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.
The post O’Neill Confirms Team Merchants For Oklahoma Derby At Remington Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
