TWO-TIME HORSE OF MEET, MISS CODE WEST, PROVES WORTH ON TURF, SETTING STAKES RECORD IN BOB BARRY MEMORIAL

Neither owner Jeff Puryear nor trainer Kevin Scholl were concerned about their stable superstar Miss Code West’s chances in the $50,000 Bob Barry Memorial Stakes at 7-1/2 furlongs on the turf Friday night at Remington Park.

“We turned her out for six weeks into a great big paddock covered with luscious grass,” said Puryear, who owns Miss Code West with Julie Puryear. “If you had seen how much she loved running in that stuff, you would have believed like we did.”

Actually, Miss Code West, a 4-year-old Oklahoma-bred filly, had already shown a proclivity for the turf at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, on June 28, despite earning her spurs at Remington Park with her domination on the dirt the past two years. It was on that June day in Texas that Miss Code West raced in the $125,000 Chicken Fried Stakes, going greensward for only the second time in her career and taking on open company. Most of her stakes won at Remington Park were restricted to Oklahoma-breds and all of them were over the dirt. Despite running eighth in another turf stakes at Lone Star in 2024, trainer Kevin Scholl had to find a race for her.

“That was the only spot I could find for her,” he said. “And I was confident with her because I knew she was fresh.”

Miss Code West had not had a race since Dec. 13 at Remington Park last year, but she did not disappoint, winning possibly her toughest race ever by a half-length at five furlongs. So when she lost her fall debut at Remington Park on the dirt, running second to Letta’s Legacy on the main track, Scholl put her back on the grass in Friday’s Bob Barry Memorial.

Despite Miss Code West (5-2 second favorite) battling nose to nose the length of the stretch with 4-5 odds-on favorite Take Me Serious, jockey Floyd Wethey, Jr., said he wasn’t worried and neither was his filly. The final margin of victory was a half-length, but Wethey said he never had to use his stick.

“She knew she was a winner for about the final sixteenth of a mile,” Wethey said. “I didn’t have to take out the whip. I know Code and she loves this kind of competition,” said Wethey.

When Miss Code West hit the wire a winner, she also set the stakes record for 7-1/2 furlongs in 1:27.91. The previous fastest time in the Bob Barry was1:28.19, set in 2014 by Ridgeofstone.
It was Miss Code West’s 11th win in 15 career tries, and somehow, she paid a generous $7.60 to win, $3.40 to place and $3.40 to show.

Miss Code West earned $30,000 from the $50,000 purse and now has a bankroll of $504,717 lifetime. The swift filly was bred in Oklahoma by Bryan Hawk. She is now two-for-three over turf. Her record on dirt is 8-for-11.

Take Me Serious, who went out with Miss Code West on the lead every step of the way until the final strides, held on for second. The pair set fractions of :23.41 for the first quarter-mile, :46.14 for the half-mile, and 1:09.66 for three-quarters of a mile.

The final order of finish past the top two were Maybe Dolcie (10-1) third, Nice Neighbor (25-1) fourth, Talkin Cadee (17-1) fifth and co-second favorite with Miss Code West at 5-2 was Doudoudouwanadance, last year’s winner of this race, ran sixth.

The Bob Barry Memorial is named after late Oklahoma City sportscasting legends Bob Barry, Sr. and his son Bob Barry, Jr.

Remington Park racing continues Saturday, Sept. 13 at 6pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $390 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 presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. The 2025 Oklahoma Derby takes place Sunday, Sept. 28. The Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 20. 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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