Oklahoma-bred millionaire Shotgun Kowboy won the Oklahoma Classics Cup four times for breeder-owner-trainer C.R. Trout, including the last three years in a row.
The 8-year-old gelded son of Kodiak Kowboy, out of the Siphon (BRZ) mare Shotgun Jane, still comes to the track just about every morning at Remington Park and is the best looking horse in Trout's barn. However, Shotgun Kowboy will not be running in Friday's $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup, a race he won in 2015 and then 2017-19. Shotgun Kowboy is now retired, after incurring an injury during training earlier this year at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.
“We let him (Shotgun Kowboy), with my assistant Dan Ortiz up on him, accompany the horses I'm working in the mornings and he looks fantastic,” said Trout, who earned $1,548,684 by racing this horse from 2014-19. “I don't think I've ever seen him look better. It is tempting to bring him back to training and racing, but that injury was pretty bad.”
Trout of Edmond, Okla., is one win away from being the all-time winningest owner and trainer of the Classics Cup. He has taken the trophy home six times as an owner, tying him with John and Barbara Smicklas, and six times as a trainer, placing him in a tie with Donnie Von Hemel.
It would mean a great deal to Trout to be the top owner and trainer in Cup history by winning this race on Friday: “It certainly would be exciting. Anyone would like to reach that goal.”
This year, Trout's Cup hopes lie with Fast Breakin Cash, one of eight horses entered for the 2020 edition. A 4-year-old gelded son of Yes It's True, out of the Forestry mare Fast N Fine Lookin, Fast Breakin Cash will pick up the baton for the Trout barn. Trout also won the Classics Cup with Imahit in 2013-14.
“Imahit's first win in the Cup was probably the most exciting for me,” Trout said. “We were stretching him out from sprints to a route and he responded in kind. It's great when you do that and it works. As far as this year's race goes, I like my chances. We're not scared of anybody in there.”
Trout is trying to do a similar thing that he did with Imahit. Fast Breakin Cash has run 13 times and 12 of those races were sprints. He could have gone into the Oklahoma Classics Sprint except for one thing.
“Oh, we've tried him against Welder already,” Trout said.
That is good enough reason to stretch him out around two turns to the 1-1/16th miles for the Cup. He was a respectable third to Welder in last year's Oklahoma Classics Sprint, beaten only 4-1/4 lengths by the two-time Oklahoma Horse of the Year. The one race where he did negotiate a route of ground was the $70,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes here last year at one mile, and he ran second, beaten only 1-3/4 lengths by Cowboy Mischief.
“Oh, he's bred to go as far as you want him to go,” said Trout.
To win another Classics Cup and establish a record for most wins in the race would be satisfying but also bittersweet for Trout, who is competing on this night for the first time without his wife Arletta, who passed away Nov. 24, 2019.
“When you live with someone more than 50 years, it's just not going to be the same,” he said. “She was not only my wife, but she was also my best friend. I will have my whole family here, but it still won't be like having your best buddy that's always been here.”
Here's a look at the field with post position, jockey, trainer and odds:
1) Dont Tell Noobody: Sophie Doyle, Federico Villafranco, 15-1
2) Georgia Deputy: Ezequiel Lara, Joe Petalino, 20-1
3) United Patriot: Lori Biehler, Michael Biehler, 10-1
4) Rowdy Yates: Stewart Elliott, Steve Asmussen, 2-1 (morning-line favorite)
5) Fast Breakin Cash: Luis Quinonez, C.R. Trout, 5-1
6) Dak Da Man: Lane Luzzi, Kari Craddock, 6-1
7) Kwik: David Cabrera, Karl Broberg, 10-1
8) Deal Driven: Ramon Vazquez, Robert Mosco, 5-2
Remington Park racing continues Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 15-17, this week with Friday being Oklahoma Classics Night featuring the top Oklahoma-breds in divisional stakes competition worth $1 million. The first race nightly is at 7:07pm-Central.
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