GRADED STAKES WINNER LONG RANGE TODDY RETURNS TO REMINGTON PARK

Long Range Toddy, winner of the 2018 Springboard Mile at Remington Park before embarking on a long spring campaign this year that included a start in the Kentucky Derby, has resumed training in Oklahoma City.

Owned by Willis Horton Racing of Marshall, Ark. and trained by National Racing Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Long Range Toddy had a long gallop around the track on a cool Thursday morning at Remington Park with temperatures in the high 60s. Brooke Stillion guided the 3-year-old colt by Take Charge Indy from the Unbridled’s Song mare Pleasant Song around the main oval.

In addition to winning Remington Park’s top 2-year-old race last year, Long Range Toddy also scored the $100,000 Clever Trevor Stakes here. This spring at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., Long Range Toddy continued to add to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points he accumulated in the Springboard Mile. He was second in the $150,000 Smarty Jones; third in the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes; and won a division of the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes before finishing sixth in the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby.

More than qualified with points, Long Range Toddy pressed the pace in the Kentucky Derby then was caught up in congestion in the final turn and faded, before being awarded a 16th placing. After the first Saturday in May, Long Range Toddy was third in the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown followed by a fifth-place run in the Grade 3, $500,000 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand.

There is no word yet on plans for Long Range Toddy as there are plenty of 3-year-old derby options that could be considered. The Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Sept. 29 fits into that mix of races.

Thursday Training Notes
Shotgun Kowboy, the three-time victor of the Oklahoma Classics Cup, continues to perform well for a comeback effort. Bred, owned and trained by Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer C.R. Trout, Shotgun Kowboy breezed a half-mile in :47.91 over a fast track while under jockey David Cabrera.

Only the second Oklahoma-bred to win the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby (joining Clever Trevor from 1989) when he triumphed in 2015, Shotgun Kowboy would set a new Oklahoma Classics record if he wins this falls Classics Cup. Victorious with Cup wins in 2015, 2017 and 2018, Shotgun Kowboy would become the first horse in the history of the race to win it a fourth time if he can win the renewal on Oct. 18.
Shotgun Kowboy has earned $1,403,241 with 13 wins from 37 career attempts. He has eight wins, two seconds and three thirds in his 14 starts at Remington Park with earnings in Oklahoma City totaling $836,577.

Shotgun Kowboy is gearing up for his first start since running fifth in the Grade 3, $300,000 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas in late April.

Welder, the 2018 Horse of the Meeting at Remington Park, had a five-furlong breeze this morning, moving in 1:01.47 under Cabrera. Trainer Teri Luneack is aiming the speedy gray towards an open allowance sprint at Remington Park before putting him back into stakes action.

Owned by Ra-Max Farms of Claremore, Okla., Welder is a son of The Visualiser from the Tiznow mare Dance Softly. In 2018, Welder won four consecutive stakes events, becoming the first horse in Remington Park history to win four stakes races in the same season. Welder won the $70,000 Remington Park Turf Sprint (five furlongs) on a sloppy main track in his season debut on Sept. 7; the $150,000 David Vance Stakes (six furlongs), handling open company and shippers from around the country on Sept. 30; the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint Stakes (six furlongs) on Oct. 19, and the $70,000 Silver Goblin Stakes (6-1/2 furlongs) on Nov. 16. All but the Vance were stakes races for eligible Oklahoma-breds.

At Remington Park, Welder has never been out of the money in his 11 starts, winning seven with three second-place runs and one more in third. His career earnings are $722,651. Welder was bred in Oklahoma by Center Hills Farm.

The 2019 Remington Park Thoroughbred Season opens Friday night, Aug. 23 with the first event at 7pm-Central. The $175,000 Governor’s Cup highlights the initial night of the season.

Tracked by more than 157,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,900 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $225 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 resumes live racing with the start of the 2019 Thoroughbred Season on August 23. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.

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