OKLAHOMA CLASSICS CONNECTIONS READY FOR BIG NIGHT

The 32nd Oklahoma Classics, the top night of stakes racing for Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbreds, is ready for action at Remington Park tonight with the first race at 6:30pm.

Horsemen are busy making the final preparations for the stakes races, boasting $1 million in total purse money over the 10 races.

TRAINER SCOTT YOUNG on NUMBER ONE DUDE IN OKLAHOMA CLASSICS CUP
Number One Dude, the 5-2 second choice in the morning line will start in the main event of the night, having not won a race at Remington Park since 2022. His trainer, Scott Young is still confident that the current top money-earning Oklahoma-bred will show his best.

“It’s been difficult because he has run some winning races with some winning efforts. It’s just been unfortunate that he hasn’t won here this fall yet. But I’m thinking we could see a little different outcome come Friday night.”

Number One Dude has earned $552,168 over his previous 33 races with 10 wins, 10 places and two shows. He won the Classics Juvenile as a 2-year-old in 2020.

Number One Dude will face six others in the 1-1/16 miles Classics Cup with Flat Hanby presenting a tough challenge for all. Young respects the 3-year-old who is coming off a fifth-place effort in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 29.

“You can’t knock anything he has done this year. I’m kind of hoping facing older horses for him gives us the edge. But our hats are off to Flat Hanby and to Jobie (Caster, trainer) this year.”

Flat Hanby had put together a five-race winning streak prior to his Oklahoma Derby effort. To this point in eight career races, Flat Hanby wins, or does not hit the board.

DOUDOUDOUWANADANCE SET TO CONTINUE IMPRESSIVE TURF PERFORMANCES
Young will also saddle Doudoudouwanadance in the Classics Distaff turf in race five. The 4-year-old filly is owned and bred by Terry Westemeir of Broken Arrow, Okla. and is a full-sister to Number One Dude, also campaigned by Westemeir.

Young believe in his 8-5 morning-line favorite who comes in strong off a win in the Bob Barry Memorial on Sept. 20. He notes that Run Slewpy Run, fifth in the Barry Memorial is a strong challenge in the Distaff Turf, having won the event twice (2021 and 2023) already.

“If she fires like she has in the past, she will be a horse with a target on our backs. We can’t let her sneak up on us.”

The move to switch surfaces for Doudoudouwanadance has been extremely successful with two consecutive scores over the Remington Park lawn this season.

“We put her on the turf (at Lone Star Park this summer) just to see if she would like it. She obviously did and we changed up some equipment on her and it’s made a huge difference. We changed up bits on her (in her mouth) and put a little fuller blinker on her. She just wasn’t wanting to get too close to the rail and wanted to kind of stay more out towards the outside of the racetrack. Now Leandro (Goncalves, jockey) says he can put her anywhere you want.”

TROUT READY WITH CHALLENGE FOR REIGNING HORSE OF THE MEETING
Owner-trainer-breeder C.R. Trout is excited about Letta’s Legacy’s rematch with last year’s Remington Park Horse of the Meet, Miss Code West. Letta’s Legacy ran second to that multiple stakes winner in the 2023 Oklahoma Classics Lassie Stakes for 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred fillies.

“Last year, (Letta’s Legacy) had a big abscess in her throat. I don’t take anything away from that filly (Miss Code West). She is really nice. We have really improved this year (Letta’s Legacy winning her last two in a row), but so has she. We just know Letta’s Legacy needs to stretch out and she gets to do that (at one mile, 70 yards).”

On why he chose this filly to name after his late wife Arletta: “This (Sundayville Break, Letta’s Legacy’s mother) mare was Arletta’s favorite. If she hadn’t turned out to be this good, we probably wouldn’t have ever brought her to the racetrack, I don’t think. But I think (Arletta) is up there looking over us now.”

Letta’s Legacy is the 9-5 second morning-line choice in the Distaff Handicap, behind Miss Code West who is a heavy 3-5 favorite.

Classics Stats to Watch
With one win on Oklahoma Classics Night, trainer Kari Craddock would become just the third conditioner in the series to achieve 10 career Classics wins. Currently only Donnie Von Hemel (31) and C.R. Trout (16) have reached the double-digit mark.

Veteran jockey Luis Quinonez comes into the night with 22 Classics victories, four behind the retired all-time leader, Cliff Berry, who has 26. Luis Q has five mounts tonight, so there is an extreme mathematical possibility.

The 35th race date of the Remington Park season features 10 races for Classics Night with turf action in race five and 10. The track is fast and turf is firm.

Remington Park has provided more than $363 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 simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The 2024 Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 13 when the $300,000 Springboard Mile tops the final night of the season. The major 2-year-old stakes race of the season, the Springboard awards valuable 2025 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. 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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