MOR VICTORY RUNS DOWN PEPPER JACK IN TURF STRETCH TO WIN FEATURED REMINGTON PARK ALLOWANCE RACE
Remington Park leading rider Stewart Elliott has been the strongest jockey on the turf ever since he brought his tack to Remington Park in 2019. He showed why he is a top jock on the lawn Friday night, running down the front-runner in deep stretch to win the featured allowance race aboard More Victory.
Turning for home in the 7-1/2 furlong race greensward, 8-1 longshot Pepper Jack held a fairly commanding lead by one length, but Elliott remained steadfast aboard Mor Victory (7-2 odds) for trainer Jayde Gelner. With each stride down the firm turf course toward the finish, Mor Victory cut into the lead. When all was said and done, Pepper Jack fought gamely, but couldn’t hold off the hard-charging winner.
Mor Victory, a 3-year-old gelded son of Mor Spirit, out of the Deputy Commander mare Deputy Sarah, prevailed by three-quarters of a length and stopped the timer at 1:30.98. The fractions that Pepper Jack set were :24.26 for the first quarter-mile, :48.61 for the half-mile and 1:12.91 for three-quarters of a mile. Mor Victory paid $9.20 to win, $5.80 to place and $4.40 to show to his backers on $2-wagers. The race was for 3-year-olds-and-up in the first-level allowance class.
The winner earned $20,745 from the $35,000 purse for his owner Norman Stables (Robert Norman) of Thomasville, Ala. Mor Victory improved his career record to 15 starts, four wins, one second and four thirds for a bankroll of $117,637. He was bred in Texas by Susan Bedwell. Mor Victory was purchased at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale of 2021 for $25,000.
Mor Victory may have found a permanent home on the turf after Friday night. He actually faced Pepper Jack last time out when their race was taken off the grass at one mile on Sept. 15 and it was a completely different story. Mor Spirit showed no desire to run that night, finishing sixth, beaten 26 lengths by the winner Silence d’Oro while Pepper Jack ran second, beaten only 5-1/4 lengths. Moving back to the lawn Friday, Mor Victory made up more than 20 lengths to gain his revenge. His record on the turf now stands at five starts, three wins, one second and one third for $72,386 earned over grassy surfaces, by far more money than he has won on the dirt.
Following the top two in Friday’s race was third-place finisher Wilton (12-1), who was another three lengths back of Pepper Jack. The best the post-time favorite, Shamayim (3-1), could do was finish a well-beaten fifth.
With the win, Elliott now leads the jockey colony with 41 wins this meet, 19 better than second-place Floyd Wethey, Jr.’s 22. Rounding out the top five are Richard Eramia, 20; the injured David Cabrera,18, and Lindey Wade, 17.
Remington Park racing continues Saturday, Oct. 14 with the first post of 7:07 p.m. CDT.
Remington Park has provided more than $331 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 home to the Oklahoma Classics, the top night of racing in the state for Oklahoma-breds, on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Parking and admission are always free. 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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