Bred by David Fennelly's Mountmellick Farm, the filly is out of GIII Torrey Pines S. winner Munny Spunt (Munnings), who sold for $340,000 at Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale in foal to Justify, subsequently died but not before foaling a colt named Just Munny. Midsummer March's dam is a half-sister to MGSW Blues Street and GSP Beale Street, both by Street Cry (Ire).

Also set for her first start is Cypress Creek Equine's Off the Lam (Curlin). Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, the homebred is out Argentinian multiple group stakes winning mare Sarasota (Arg) (Luhuk), who is responsible for GII Honeymoon H. heroine Sarah's Secret (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and GI Carter H. victor Salutos Amigos (Salute the Sarge). TJCIS PPS

2nd-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, 5fT, 12:39 p.m. ET.
With the same Hard Spun-Speightstown cross as GI Breeders' Cup Sprint champ Aloha West, firster Refuel makes his inaugural trip to the post for Repole and St. Elias. A $550,000 Keeneland September buy, the chestnut was the second-highest priced Hard Spun yearling in 2022.

The Todd Pletcher trainee is out of SW Quick Flip who went to Spendthrift Farm for $230,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. At the time, she was carrying GSW/GISP Following Sea (Runhappy), who incidently was third to Aloha West at the Breeders' Cup.

The dam of GSP Gimmick (Into Mischief), Quick Flip is a half-sister to MGSP/SW Qahira (Cairo Prince) and MGSP/MSW Factor It In (The Factor). TJCIS PPS

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The Schwartzes walked their 2-year-old filly Gold Lightning (Bolt d'Oro) in from the track after she won the 1 1/16-mile turf maiden by 2 1/4 lengths. She reached the wire on the inner turf course 1:45.93 and paid $31.40.

Under jockey Manny Franco, Gold Lightning delivered a solid off-the-pace run between horses in the stretch to overtake Positive Carry (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) at the sixteenth pole.

Martin Schwartz said he had no idea what to expect from the bay filly he purchased as a yearling for $150,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October sale. He said that trainer Brad Cox told him Wednesday that the filly was going to compete Thursday, regardless of whether the race was run on turf as scheduled or moved to the main track, as has happened so often during this wet Saratoga summer.

“All I know is where she was broken, at Paul Sharp's farm in Ocala, he really liked her and he's a hell of a horseman,” Schwartz said. “So I was hoping, but it's been a little while in between drinks.”

Gold Lightning was Schwartz's first winner in nine starts in 2023 and the 137th of his career–36 in graded stakes–outside of partnerships. His last winner at Saratoga, where he has not had many starters in recent years, was Mascha (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) July 31, 2019.

Schwartz found great success buying fillies racing in Europe and importing them to the U.S. He said he has returned to that formula and made some purchases this year. Gold Lightning came out of yearling auctions.

“I bought some in '21 and '22,” he said.

Schwartz noted, with a laugh, that about a dozen years ago he said in a magazine article that he was not going to go back into yearling market.”

“Somehow, I lost my mind and bought them again,” he said.

Gold Lightning, bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC., is out of Acting Class by Distorted Humor.

“I'm hoping this is a start of something big,” Schwartz said. “I went back to buying horses in Europe, I was so depressed this past month. I spent a boatload of money.”

After she broke in at the start, Franco set Gold Lightning up near the rear of the field of nine. Sitting fourth, 3 1/2 lengths back, at the top of the stretch, she darted through the field willingly to get to contention and then the lead.

“She seems like she's very straightforward,” Franco said. “She did everything the right way. I just was a passenger on her today.”

