KANDY GINGER WINS FOR THIRD TIME IN ROW TO START CAREER, SCORING E.L. GAYLORD MEMORIAL AT REMINGTON PARK

Kandy Ginger was one of three horses trainer Steve Asmussen took his picture with on Oklahoma Derby in the winner’s circle as this 2-year-old filly won the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Stakes on Sunday.

It was the third win by Kandy Ginger in as many tries to begin her career. She is a daughter of Kantharos, out of the Speightstown mare Ginger Rush. This filly made $30,000 for the win and now has $117,221 in three races. Owners Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen of Laredo, Texas paid $60,000 for her at the Keeneland Sale in 2019, meaning Kandy Ginger’s earnings have paid for herself almost two times over.

Kandy Ginger broke her maiden at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, on June 3 by 6-3/4 lengths. She returned to action for the $112,000 Texas Thoroughbred Futurity Stakes on Aug. 11 at Lone Star, winning that race by 3-1/4 lengths. Stewart Elliott has been in the irons for all three triumphs. Kandy Ginger was bred in Ontario, Canada, by Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings.

The running time for Kandy Ginger’s victory was 1:18.41 for the 6-1/2 furlongs on a fast track. She nearly made every pole a winning one a she was second, a length back of front-runner Miss Twenty for just over a quarter-mile but quickly took over before the field reached a half-mile of the race. The early fractions for the two fillies that sprinted first and second all the way to the finish were :22.79 seconds for a quarter- mile, :46.66 for the half-mile and 1:12 for three-quarters of a mile.

The Final margin of victory for Kandy Ginger over Miss Twenty was 2-1/2 lengths. Kandy Ginger went off the 4-5 odds-on favorite and paid $3.80, $2.40, and $2.10 to win, place and show. Miss Twenty (7-5) was another length ahead of Gotta See Red (8-1) in third. The remaining order in the field of eight was Novel Squall, Cosmetology, Little Samurai, Hopping Jitterbug and Friendly Mischief.

It was the third time Asmussen had won the E.L. Gaylord Memoria, with three of those, including Sunday’s, taking place in the past four years. Asmussen also won with Adventurous Lady (2018) and Laudation (2017).

The Gaylord win was the first for Elliott and owners Woolsey and Asmussen.

The E.L. Gaylord Memorial is named in honor of the late chairman and publisher of The Oklahoman, the state’s largest newspaper. E.L. Gaylord was a staunch supporter of Remington Park in the track’s early history.

Remington Park racing continues into a new month with a Thursday-Saturday schedule on Oct 1-3. The first race nightly is at 7:07pm-Central.

Tracked by more than 164,000 fans on Facebook and 10,500 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $248 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 2020 Thoroughbred Season is scheduled to run through Dec. 20. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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