OKLAHOMA DERBY DRAWS FIELD OF 13, REMINGTON PARK OAKS SET WITH EIGHT FOR SEPTEMBER 24

One of the largest fields in Oklahoma Derby history was compiled this morning by the Remington Park racing office. A total of 13 drew into the Grade 3, $400,000 race, the headline event of 10 on a special Sunday, Sept. 24 program.

The field of 13 is the largest for the Oklahoma Derby since 14 started in the 1-1/8 miles race in 2014.

Hit Show has been made the morning-line favorite at 3-1 odds and will leave the gate from the outside post position 13. Trained by Brad Cox, Flavien Prat will ride.

Cox is seeking his fourth win in the Oklahoma Derby. He won three straight from 2019-2021 with Owendale, Shared Sense and Warrant. Prat seeks his first win in the race.

Owned and bred by Gary and Mary West of Omaha, Neb., Hit Show won the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct on Feb. 11 before running second in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in April. He eventually finished fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and then fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. Hit Show most recently was fifth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes in July at Saratoga in upstate New York.

Grade 3 West Virginia Derby winner Red Route One is the second morning-line favorite at 7-2 odds. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Joel Rosario will ride. The colt by Gun Runner, owned and bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds of Las Vegas, was second in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. in February. Red Route One was fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes and then eighth in the Belmont Stakes before scoring in West Virginia.

Red Route One competed in the Grade 3 Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs at 1-5/16 miles over turf, finishing eighth in his most recent start on Sept. 3.

Asmussen seeks his second Oklahoma Derby victory, winning previously in 2017 with Untrapped. Rosario has won the race twice before with Pleasant Prince (2010) and Warrant (2021).

The field for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, by program and post position, with jockey, trainer and morning-line odds:
1. Ghost Hero: Floyd Wethey, Jr., Jayde Gelner, 20-1
2. Tumbarumba: Rafael Bejarano, Brian Lynch, 6-1
3. Raise Cain: no jockey named, Ben Colebrook, 5-1
4. Cagliostro: Cristian Torres, Cherie DeVaux, 8-1
5. Heroic Move: Harry Hernandez, Robertino Diodoro, 20-1
6. Gunflash: Luis Fuentes, Karl Broberg, 30-1
7. West Coast Cowboy: Tyler Conner, Saffie Joseph, Jr., 8-1
8. Pearl’s Earl: Jose Medina, Eric Snodgrass, 99-1
9. How Did He Do That: Stewart Elliott, Steve Asmussen, 20-1
10. Red Route One: Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen, 7-2
11. Grove Land: no jockey named, Eoin Harty, 15-1
12. Mor Lana Spirit; Leandro Goncalves, Kari Craddock, 30-1
13. Hit Show: Flavien Prat, Brad Cox, 3-1 (morning-line favorite)

The Oklahoma Derby is the 10th and grand finale on the Sept. 24 card with a scheduled post of 7:48pm.

Grade 3, $200,000 Remington Park Oaks
The Oaks drew a field of eight for the 1-1/16 miles with Merlazza pegged as the morning-line favorite at 2-1 odds.

Owned by Don Alberto Stable of Lexington, Ky., Merlazza is trained by Brad Cox and will be ridden by Prat. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro is seeking her first graded stakes win after finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico in May and then fourth in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks at Horseshoe Indianapolis in July.

Cox has never won the Remington Park Oaks while Prat scored in 2021 with Lady Mistify.

Ancient Peace, from the barn of trainer Brian Lynch, is the second morning-line favorite at 5-2 odds. Ancient Peace was second in the Grade 2 Summer Oaks at Santa Anita in June and then finished 10th over the turf in the Grade 2, San Clemente at Del Mar in July.

The field for the Grade 3, $200,000 Remington Park Oaks, by program and post position, with jockey, trainer and morning-line odds:
1. Perfect Wish: Floyd Wethey, Jr., Jayde Gelner, 10-1
2. Merlazza: Flavien Prat, Brad Cox, 2-1 (morning-line favorite)
3. Magic Bubbles: Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen, 10-1
4. Honor D Lady: Tyler Conner, Saffie Joseph, Jr., 9-2
5. Nomadic Pride: Cristian Torres, Thomas Amoss, 6-1
6. Appropriated Funds: Iram Diego, Jaylan Clary, 8-1
7. Love Tank: David Cabrera, Ray Ashford, 20-1
8. Ancient Peace: Rafael Bejarano, Brian Lynch, 5-2

The Remington Park Oaks is race nine of 10 on Sept. 24 with a scheduled post time of 7:14pm.

The other stakes races on The derby day program include:
Race 3 – $50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes, fillies and mares, 3 and older, 6 furlongs
Race 4 – $75,000 Remington Green, 3 and older, 1-1/8 miles (turf)
Race 5 – $50,000 E.L.Gaylord Memorial, 2-year-old fillies, 6-1/2 furlongs
Race 6 – $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes, 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs
Race 7 – $75,000 Ran Ricks Memorial, fillies and mares, 3 and older, 1-1/16 miles (turf)
Race 8 – $100,000 David Vance Stakes, 3 and older, 6 furlongs

The Remington Park racing week alters to Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 21-24 next week. First race nightly is 7:07pm. The Sunday card begins at 3pm. All times Central.

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 Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby and the Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks on Sunday, Sept. 24, 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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