JOCKEY IRAM DIEGO WINS SECOND STAKES OF NIGHT ABOARD EXCAPING THE BLUES IN RED EARTH HANDICAP
Jockey Iram Diego worked his magic for the fourth race in a row aboard Excaping the Blues, staying undefeated with him and taking down the $50,000 Red Earth Handicap on Friday night at Remington Park. The race is for Oklahoma-breds, three-years-old and older.
Trainer Francisco Bravo was getting choked up in the winner’s circle after the race, but it wasn’t because Excaping the Blues had just chalked up some black type numbers in this stakes or because the horse ran so well. It was because a very important person to Bravo was not here to see it or watch this speedster on the grass during this four-race win streak.
“My big regret,” Bravo said, “is that the owner (Michael Grossman of Fredericksburg, Texas) passed away before he could see all this. She was just getting good. He was like a father to me.”
Bravo had tried everything to get this 5-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding to come around after he had run fifth, sixth, third and sixth this past spring in Texas between Sam Houston Race Park and Lone Star Park. Then he put Diego on Excaping the Blues. They jelled like bacon and tomatoes, the gelding winning his next four starts in a row, including Friday night’s Red Earth Handicap.
“I guess I’m lucky,” Diego said after the race. “Thanks to Francisco. Things are going well.”
The four-race win streak has all been on turf with two at Lone Star Park and two at Remington Park, but Friday’s win was the only stakes victory. Excaping the Blues led every step of the way in the 7-1/2 furlongs race, but it was those last embattled steps that showed the heart of this horse. Excaping the Blues held on for a half-length win over the longest shot in the field, stablemate Country Caper (also trained by Bravo) at 26-1 odds.
Despite the long win streak, the 5-year-old son of Excaper, out of the Purim mare Pure Blue Sky, was sent off as the third favorite at 5-2. He paid $7.40 to win, $4 to place and $2.80 to show. The $2 exacta with the huge longshot second was worth $126.20 on a $2 wager.
Excaping the Blues earned $30,000 from the $50,000 purse and improved lifetime to 28 starts, seven wins, three seconds and three thirds for $181,544. He was bred by Eureka Thoroughbred Farm.
Running time for the winner was 1:28.52. The stakes record for the race is 1:28.35, set in 2017 by Pacific Typhoon.
The Excaping the Blues win broke the two-year win streak of Tap the Dot, who had won this race in 2024 and 2023. Tap the Dot checked in third as the 9-5 favorite. The rest of the order of finish was Good Swimmer (8-1) fourth, Sonic Posse (2-1) fifth and Number One Dude (5-1) sixth. Early scratches in the race were Magna Tap and Red Mountain.
Remington Park racing continues Saturday, Sept. 13 at 6pm-Central.
Remington Park has provided more than $390 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 Oklahoma Derby takes place Sunday, Sept. 28. The Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 20. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
-30-