MISTER OMAHA FAVORED FOR OKLAHOMA CLASSICS CUP AT REMINGTON PARK

Mister Omaha, a multiple stakes winner and graded stakes placed colt, should love the drop in class for the $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup Handicap on Friday, Oct. 17. The evening features top Oklahoma-breds in the 33rd renewal of the Oklahoma Classics at Remington Park, a night of stakes action for the state-breds.

Mister Omaha, a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred colt by Omaha Beach, out of the Into Mischief mare Cosmic Code, is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the field of nine. He comes into the Classics Cup, at 1-1/16 miles, off a third-place finish in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Sept. 28. He finished 3-3/4 lengths back of Oklahoma Derby winner Bracket Buster.

Owned and bred by Bryan Hawk and trained by Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer Joe Offolter, Mister Omaha drew post-position two. His regular rider Luis Quinonez, another Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer, will be in the saddle. Mister Omaha was 3-3/4 lengths back of Oklahoma Derby winner Bracket Buster.

When he was 2 years old last year, Mister Omaha won the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile and the Don C. McNeill Stakes. He then won the Welder Stakes at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., in his first start this year as a 3-year-old. He won that race by four lengths.

The horse that may give Mister Omaha the toughest time, just to his inside in the post-position one, is Winters Lion, even though the 5-year-old Oklahoma gelding has raced only once at Remington Park in 28 career races. The son of Accelerate, out of the Tactical Cat mare This Girl Rocks, shipped into Oklahoma City last year for the same race and ran third to the 8-1 upset winner, Inca Empire. Winters Lion has raced many times in Kentucky, Indiana and Louisiana, but seems to make a career of skipping over Oklahoma City, despite being an Oklahoma-bred.

Winters Lion has been made the 2-1 second favorite on the morning line. Leading rider Ramon Vaquez will ride Winters Lion for trainer Aaron Shorter and owner Keene Thoroughbreds (Danny Keene) of Greenville, Texas. He was bred by Center Hills Farm in Pryor, Okla.

The third morning-line choice in the Classics Cup is Flat Hanby at 6-1 odds. This gelded son of Flat Out, from the Ocean Terrace mare Jealous Ellis, makes his return to the races after 10 months off. The 4-year-old gelding, owned by JT Stables (Theresa Moore) of Springdale, Ark., has not raced since Dec. 13 last year at Remington Park when he finished second as the even-money favorite in the Jim Thorpe Stakes to Red Mountain, beaten only one length. Red Mountain has been established as the fourth favorite in the Classics Cup morning line at 8-1.

Flat Hanby, was the winner of five races in a row last year, including the Canterbury Derby in Minnesota, the Iowa Stallion Stakes at Prairie Meadows, and the Oklahoma Stallion Handicap at Remington Park. He hasn’t won since the Stallion Handicap on Sept. 6, 2024 for trainer Boyd Caster. Floyd Wethey gets the call for the Cup. Flat Hanby was bred by his owners.

The top winners in the Oklahoma Classics Cup are Inca Empire and Number One Dude, each with 10 career scores. The top earner is the 7-year-old Number One Dude with $581,530.

Here’s a look at the field by program and post-position order, with jockey, trainer and odds:
Winters Lion, Ramon Vazquez, Aaron Shorter, 2-1
Mister Omaha, Luis Quinonez, Joe Offolter, 9-5 (morning-line favorite)
Number One Dude, Leandro Goncalves, Alan Williams, 10-1
Soul Sacrifice, Jose Alvarez, Steve Martin, 20-1
Okie Smoke, Travis Cunningham, Juan Padilla, 15-1
Cherokee Sunrise, Alfredo Triana, Jr., Shon Dunlap, 20-1
Flat Hanby, Floyd Wethey, Jr., Boyd Caster, 6-1
Inca Empire, David Cabrera, Oscar Flores, 15-1
Red Mountain, Ernesto Valdez-Jimenez, Tristan Ashford, 8-1

The Classics Cup is the ninth of 10 races on Oklahoma Classics Night, Oct. 17, all for Oklahoma-breds. The first race is set for 6pm with the Classics Cup at approximately 10pm. All times are Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $396 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 Classics Night of stakes racing for top Oklahoma-breds is Friday, Oct. 17. 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.

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