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-31, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.93, gd, 2 1/4 lengths.
GOLD LIGHTNING (f, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Acting Class, by Distorted Humor) was overlooked at the windows as a 14-1 first time starter here. The bay colt raced greenly into the first turn, but settled midpack up the backstretch. Heading into the lane, she began to uncork a strong turn of foot and passing Sassy Princess (Cairo Prince) she graduated by 2 1/4 lengths over the late running Positive Carry (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}). Acting Class was in-foal with the winner when she was sold to Bluewater for $180,000 at the '20 Keeneland November Sale. Gold Lightning is a half-sister to Classy Act (Into Mischief), MGSP, $328,443. Her dam foaled a colt May 14 by Medaglia d'Oro and she visited Keepmeinmind for next year. Sales History: $150,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Martin S. Schwartz; B-Cypress Creek Equine, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.

Race report by J. N. Campbell

#3 Gold Lightning kicks it into gear late to win on debut in the opener at Saratoga at odds of 14/1! @bradcoxracing trains the 2-year-old filly by Bolt d'Oro and Manny Franco was aboard.

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/qrBNyyaJmo

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 31, 2023

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Raise Cain had his first work since the Gotham when going four furlongs in :49.00 (1/3) at Keeneland Mar. 22.

“He's been training great and put on weight,” said Colebrook. “He'll breeze again [Thursday] at Keeneland. I think he really gets it now and now he's confident and feeling good. I think he's sitting on a big race wherever we go. It's exciting.”

Colebrook continued, “I don't think the Blue Grass will be a full field and it's one of those things where if we can run in our own backyard, it will take a strong reason for us to go to the Wood. But, it could still happen if something changes with defections and it's still on our radar. We're taking it day by day.”

Two horses who finished behind Raise Cain with troubled trips in the Gotham are expected to line up fo rthe Apr. 8 GII Wood Memorial.

Victoria's Ranch's Mr. Swagger (Maclean's Music), sixth over a muddy and sealed main track in the Gotham, is expected to return to Aqueduct for the Wood.

A maiden winner in his 6 1/2-furlong debut at Aqueduct Jan. 28, the Juan Avila trainee was making just his second career start in the one-mile Gotham. He worked six furlongs in 1:19.47 (1/2) over a muddy Parx surface Saturday.

“He's perfect,” Avila said. “He went easy and strong and finished up very nice. We are ready for the Wood Memorial and I think he's ready for a nice race.”

Mr. Swagger, who added blinkers when exiting post three in the Gotham, was bumped at the break and prompted the pace from fourth position at the half-mile call, but failed to fire after saving ground through the turn.

“In the Gotham, I said to Carlos [Olivero] that I want to see Mr. Swagger be in last place, but he was much closer,” Avila said. “Hopefully, this time he can stay back.”

Avila said Mr. Swagger will keep the blinkers on for the Wood Memorial.

Also expected in the Wood Memorial line-up is Cypress Creek Equine's Clear the Air (Ransom the Moon), who maintained rail-skimming position from seventh in the Gotham before going four wide in upper stretch and checking around the three-sixteenths pole. He continued to find more down the lane and finished 10 3/4 lengths in arrears of the victorious Raise Cain.

“It wasn't really what we drew up on paper going into it,” trainer Will Walden admitted. “I know when you get a bunch of horses running around in the slop, it almost never goes according to plan. Raise Cain got some momentum. He went inside and we went outside. The hole we were going for closed at the three sixteenths. When you get fully stopped on a big horse, it can be hard to re-rally. But he started picking off horses and started to get going. But by that time, it was too late in the game. If he doesn't get stopped, I think he ends up second or third.”

A maiden winner going six furlongs at Turfway in January, Clear the Air was a troubled fourth in a one-mile optional claimer at Turfway Feb. 11 before his Gotham effort. He worked four furlongs in :48.00 (3/77) at Turfway Saturday.

“He's a big, long stretchy horse and he's very efficient,” Walden said. “The way he breezes and gallops out, he looks like a two-turn horse. He also did run two turns at Turfway going a mile. That was again a horrible trip. He never got out of cover until well inside the sixteenth pole. But the two turns that day never seemed to be an issue. He looked loaded the whole time.”

