THAT’S SOMETHING DIGS IN, HOLDS OFF NUMBER ONE DUDE FOR WIN IN OKLAHOMA CLASSICS CUP

Trainer Lynn Chleborad draped herself in the flowered blanket of the $153,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup on Friday night and yelled out her signature happy shout, “YIP! YIP!” as she celebrated her winner, That’s Something in the richest race of the Oklahoma Classics at Remington Park.

Her 5-year-old gelded son of Read the Footnotes (Smoke Glacken), out of the Concern mare Cherokee Princess, won his third race in a row on the dirt to capture the Cup for Chleborad, her first win in the main event of the Classics. She had won another Classics race, but it had been 23 years since scoring the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile with Imaginary Friend in 1999.

“My first Cup win as an owner, trainer AND breeder,” she exclaimed in the winner’s circle.

It also was a taste of revenge for That’s Something, who had just lost by a neck to Number One Dude on the turf, going 7-1/2 furlongs in the $70,000 Red Earth Stakes on Sept. 23 here. When they returned to the dirt and stretched out in the Cup to 1-1/16th miles, That’s Something got back on track and kept his main-track win streak intact. He finished 2-1/4 lengths ahead of Number One Dude, who was another head in front of third-place finisher Dont Tell Noobody, the winner of this race in 2020. That’s Something was sent off as the 5-2 second favorite and paid $7.80 to win, $3.40 to place and $3 to show. Number One Dude, who had won 8-of-14 starts lifetime, was the wagering favorite at 4-5 odds. Dont Tell Noobody came flying at 16-1.

Jockey Luis Quinonez moved into second place on the all-time Classics win list, moving past Don Pettinger. Both riders are in the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame. That’s something gave Quinonez his first Cup win, giving him 22 Classics wins to Pettinger’s 21. Cliff Berry, the all-time winningest rider in Remington Park history finished his career with 26 Classics wins.

“I didn’t know he was going to go to the lead and I said to him, ‘OK, if that’s where you want to be,’” said Quinonez. “When I looked at the others turning for home, I said, ‘You’re in trouble because I have a lot more horse (laughs).’ Lynn told me he was ready and she was right.”

Chleborad is enjoying the current run with That’s Something as she had to be patient in waiting on his success after a difficult 2021 with the gelding.

“Last year he pulled a muscle on a back leg and barely got out of the barn,” Chleborad said. “We didn’t know what was wrong with him. But he got better and he just keeps getting better and better. I love this horse. He’s friendly. He loves Luis. He’s just a baby.”

That’s Something made every pole a winning one, setting fractions of :24.64 for the first quarter-mile, :49.11 for the half-mile, 1:13.60 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:38.51 for the mile before crossing the finish in 1:44.82 over the fast track. He earned $91,800 for the victory and improved to 19 starts, five wins and five seconds for $210,712 in earnings.

Live racing at Remington Park continues Saturday night with a first post of 7:07pm-Central.

Tracked by more than 171,000 fans on Facebook and 10,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $304 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 features the $400,000 Springboard Mile, our top 2-year-old race on the final night of the season on Saturday, December 17. Remington Park also presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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