IMAMIDNIGHTSPECIAL PROVES HOW SPECIAL SHE IS, WINNING USEEIT STAKES WIRE TO WIRE AT REMINGTON PARK

Imamidnightspecial gained her revenge, winning the $50,000 Useeit Stakes on Saturday night, beating heavy favorite Eireann after losing to her in their previous meeting at Remington Park.

Because of that loss to Eireann in allowance company on Nov. 29, Eierann was sent off as the odds-on 1-5 betting favorite, while Imamidnightspecial was basically ignored at 6-1. That didn’t matter to this 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred filly by Midnight Lute, out of the Big Brown mare Imsortaspecial. The meet’s leading rider Ramon Vazquez and the filly showed why they are so special, taking the lead early down the backstretch and milking it until Eireann made her move with a quarter-mile left at the top of the stretch.

Vazquez saved enough horse to stave off the strong run from the favorite in the one-mile race and pulled away in the end for the upset victory. Imamidnightspecial, owned and bred in Oklahoma by Jim Jorgensen of Thornton, Iowa, and trained by Ray Ashford, won for the third time in her career in only 11 starts. She earned $30,000 from the stakes purse and improved to 11 attempts, three wins, two seconds and one third for total earnings of $84,651.

Imamidnightspecial had lost by 3-3/4 lengths to Eireann less than a month ago, going the same distance. It appeared the winner was in peak form in her third race off a layoff. Ashford gets 20 percent winners with that angle. It also was Imamidnightspecial’s third win at Remington Park in six races on the main track here.

Vazquez got his second win of the night with the victory in the Useeit Stakes on an evening when he accepted the award for top rider. This was his 75th visit to the winner’s circle during this meeting, more than 20 wins ahead of second-place rider David Cabrera. It was Vazquez’s sixth title as top jockey at Remington Park. Vazquez, during the meeting, has had a five-win night, one quadruple, five riding triples and 18 riding doubles.

“I just want to thank God for this opportunity,” said Vazquez. “I really appreciate all the support from the owners and trainers and I have all my family here (to see this).”

Imamidnightspecial finished like a downhill freight train, winning by 4-1/2 lengths over Eireann, who was another 3-1/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Floras Ora (5-1). The winner paid $14.40 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. The rest of the order of finish in this event for 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred fillies was Caleb’s Finest (20-1) in fourth, Chitoz’s Blur (35-1) fifth, Secret Verse (19-1) sixth and Runaways Okie (18-1) seventh.

Imamidnightspecial made every pole a winning one, setting fractions of :24.63 for the first quarter-mile, :49.31 for the half-mile, 1:14.48 for three-quarters of a mile, and 1:27.49 for seven-eighths of a mile. The final time for the mile was 1:40.74 on a fast track.

This was the first win in the Useeit Stakes for owner and trainer, but the third time Vazquez has won it. He won this race in 2018 and 2019 with Sydney Freeman and Lady Orchid, respectively.

The Useeit Stakes is named after the Oklahoma-bred broodmare who produced 1924 Kentucky Derby winner Black Gold for Oklahomans Al and Rosa Hoots of Skiatook, Okla.

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. 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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