Walden said he expects to see continued improvement in his charge.

“He won't officially be a 3-year-old until May 5,” Walden said. “I've felt all along that this horse has all the talent in the world. I believe he has graded-stakes type of potential. I don't know exactly when the lightbulb will fully go off. He's still big and green, but if things go right for him, he can put it together. It wouldn't shock me if he went up there and ran really big.”

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The Courier-Journal based much of its reporting on insurance documents it obtained regarding the death of the stallion that stood at WinStar Farm. Part-owners Cypress Creek Equine and Southern Equine Stables filed suit last month in Fayette Circuit Court in an effort to have the insurance company, The North America Specialty Insurance Company (NAS), pay off a claim they submitted after the horse died.

In March, it was reported that Cypress Creek Equine, LLC was suing the insurance company for an undisclosed sum that includes mortality coverage, compensatory damages, court costs and attorney fees.

NAS has alleged that three of the four substances given to Laoban had been administered after their expiration date and that one of them had expired nearly nine years ago. The insurance company has charged that the “acts, errors and omissions” of attending veterinarian Dr. Heather Wharton were a matter of failing to provide proper care for the horse and that she took risks not covered in the policy.

“WinStar has been in the Thoroughbred business for over 20 years,” WinStar CEO and President Elliott Walden said in a statement to the paper. “Laoban's passing was a traumatic experience and felt by everyone at the farm. As we stated at the time, insurance companies in general have a self-serving interest in denying claims and blaming others. We resolved by mutual agreement any concerns that were brought to us and closed the chapter of this tragic loss a long time ago.”

Citing the insurance documents, the Courier-Journal reported that Laoban mounted three mares on May 22, 2021, but “failed to finish his job” and failed again the following day when matched with two more mares. He was treated with the shot the next day and, according to the insurance company, died within minutes of being given the injection. The incident was on videotape.

Laoban was eight at the time of his death. He entered stud in New York at Sequel Stallions for a fee of $7,500, but was relocated to WinStar based largely on the performance of his first crop to the races in 2020. That group included Simply Ravishing, the winner of the 2020 GI Darley Alcibiades S. He also sired Grade II winner and multiple Grade l-placed Keepmeinmind.

Sequel Stallions' owner Becky Thomas, who retained partial ownership of Laoban after WinStar became its syndicate manager in October 2020, told the Courier-Journal that the stallion's death was a “very unfortunate accident.” She confirmed she had settled with WinStar.

Laoban's stud fee was increased to $25,000 upon the move to WinStar. He sired 219 registered foals. He was bred to 126 mares in 2021.

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The civil complaint was filed Mar. 22 in Kentucky's Fayette Circuit Court. Paulick Report first broke the story.

According to the court filing, Cypress Creek Equine, LLC, wants the defendants–North American Specialty Insurance Company, XL Specialty Insurance Company and Underwriters at Lloyd's, London and Lloyd's Kentucky, Inc.–to pay an undisclosed sum that includes mortality coverage, compensatory damages, court costs and attorney fees.

According to the lawsuit, “On May 24, 2021, the healthy stallion Laoban, partially owned by Cypress, died unexpectedly in Fayette County, Kentucky, after being given vitamin and mineral supplements.”I

Laoban, whose only win from nine starts came in the 2016 GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga, retired after that season with earnings of $526,250 and stood at Sequel Stallions in New York. As TDN's Sid Fernando recently reported, Laoban “initially stood for $7,500, but he was a hit with his first 2-year-olds–ending up second on the 2020 first-crop list behind Uncle Mo's Nyquist–and was moved to WinStar in Kentucky for the 2021 season at a $25,000 fee.”

The sire of 10 black-type winners, Laoban's first crop included Grade l winner Simply Ravishing and Grade II winner and multiple Grade l-placed Keepmeinmind.

