September, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

O’Neill Confirms Team Merchants For Oklahoma Derby At Remington Park

West Coast-based trainer Doug O'Neill has confirmed he will enter Team Merchants in the $400,000 Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Sunday, Sept. 26, stakes coordinator Don Thompson has announced.

O'Neill said Team Merchants should arrive in Oklahoma City via a FedEx jet from California on Sept. 22. O'Neill, trained two horses to Kentucky Derby wins – Nyquist in 2015 and I'll Have Another in 2012. Team Merchants is a Kentucky-bred son of Nyquist, out of the Square Eddie mare Edwina E. The colt, bred and owned by Reddam Racing, is lightly raced with five starts, two wins, and $88,940 earned. His regular rider is Mario Gutierrez, who rode both of O'Neill's Kentucky Derby winners in their run for the roses. Team Merchants has yet to win a stakes race in his career.

Keepmeinmind, a 3-year-old that lost by a neck to Essential Quality in the $600,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., this summer, has been nominated to the Oklahoma Derby, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 26 at Remington Park. Keepmeinmind is trained by Robertino Diodoro and owned by Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm.

Others already announcing earlier their expectation to run in the Oklahoma Derby include Arkansas and Ellis Park Derby winner Super Stock out of Steve Asmussen's barn. Asmussen is the all-time winningest trainer in racing history.

Fulsome, a colt by the top sire in the country, Into Mischief, out of the Distorted Humor mare Flourish, could be sent to the Derby by Brad Cox for Juddmonte Farms. Cox is the second-leading trainer in the country behind Asmussen in earnings this year. Fulsome has won four of his last five starts, including the $300,000 Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in Philadelphia. He also won the $150,000 Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Mr. Wireless, a gelding by Dialed In, out of the Arch mare Voussoir, is from trainer Bret Calhoun's barn and runs for owner JIL Stable. He has won four of his last five starts, including two Grade 3 races – the $500,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park and the $300,000 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand.

King Fury, a colt by Curlin, out of the Flatter mare Taris, resides in trainer Kenny McPeek's barn. He is owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables and has a win in the $200,000 Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., in April, before running second in the $500,000 Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio in June.

Remington Park racing concludes this week with a nine-race card Saturday, Sept. 18, the first post is 7:07 p.m. Central.

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Dark Angel’s Wings Of War Wins The Mill Reef

It is a rare season that Clive Cox and Adam Kirby do not combine with a juvenile of note and Isa Salman Al Khalifa's Wings of War (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) stepped up to the plate for the combo in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. Runner-up last time in the G3 Sirenia S. over this six-furlong trip on Kempton's Polytrack Sept. 4, the grey was keen early directly behind the leader Hierarchy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) after a start delayed by the withdrawal of the G2 Gimcrack S. runner-up Gis a Sub (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) who had become upset in the stalls. Launched under strong driving to chase that long-time leader, who had been behind him when third in the Sirenia, the 17-2 shot had enough in reserve to subdue him in the last 100 yards and assert for a head success. “We've loved him from the start, but they've got to go and do that for you,” Cox said. “He's got a bit of scope and maturity to develop into. He's always given us plenty of confidence at home that he was a proper horse.”

Wings of War began his career with a second iver five furlongs in a Leicester novice at the start of June before going one better when making all over an extra furlong at Nottingham July 16. Third in the Goffs UK Premier Yearling S. at York Aug. 19 before his Sirenia effort, he provided a boost to that form along with Hierarchy to follow up the stable's win in this with Harry Angel (Ire) five years ago. “He showed a bit of greenness in his last couple of starts, but Adam gave him a good ride today. He was good and he was ready for this sort of test today. I just hope and pray he turns out as good as the last winner of this race we had in Harry Angel. I'm not sure what we'll do next, I'll discuss it with Sheikh Isa and we'll do what's best for the horse. I'm not sure if he'd benefit from another run this year or whether we'll be looking towards next year.”

Cox is happy to stay sprinting next season. “I'm delighted for connections and we've got a proper horse for next year over six furlongs,” he added. “I think that's what he is, I don't think we need to explore over further. Mentally there's scope for him to improve, so there's the potential for more. He was even on edge when he got here today as there's a bit going on, more than he's used to, but as the day has gone on he's got more at ease and put in a performance to be proud of.”

Wings of War is the first foal out of Futoon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who was placed in the Listed Lansdown S., Listed Kilvington S. and Listed Cecil Frail S. Under the third dam Refined (Ire) (Statoblest {Ire}) are several group performers in the sprinting category, headed by a past Mill Reef scorer in Galeota (Ire) (Mujadil) who was also second in the G1 Golden Jubilee S. They include the Sirenia-winning half-siblings Burnt Sugar (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Brown Sugar (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) who captured this term's G3 Prix Six Perfections and the smart Logo Hunter (Ire) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) who has also emerged as a sprinter of note in 2021 when winning the Listed Sole Power Sprint S. and Listed Midsummer Sprint S. Futoon's full-brother to the winner is sure to be hot property at the upcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2.

