REGALLY BRED CHROME BABY, WITH TWO KENTUCKY DERBY WINNERS IN PEDIGREE, WINS ALLOWANCE RACE

One might think that a horse with two Kentucky Derby winners in his pedigree might be best at races around two turns, but the sprint seems to be Chrome Baby’s forte after winning an allowance race Wednesday at Remington Park.

Sired by 2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome, out of Star Super, a mare by 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, Chrome Baby turned back from the one-mile distance to six furlongs on Friday and cruised home an easy winner against non-winners of two.

Trainer Bret Calhoun, who has been a magician with juveniles here, also has worked miracles with horses going from sprints to routes and then back to sprints, winning with 31 percent of runners with that angle. That mark increased even more with Chrome Baby’s win.

The 2-year-old colt, purchased at the September Keeneland Yearling sale in 2020 for a mere $25,000, won for the second time in five career starts for owner Levings Racing (Brian Levings) of Edmond, Okla. He earned $20,145 from the $34,000 purse and improved to a record of five starts, two wins and two seconds for total earnings of $53,107. He was bred in Kentucky by Taylor Brothers Properties and George Saufley, et.al.

Jockey Richard Eramia broke 10th with Chrome Baby in the field of 10 and moved into eighth place down the backstretch before making a run in the turn for home and moving one length ahead at the top of the stretch. He then hit a gear his competitors couldn’t find and finished 4-1/2 lengths in front at the wire. Running time for the winner was 1:13.08 over the fast track. He cut into fractions of :22.14 for the first quarter-mile, :46.37 for the half-mile and then had command after :59.84 for five-eighths of a mile.

Chrome Baby was sent off at 7-5 odds as the favorite and paid $4.80 to win, $3.60 to place and $3 to show across the board. Philo Beddoe got up for second at 16-1 odds and another longshot, King Jingaling (25-1) was third, another 1-3/4 lengths back.

In Chrome Baby’s only stakes try this season, he finished a well-beaten sixth, 11 lengths behind what most considered to be the best 2-year-old on the grounds in El Pando. That was in the $100,000 Clever Trevor Stakes on Oct. 29 at seven furlongs. The only attempt around two turns came in the last start for Chrome Baby, an optional allowance/$75,000 claiming race when he was the runner-up, eight lengths back of Hern at one mile.

The closing night of the season on Friday, Dec. 17 includes the cornerstone race for 2-year-olds at Remington Park, the $400,000 Springboard Mile, with horses eligible for Kentucky Derby points. It goes as the 12th race on Friday. The other stakes are:

Race 8, $70,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile (Oklahoma-breds)
Race 9, $70,000 Useeit Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 mile (Oklahoma-breds)
Race 10, $100,000 She’s All In Stakes, 3-year-olds and older, fillies-mares, 1m-70 yds
Race 11, $100,000 Trapeze Stakes, fillies, 2-year-olds, 1 mile

Just two nights remain in the Remington Park season with racing Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7:07pm and the final night on Friday, Dec. 17 underway at 5pm. All times are Central.

Tracked by more than 167,000 fans on Facebook and 10,500 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $281 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 for the $400,000 Springboard Mile on Friday, Dec. 17. Simulcast horse racing featured daily, the casino is always open! Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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