Trainer Lynn Chleborad draped herself in the flowered blanket of the $153,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup on Friday night and yelled out her signature happy shout, “Yip! Yip!” as she celebrated her winner, That's Something, in the richest race of the Oklahoma Classics for state-breds at Remington Park.
Her 5-year-old Read the Footnotes gelding out of the Concern mare Cherokee Princess won his third race in a row on the dirt to capture the Cup for Chleborad, her first win in the main event of the Classics.
Twenty-three years ago, Chleborad won another Classics race, the 1999 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile with Imaginary Friend.
Chleborad's win Friday night was especially noteworthy.
“My first Cup win as an owner, trainer, AND breeder,” she exclaimed in the winner's circle.
It also was a taste of revenge for That's Something, who just lost by a neck to Number One Dude on the turf, going 7 1/2 furlongs in the $70,000 Red Earth Stakes on Sept. 23 at Remington.
When they returned to the dirt and stretched out in the Oklahoma Classics Cup to 1 1/16 miles, That's Something got back on track and kept his main-track win streak intact. He finished 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Number One Dude, who was another head in front of third-place finisher Dont Tell Noobody, the winner of this race in 2020.
That's Something was sent off as the 5-2 second favorite and paid $7.80 to winNumber One Dude, who had won 8-of-14 starts lifetime, was the wagering favorite at 4-5 odds.
Dont Tell Noobody came flying at 16-1.
Jockey Luis Quinonez moved into second place on the all-time Classics win list, moving past Don Pettinger. Both riders are in the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
That's Something gave Quinonez his first Cup win, giving him 22 Classics wins to Pettinger's 21. Cliff Berry, the all-time winningest rider in Remington Park history, finished his career with 26 Classics wins.
“I didn't know he was going to go to the lead and I said to him, 'OK, if that's where you want to be,'” said Quinonez. “When I looked at the others turning for home, I said, 'You're in trouble because I have a lot more horse (laughs).' Lynn told me he was ready and she was right.”
Chleborad is enjoying the current run with That's Something as she had to be patient in waiting on his success after a difficult 2021 with the gelding.
“Last year he pulled a muscle on a back leg and barely got out of the barn,” Chleborad said. “We didn't know what was wrong with him. But he got better and he just keeps getting better and better. I love this horse. He's friendly. He loves Luis. He's just a baby.”
That's Something made every pole a winning one, setting fractions of :24.64 for the first quarter mile, :49.11 for the half mile, 1:13.60 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:38.51 for the mile before crossing the finish in 1:44.82 over the fast track.
That's Something earned $91,800 for the victory and improved to 19 starts, five wins and five seconds and $210,712 in earnings.
Other winners of Oklahoma Classics stakes include Terry J. Westemeir's homebred Doudoudouwanadance (by Magna Graduate), who took the $100,000 Lassie by seven lengths; Norman Stables LLC's Ghost Hero (Shaman Ghost) ($3.30), who captured the $100,000 Juvenile by 1 3/4 lengths ($8.20); Michael Schmidt's Plenty of Vision (Pollard's Vision), the $130,000 Distaff Turf ($14.80); Robert H. Zoellner's homebred She's All Wolfe (Magna Graduate), the $145,000 Distaff ($6.60); Bryan Hawk's Ragan's Jet (Mister Lucky), the $130,000 Distaff Sprint ($4); Juan Carlos Gallegos's Fly to the Bank, the $130,000 Sprint ($19.20); and Asmussenequine.com and Martin Riley's Tap the Dot (Moro Tap), the $130,000 Turf Classic ($7.40).
The post ‘He Just Keeps Getting Better And Better’: That’s Something Blitzes Oklahoma Classics Cup In Gate-To-Wire Romp appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