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE MILL REEF S.-G2, £79,300, Newbury, 9-18, 2yo, 6fT, 1:12.40, gd.
1–WINGS OF WAR (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Futoon (Ire) (MSP-Eng), by Kodiac (GB)
2nd Dam: Vermilliann (Ire), by Mujadil
3rd Dam: Refined (Ire), by Statoblest (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (£140,000 Ylg '20 GOFFUK). O-Isa Salman Al Khalifa; B-Grangemore Stud (IRE); T-Clive Cox; J-Adam Kirby. £44,971. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-1, $114,773. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hierarchy (Ire), 127, c, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Cheworee (GB), by Milk It Mick (GB). (€5,000 RNA Wlg '19 GOFNOV; £9,000 RNA Ylg '20 TATIRY; £105,000 2yo '21 TATBRG). O-David Howden & Qatar Racing; B-Mountain View Stud & Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. £17,050.
3–Fearby (Ire), 127, c, 2, Havana Gold (Ire)–Coolminx (Ire), by One Cool Cat. (13,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; 21,000gns Ylg '20 TAOCT). O-Clarendon Thoroughbred Racing; B-Ringfort Stud (IRE); T-Edward Bethell. £8,533.
Margins: HD, 1HF, HD. Odds: 8.50, 18.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Dhabab (Ire), Maglev (Ire), Manaccan (GB), Gubbass (Ire), Khunan (GB), Melayu Kingdom (Ire). Scratched: Gis A Sub (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Jockey Quinonez Moves Into Second In All-Time Wins At Remington Park

It was one Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey moving past another into second place in the all-time wins category at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., when Luis Quinonez won the third race of the night aboard Ace Gilford.

It gave Quinonez 1,420 wins here, one more than Don Pettinger. The win puts the veteran journeyman 705 behind all-time leader Cliff Berry, who had 2,125. Fittingly, Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer Donnie Von Hemel gave Quinonez a leg up on Ace Gilford, a 4-year-old gelded son of Tale of the Cat, out of the Indian Charlie mare Indianella. He races for owner Dream Walkin Farms (Toby Keith) of Norman, Okla.

If you're going to reach a milestone, it should be done in impressive fashion and Quinonez did not pass up that opportunity. His mount flew to the front out of the gate in this 5-1/2 furlongs race on the main track and just kept widening his lead to the wire. As he hit the finish line in 1:05.31 over the fast track, he was 6-1/2 lengths ahead of everyone. Ace Gilford was sent off as the 2-1 second wagering favorite and made every pole a winning one, setting interior fractions of :22:91 for the first quarter-mile, :46.81 for the half-mile and :58.91 for five-eighths of a mile.

Ace Gilford paid $6 to win, $3.20 to place, and $2.60 to show. Bred in Kentucky by the owner, Ace Gilford won for the first time in seven tries, scoring in his career debut at Remington Park. He had hit the board in his last two starts at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., with maiden claimers. Von Hemel gave him nearly five months off and the gelding fired fresh on all cylinders.

Quinonez, inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2017, needs only 99 more wins to reach 4,000 for his career. Only Berry, Quinonez, and Pettinger have won more than 1,000 races at Remington Park. Two other Oklahoma Racing Hall of Famer jockeys round out the top five – Tim Doocy with 796 and the late Pat Steinberg with 727.

Quinonez has had 26,833 mounts in his career with 3,901 wins, compiling $76,907,686 in horses' earnings, according to Equibase statistics. His top horses have included Grade 2 winners Alternation and Gold Medal Dancer. He also won with Grade 3 winners Suddenbreakingnews, Shotgun Kowboy, She's All In, Maysville Slew, and Injustice.

Quinonez made it to the Kentucky Derby once, aboard Suddenbreakingnews, the 2016 winner of the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park for Von Hemel. They had teamed up to win the Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park in 2015.

Quinonez said he got his first win at Remington Park on his first mount in 1989 when he was in his early 20s aboard New Writer. He beat such riders as Berry, Steinberg (winner of seven riding titles in the early days of the track and an Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer), Dale Cordova (10th all-time here and regular rider for Silver Goblin), and Tony McNeil, now the paddock judge at Remington Park. Quinonez now is 54 years old and says retirement doesn't even cross his mind.

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Wild Beauty Looms Large in Natalma

Three years ago, the Godolphin-owned and Charlie Appleby-conditioned La Pelosa (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) used placings in the Listed Star S. and in the G3 Sweet Solera S. as a stepping-stones to victory in the GI Natalma S. at Woodbine. Connections will be hoping that lightning strikes twice Sunday with Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who has charted precisely the same course into the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf at Del Mar Nov.5.

Whereas La Pelosa finished third in the Star S. at Goodwood, Wild Beauty went one better, chasing home hot favorite Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who subsequently hacked up at 20 cents on the dollar in Doncaster's G2 May Hill S. Sept. 9. Wild Beauty and La Pelosa both finished runner-up in the Sweet Solera contested over a straight seven furlongs at Newmarket and she should appreciate the extra eighth of a mile Sunday.

D J Stable and Nexus Racing's Diabolic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) looks to take her unbeaten streak to four while stretching out in trip for the first time. Purchased for £90,000 out of last year's Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, the gray filly validated 8-5 favoritism with a neck success sprinting five grassy furlongs at Gulfstream May 20 before adding the My Dear S. over the local synthetic surface July 31. It was back to the turf when prepping for this in the Aug. 21 Catch a Glimpse S. and Diabolic made a run from next to last to report home a length to the good of Royal Engagement (Palace Malice), with Mrs. Barbara (Bodemeister) another length and three-quarters back in third.

Bobby Flay homebred Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) holds the distinction of being the lone runner in the field of 10 with a victory going long, having graduated by three-parts of a length at first asking at Saratoga July 22. Joel Rosario retains the mount for Christophe Clement.

Ready Lady (More Than Ready) belied generous odds to score by a half-length on her seven-furlong debut Aug. 28 and will try to follow in the hoofprints of her half-sister 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), who won this event last year by 3/4 of a length off a somewhat more decisive first-out success.

Eminent Victor (Mr. Z) earned a competitive 74 Beyer for a debut score over the Arlington Poly and has since been acquired by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Louis Lazzinaro. She makes her first appearance for Chad Brown here.

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