Laoban is also the sire of Un Ojo, who upset the GII Rebel S. last month at 75-1 odds. That one-eyed gelding is currently listed as an “on the bubble” horse in the most recent TDN Top 12 rankings for the GI Kentucky Derby, but he is third on the official qualifying points list. Cypress Creek Equine owns Un Ojo.

“At the time of the death, Cypress was insured for the death by mortality insurance policies issued and/or adjusted by the Insurers,” the filing stated.

“In a letter dated August 4, 2021, the Insurers wrongfully denied Cypress mortality coverage and therefore an actual controversy exists pursuant to [Kentucky state law],” the filing stated.

“The denial was alternatively based on provision(s) in the policies which are ambiguous and/or must be construed to afford coverage to Cypress pursuant to its reasonable expectations of coverage,” the filing stated.

The defendants could not be reached for comment prior to deadline for this story. They have 21 days from the filing of the suit to respond in court.

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Arrogate's Secret Oath won the Glll Honeybee S. Saturday by 7 1/2 lengths for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, and she has the look of a special filly. She showed explosive acceleration when asked and covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.74, earning a 92 Beyer figure and 50 qualifying points for the Gl Kentucky Oaks. She's now a winner of four of six starts, the last three in a row, and it's possible she may take on colts next in the Gl Arkansas Derby to earn points for the Gl Kentucky Derby. Lukas has trained a slew of top-class fillies during his decorated career and hasn't been shy to take on colts with the best of them. He won the Arkansas Derby in 1984 with Althea, a filly, and he also trained Winning Colors, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1988 after beating colts in the Gl Santa Anita Derby.

Secret Oath won the Honeybee in the manner of the odds-on favorite she was, returning $2.60. In contrast, Laoban's Un Ojo, a one-eyed New York-bred gelding, was all out to win the Gll Rebel S. by a half-length at 75-1 from the Lukas-trained Ethereal Road (Quality Road), a 16-1 shot, triggering some massive payouts. Saddled by Ricky Courville, Un Ojo covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.69, a slower time than Secret Oath registered in the Honeybee, and he earned an 84 Beyer for his second win in six starts. Nevertheless, Un Ojo picked up 50 qualifying points for the Churchill Classic and earned $600,000 from the $1-million Rebel purse, while Lukas's runner-up took home a check of $200,000 and 25 qualifying points.

In contrast, Secret Oath earned $180,000 for winning the Honeybee and zilch Derby points, which is amusing because she'd likely have won the Rebel based on her Beyer and final time. And Lukas was probably aware beforehand that his filly was better than stablemate Ethereal Road at this point in time, which is another case to make for her testing colts in the Arkansas Derby.

Secret Oath

Secret Oath is one of two black-type winners for her sire, who was a late-developing colt at his best at 1 1/4 miles. Trained by Bob Baffert, Arrogate won seven of 11 starts, earned a North American record of $17.4 million, and is remembered for a remarkable four-race win streak that encompassed the Gl Travers S., Gl Breeders' Cup Classic, Gl Pegasus World Cup Invitational, and the G1 Dubai World Cup. Despite not winning his first stakes race until the Travers in late August of his sophomore season, he won an Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old colt.

Arrogate entered stud at his owner's Juddmonte in 2018 for a $75,000 fee–highest of all new recruits in North America, with Gun Runner next at $70,000–and was considered Unbridled's Song's last and best hope for getting a top-level stallion son. So far, Secret Oath aside, Arrogate hasn't met expectations, but it's early yet for the type of horse he was, and he'll have three crops to prove his worth, with the Lukas filly leading the way at the moment.

Another young Unbridled's Song son, Lane's End's Liam's Map has exceeded expectations and has quickly become a high-level stallion with four Grade l winners so far, and at this point it looks like he may end up as his sire's best son at stud. It's instructive here to compare his pedigree to those of both Arrogate and Secret Oath.

First, both Arrogate and Liam's Map are bred on a similar cross, as each is from a Forty Niner-line mare.

