MOTOWN MUSIC ROCKS HIS WAY TO WINNER’S CIRCLE IN REMINGTON PARK FEATURED ALLOWANCE SATURDAY

Motown Music needed a race over the Remington Park racetrack after campaigning on the West Coast, but it pushed him forward to a trip to the winner’s circle in the featured allowance race Saturday night.

Motown Music was rocking and rolling under the guidance of trainer Mark Glatt while winning twice at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., the past few years. The 6-year-old gelded son of Quality Road (Elusive Quality), out of the Tiznow mare Queen’s Wood, was first to the wire at Remington Park on Saturday night, winning easily by two lengths in a first-level allowance race at one mile on the main track. This came after running second in his debut at Remington Park on Oct. 27. He has been conditioned in Oklahoma City by Robertino Diodoro.

Diodoro switched riders for Saturday night to the red-hot Harry Hernandez in the saddle and it was all the horse needed. Hernandez has been like a magnet to metal when it comes to the winner’s circle the past couple of weeks, moving into sole possession of second place in the jockeys’ standings, well behind front-running Stewart

Hernandez put the most patient ride on Motown Music, sitting fifth down the backstretch with only one horse behind him. He let the early pace horses wear themselves out and then pounced in mid-stretch, passing them all.

Motown Music won at Santa Anita on Feb. 28, 2021 in a $50,000 starter allowance race at one mile by a nose under jockey Umberto Rispoli and then won there again with $50,000 claimers on March 31 this year under jockey Armando Aguilar. His first trip over the Remington Park racing surface was a good second-place finish, beaten 2-1/4 lengths as the even-money favorite. He had the excuse of being off from Aug. 12 to Oct. 27 and was obviously more fit and ready to fire on Saturday night.

Motown Music earned $20,949 from the $35,000 purse for owners Rick and Clayton Wiest, and Norman Tremblay of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada and improved his career record to 16 starts, five wins, two seconds and two thirds for a bankroll of $154,114. The winner was sent off at even-money odds again in his second start here and paid $4 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.10 to show. Varsity (4-1) checked in second, a half-length ahead of a fading early front-runner Runhappy d’Oro (6-1).

Runhappy d’Oro had set early fractions of :23.30 for the first quarter-mile, :46.78 for the half-mile, 1:12.16 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:26.19 for seven furlongs before being caught and passed by the first- and second-place horses. The final time for Motown Music was 1:40.31 on the fast track. He was bred in Kentucky by Haymarket Farm.

Remington Park racing resumes with the final Monday and Tuesday afternoon of the season on November 20 & 21. The first race both days is at 2:30p.m.-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $337 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 Springboard Mile, a Kentucky Derby points-qualifying race, on Friday, Dec. 15, 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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