically went to the lead, setting fractions of :24.15 for the quarter-mile and then :48.90 for the first half-mile before giving up the lead to Tesuque. By the top of the stretch, Gospel Lucille had taken over and stopped the six-furlong timer in 1:13.95. She went the mile in 1:40.23 and won in 1:44.52. She paid $7.60, $4, and $3.40 across the board.
Remington Park races again Tuesday, Dec. 8 at Noon-Central, with 10 races scheduled.
Tracked by more than 164,000 fans on Facebook and 10,500 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $254 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-