Second, Liam's Map and Secret Oath share some notable ancestors in their respective backgrounds. I wrote about Liam's Map's pedigree here last October–“Flying Unbridled's Song Flag”–but the short takeaway linking the two is this: both have a lot of Tartan's Aspidistra, the dam of champions Dr. Fager and Ta Wee, in their genetic makeup.

Note that Unbridled, the sire of Unbridled's Song, was 4×4 to Aspidistra–his fourth dam. Liam's Map's second dam Yada Yada was closely inbred 2×3 to Ta Wee, giving Liam's Map four repetitions of Aspidistra, his sixth dam, 6x6x5x6. The other cross to the Tartan foundation mare comes through Great Above, a son of Ta Wee.

Secret Oath, like Liam's Map, also gets Aspidistra twice through Unbridled. But she also gets another two doses through her broodmare sire Quiet American, who was 3×2 to Dr. Fager, and one through Great Above, just like Liam's Map. She is, therefore, 7x7x6x5x5 to Aspidistra, for a total of five crosses.

In fact, the imprimatur of John Nerud and Tartan is all over the pedigree of Secret Oath. Another great foundation mare for Nerud/Tartan was Cequillo, the third dam of Fappiano and his son Quiet American. Because Secret Oath is inbred 4×3 to Fappiano and is from a Quiet American mare, she has Cequillo 7x6x5.

Secret Oath is owned by Briland Farm and was bred by Briland in partnership with Robert Mitchell and Stacy Mitchell. Secret Oath's dam, the Quiet American mare Absinthe Minded, also bred by the same connections and raced by Briland with Lukas, was a multiple Grade l-placed stakes winner of $607,747, but there isn't much black type in the pedigree under the next few dams. The third and fourth dams, Rockford Peach, by Great Above; and Strawberry Skyline, by Hatchet Man, respectively, were bred in New York by Michael Mulholland.

Un Ojo

Un Ojo was bred in New York by Southern Equine Stables and is raced by Cypress Creek Equine. In partnership, Southern Equine raced Laoban, whose only win from nine starts came in the Gll Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga. The son of Uncle Mo retired to Sequel Stallions in New York with earnings of $526,250 and initially stood for $7,500, but he was a hit with his first 2-year-olds–ending up second on the 2020 first-crop list behind Uncle Mo's Nyquist–and was moved to WinStar in Kentucky for the 2021 season at a $25,000 fee.

Along with Nyquist and Outwork, Laoban was part of a trio of Uncle Mo freshmen to make an immediate impact in 2020. He's the sire of 10 black-type winners, with his first crop containing Grade l winner Simply Ravishing and Grade ll winner and multiple Grade l-placed Keepmeinmind, a surefire sign that Laoban was moving his mares way up.

Un Ojo is a well-bred gelding compared to some others by his sire, who covered mares for $5,000 in his last season in New York. Un Ojo's dam is the A.P. Indy mare Risk a Chance, a New York-bred stakes-placed winner for owner/breeders Chester and Mary Broman. Risk a Chance was out of the Broman-bred Seeking the Gold mare Seeking the Ante, a Grade ll winner of almost $400,000, who in turn was produced by multiple Grade l winner Antespend, an Elmendorf-bred daughter of Spend a Buck raced by the Bromans late in her career after Elmendorf's Jack Kent Cooke passed away. Antespend also produced the Bromans' homebred Gl Florida Derby winner Friends Lake.

The Bromans bred Risk a Chance's first three living foals (she was not pregnant in 2016 and aborted in 2017) without stakes success. Her first foal by Desert Party was unplaced, the second, by Freud, was a winner who earned almost $120,000 racing exclusively at Finger Lakes, and her third was a Quality Road colt, now four, who is unraced after bringing $550,000 as a yearling at Saratoga. They sold Risk a Chance in foal to Laoban for $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Fall Mixed sale in 2018, and Southern Equine was the lucky buyer.

