HEIR TO GREATNESS TAKES ADVANTAGE OF SPEED DUEL, CLOSES LIKE BULLET TO WIN FRIDAY FEATURE AT REMINGTON PARK

The two favorites went to the lead in the featured allowance race Friday night, going one mile at Remington Park, and wore each other out. That pace scenario set things up for a closer. Heir to Greatness was that closer, coming from off the pace under leading jockey Stewart Elliott to pass them all in the stretch to win at 6-1 odds.

It was the first time up on Heir to Greatness for Elliott. He continued the magic that has put him so far out in front in the leading jockeys’ race that the others have to squint and put their hands above their eyebrows to see him. The last time Heir to Greatness had raced one mile was the night new owner Millers Moxie, LLC of Franklin, Texas claimed him for $20,000 from Karl Broberg and End Zone Athletics on May 17 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. Heir to Greatness, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred horse by Lemon Drop Kid, out of the Wildcat Heir mare Worldly Heiress, ran second that day, closing from sixth. On Friday night, he finished the mile on the main surface with a flourish, drawing away by 3-3/4 lengths for the victory.

Heir to Greatness won this first-level allowance race with ease after trying twice at the mile distance without a trip to the winner’s circle. That was before the horse had been put in trainer J.R. Caldwell’s barn.

Elliott sat back patiently, as he is wont to do with a clock in his head, and just waited for front-runners Eakly (4-5 betting favorite) and Mo Saturdays (8-5 second favorite) to battle up front like their feet were on fire. They set interior fractions of :24.68 for the first quarter-mile, :48.42 for the half-mile, and 1:13.50 for three-quarters of a mile. By that time, Elliott had started his move on Heir to Greatness and took over just outside the 16th pole in late stretch. Eakly faded to last in the five-horse field and Mo Saturdays was next-to-last. Bobwhite Bobby (5-1) finished second and was another half-length ahead of third-place Mo Saturdays.

Elliott worked won for the 77th time this meet and now sits 29 wins ahead Harry Hernandez, in second-place with 48 wins.

With a second-place finish, a couple of fifth-places and Friday night’s win, Millers Moxie has made more than the $20,000 dished out for the claim in the spring. Heir to Greatness earned $21,000 for this victory from the $35,000 purse and improved to 20 starts, four wins and three thirds for a career bankroll of $107,853.

Heir to Greatness paid $15.80 to win, $5.80 to place and $4.20 to show. His winning time at the mile was 1:40.13 on the fast surface. He had hit the lead after seven-eighths in 1:26.64.

Eramia Scores Riding Triple Friday
Jockey Richard Eramia posted a riding triple on Friday night, winning three of the final four races on the program.

Eramia’s trips to the winner’s circle came with Night Passage ($5.20 to win) in the fifth race, a maiden special weights race for 2-year-old Oklahoma-breds sprinting 5-1/2 furlongs; Breakable Code ($2.40) in a non-conditioned allowance race for Oklahoma-breds in the sixth race, going six furlongs, and with Claret Beret ($2.60) in the eighth, beating a field of fillies and mares in a first-level allowance race at seven furlongs.

Eramia was only scheduled to ride two of those winners, but picked up the mount from trainer Greg Compton on Claret Beret when Harry Hernandez ran into logistical problems in New Mexico with Thanksgiving airport traffic after he had ridden the stakes card at Zia Park on Tuesday. Then Hernandez found out his significant other, Kayla, might be on the verge of delivering their second child and he was trying to travel to her for the birth of their baby. Eramia picked up that mount on Claret Beret and voila, a riding triple.

Eramia now has 36 wins for the season.

Remington Park racing continues Saturday, Nov. 30 as the month ends with a 10-race card starting at 6:30pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $363 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 simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The 2024 Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 13 when the $300,000 Springboard Mile tops the final night of the season. The major 2-year-old stakes race of the season, the Springboard awards valuable 2025 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. 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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