Ghost Hero captured the biggest race on Remington Park's Oklahoma Classics Night card in fine style Friday–the $131,000 Classics Cup.
The 3-year-old Shaman Ghost colt won last year's Oklahoma Classics Juvenile and the Don McNeill Stakes last year at Remington before being soundly defeated there in the Springboard Mile to end the season. This year, he won the Lafayette at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana and Will Rogers Stakes Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., before returning to Remington Park and finishing 10th in the Oklahoma Derby (G3), but emphatically rebounded in the Classics Cup.
Under jockey Floyd Wethey Jr. Ghost Hero romped to a 7 1/4-length triumph while covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.37 on a fast track.
“He just bounced in his last race (Oklahoma Derby),” said trainer Jayde J. Gelner. “He had two big races before the Oklahoma Derby.”
Ghost Hero was sitting two lengths off the lead after a half mile in the Classics Cup, stalking pacesetter Kwontro (29-1), who eventually faded to last. Kwontro set early fractions of :23.25 for the first quarter mile and :46.93 for the half mile. Ghost Hero took over when he hit three-quarters in 1:11.67 and clocked a mile in 1:38.17.
Despite Ghost Hero's comfortable five-length led in early stretch, Wethey continued to urge on the winner through the stretch.
“I didn't want to hold anything back,” said Wethey, “and I didn't. My first win on him, I knew he was something special. I was going to stick with him (wherever he went).”
As Wethey returned to the winner's circle, he began tearing the flowers off the blanket of carnations placed over the horse's withers after the race and throwing them into the air in celebration. It was Wethey's second win of the night in the Classics, also taking the $76,000 Oklahoma Classics Lassie aboard Miss Code West.
The win marked Gelner's second trip to the winner's circle on the night, taking the $99,600 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf with Run Slewpy Run earlier in the evening. Ghost Hero gave Gelner his third career Classics win.
The 6-5 second choice, Ghost Hero is owned by Norman Stables (Robert Norman) of Thomasville, Ala. He improved his record to 13 starts, six wins, one second and one third for earnings of $326,282. He was purchased at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, where Fort Christopher's Thoroughbreds consigned him. The ticket was signed in the name of “Father and son”.
Number One Dude, as the 4-5 odds-on favorite, checked in second and was another 1 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place Absaroka (11-1), who won the race two years ago.
Ghost Hero ($4.40) was bred in Oklahoma by Clark Brewster of Tulsa, Okla. His dam is the Super Saver mare Queen Buxley.
Also on the the Oklahoma Classics Night card, Boom Baby Flats won the $76,000 Juvenile, Dicey took the $99,600 Distaff Sprint, Stormieis Blue won the $111,000 Distaff Handicap, Fly to the Bank captured the $99,600 Sprint, and Eakly took the $99,600 OKC Turf Classic Handicap.
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