That fortuitous purchase made Southern Equine the breeder of Un Ojo, who now has a ticket to the Kentucky Derby.

Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks.

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Un Ojo, who made his first start for trainer Dutrow in the Great White Way, has shown improvement across his four starts this year, breaking his maiden at second asking and finishing fourth in the Jean Lafitte at Delta Downs in Vinton, La., in his first try at the stakes level.

“When I went over him this morning, he seemed very good,” Dutrow said. “I was extremely happy that he continues to improve. You can see in each race that he keeps getting a little better. And he continued that pattern yesterday. He was ridden impeccably too.”

The son of Laoban, who is missing his left eye, was piloted from the outermost post 11 by jockey Trevor McCarthy and raced three-wide down the backstretch before being swung to the center of the racetrack between rivals in the turn and making a bid for the lead at the top of the stretch.

With urging from McCarthy, Un Ojo closed the gap between him and pacesetter Unique Unions but lost momentum when eventual winner Geno drifted out and brushed up against Un Ojo's eyeless left side and defeated the gelding by a half-length. With both an objection from McCarthy and a steward's inquiry resulting in no change to the order of finish, Dutrow said he was not upset with the ruling by the stewards.

“At 63 and having done nothing but horse racing my entire life, I've seen those calls yesterday go either way,” Dutrow said. “The stewards don't have an easy job; nothing is easy with horses. Should the horse have stayed up? Sure. If the horse had been taken down, would that have surprised me? No. But I'm not complaining. I don't have a problem with them keeping the horse up.”

Dutrow believes that Un Ojo's lack of vision might have contributed to his loss of momentum.

“I strongly think that if Un Ojo had both eyes, that little bump wouldn't have done anything to him,” said Dutrow. “As I was watching it, I really thought he was going by [Geno]. Then we saw the head-on and at the bump, his momentum stopped. And I do think it's because he has no left eye. When he's bumped, he doesn't know what is going on. So he was startled and if he had been able to see the horse coming in, I don't think it would have been a problem.”

Un Ojo is out of the multiple stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Risk a Chance, who herself is out of graded stakes-winning mare Seeking the Ante. Dutrow said he is confident that the dark bay's pedigree will allow him to stretch out going forward.

“I think the horse is crying to go a mile or a mile and an eighth,” said Dutrow. “I don't think there's a question about that being out of an A.P. Indy mare. I believe strongly that he can't wait for that. We've got no plans for him to be a six- or seven-furlong horse. I did learn that he's a decent enough horse to overcome a distance he does not prefer.”

Dutrow said he does not have a specific race circled on the calendar yet for Un Ojo.

“We aren't going to make the Jerome [on January 1] and I haven't really looked into it yet or talked to the client,” said Dutrow. “We would have to consider something at a mile and an eighth in February next.”

The post Dutrow Considering Stretching Un Ojo Out After Great White Way Effort appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Yuugiril was out fastest in the 1 1/16-mile stakes, taking a two-length lead early, with Cancel This and Sandstone sitting second and third. Sandstone moved up on the backstretch, pulling within a head of Yuugiri as they came out of the far turn.

In the stretch, Yuugiri repelled Sandstone's challenged, increasing her lead as Sandstone was unable to continue pressing the leader. To her outside, Dream Lith and jockey Ramon Vazquez were driving, closing ground between the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro and the leader. In the race's final jumps, Dream Lith passed Yuugiri to win by a length, with Sandstone holding on for third.

The final time for the G2 Golden Rod was 1:44.72. Find this race's chart here.

Dream Lith paid $20.20, $8.40, and $3.60. Yuugiri paid $7.20 and $3.60. Sandstone paid $2.40.

Bred in Kentucky by Southern Equine Stables LLC, Dream Lith is out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Elle Sueno. She is owned by Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith and trained by Robertino Diodoro. Consigned by Bluewater Sales, the filly was a $590,000 RNA at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale. With her victory in the Golden Rod, Dream Lith earns 10 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Oaks, with Yuugiri earning four points, Sandstone two points, and fourth-place Famed earning one point. The G2 stakes is the 2-year-old filly's second win in fourth starts, for career earnings of $313,455.

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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.

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Trainer Robertino Diodoro nominated Keepmeinmind to the Oklahoma Derby for owners Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm. Leading trainer in the country, Steve Asmussen, has nominated four 3-year-olds to the 1 1/8th-mile race. Among Asmussen's four is Super Stock, winner of the $1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby. Dallas Stewart also nominated four. Stewart made a name for himself with second-place finisher Golden Soul in the Kentucky Derby to Orb. He had already built a reputation coming up under National Racing Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. Lukas put him in charge of such legendary horses as Lady's Secret, Thunder Gulch, Tabasco Cat, Serena's Song, and Timber Country.

Asmussen is currently No. 1 in the country for earnings with his horses pocketing $22,314,211 so far this year. Brad Cox, who is the second-leading trainer on that list with $21,377,903 in earnings, nominated two horses to the Oklahoma Derby.

Here's a closer look at some of the top nominations for the Derby, one of two Remington Park cornerstone races during the thoroughbred meeting (bred in Kentucky unless otherwise noted):

Keepmeinmind, a son of Laoban, out of the Victory Gallop mare Inclination, oddly enough is still eligible for non-winners of two career race allowance events despite nearly beating arguably the top 3-year-old in the country, Essential Quality in the Jim Dandy. Essential Quality has won eight of nine races lifetime, losing only once, as the 5-2 favorite in the Kentucky Derby in May. Keepmeinmind came back after the Jim Dandy and ran a respectable fourth in the top 3-year-old summer race, the Grade 1 Travers Stakes, a $1.25 million race at Saratoga in upstate New York. This colt broke his maiden in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., as a 2-year-old. Record – 11 starts, one win, three seconds, and two thirds for $739,987 in his bankroll.

Super Stock, winner of Arkansas Derby and Ellis Park Derby this year, is a son of Dialed In, out of the Closing Argument mare Super Girlie, is the top prospect from Asmussen for owners Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen. He won at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., in its top race on April 10 and then went off form before getting back to the winner's circle in the Ellis Park Derby at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., on Aug. 15. Record – 12 starts, three wins, two seconds, and two thirds for $957,677.

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 Cox for Juddmonte Farms. He 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. Record – nine starts, five wins, one second, and one third for $582,024 in earnings.

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 in New Cumberland, W.Va., and the $300,000 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, Ind. Record – six starts, four wins, one second, and no thirds for $670,150 in earnings.

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. He has a win in the $200,000 Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., in April and then ran second in the $500,000 Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio in June. Record – nine starts, three wins, and one second for $412,739 in earnings.

Will's Secret, a Stewart filly that has earned some big bucks in 2021. This daughter of Will Take Charge, out of the Giant's Causeway mare Girls Secret, began the year by winning the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn for owner Willis Horton Racing. She followed that with a victory in the $300,000 Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes, also at Oaklawn. She also has run in the biggest race of the year for 3-year-old fillies in the $1.25 million Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. She finished third behind the top 3-year-old filly in the country, Malathaat. It was the second third-place finish for her behind that monster, also losing in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes. Record – 10 starts, three wins, and four thirds for $536,300 in earnings.

The Oklahoma Derby headlines a big stakes afternoon on the only Sunday scheduled during the Remington Park season. Also on the agenda:

$200,000 Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks
$150,000 David M. Vance Stakes
$100,000 Remington Green Stakes
$75,000 Ricks Memorial Stakes
$75,000 Kip Deville Stakes
$50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes
$50,000 E. L. Gaylord Memorial Stakes

Racing continues Wednesday-Saturday, Sept. 15-18, with the first race nightly at 7:07pm Central.

The post Keepmeinmind Heads List Of Nominees For Oklahoma Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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