Keepmeinmind | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Spirit’-less PA Derby Weekend’s Main Event

The decision to withdraw GI Kentucky Derby first-past-the-post Medina Spirit (Protonico) from Saturday's $1-million GI Pennsylvania Derby is certainly a disappointing development, but eight of the nine remaining entrants already have at least one stakes win to their credit, six of those at the graded-stakes level, with a couple of new shooters that have earned their chance to contest a race of this magnitude.

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) is a deserving favorite based on his body of work, one that could look dramatically more sparkling with a few different bounces of the ball. The wire-to-wire winner of the GII Louisiana Derby in March, the half-brother to champion Mitole (Eskendereya) made a run from slightly off the pace and may have hung late when third across the line in the Derby, beaten a length for all of it. Ridden for speed in the GI Belmont S., Hot Rod Charlie cut out an otherwise suicidal early pace and held well deep into the final eighth of a mile, only to be outfinished by Essential Quality (Tapit). His heart was on full display yet again in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 17, but he drifted in with a furlong to race, causing Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) to stumble, and was placed last. Connections passed on the GI TVG.com Pacific Classic at home and a trip back this way for the GI Runhappy Travers S. in favor of this spot, won by the Doug O'Neill (Leandro Mora)-trained Handsome Mike (Scat Daddy) in 2012.

“Selfishly, I want it for the whole team, but also for him as an individual,” said O'Neill. “It would be a pretty awesome result for Charlie to get a Grade I win, that's for sure.”

Midnight Bourbon will jump as the second favorite and is likely to be bet well down from his morning line. Able to control a moderate pace in wiring the GIII Lecomte S. over the winter, the strapping bay was runner-up in the Louisiana Derby and ran with credit to be sixth in the Derby after being farther back than connections had hoped. Second to Rombauer (Twirling Candy) in the GI Preakness S. after racing more prominently, he showed tremendous athleticism to pop right up from the incident at Monmouth and gave Essential Quality all he could handle in the Travers last time, going down to a neck defeat while earning a career-best 107 Beyer.

“Hopefully, Saturday is his turn,” said David Fiske, racing manager to Winchell Thoroughbreds. “It's been a peculiar year. Most years, the field for the Kentucky Derby evaporates the day after the Derby. This year we've had Essential Quality, Midnight Bourbon, Hot Rod Charlie, Medina Spirit–even though he scratched–he's still going. There are a lot of them out there and they're all quality colts.”

Fulsome (Into Mischief) pinch-hits here for Derby second and 'TDN Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and capped a three-race winning streak with a convincing victory in the GIII Matt Winn S. at Churchill May 29. A money-burning third to the progressive Mr. Wireless (Dialed In) in the GIII Indiana Derby July 7, he bounced back in this track's GIII Smarty Jones S. Aug. 24, but will have to run significantly faster to factor here.

Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) bested next-out 'Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun), future MGSW Greatest Honour (Tapit), GSW Bourbonic (Bernardini) and GISP Miles D (Curlin) to graduate at Belmont Oct. 11 and went missing for 10 months before returning to take a first-level Saratoga allowance by 5 1/4 lengths Aug. 14, for which he earned a 101 Beyer. Trainer Bill Mott is a two-time winner of the race, including To Honor and Serve (Bernardini) a decade ago.

Americanrevolution (Constitution) won the state-bred restricted New York Derby at Finger Lakes by 7 1/4 lengths July 19 and added a five-length success in the Aug. 27 Albany S. for Todd Pletcher, whose lone win in this race came courtesy of Harlan's Holiday in 2002.

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O’Neill Confirms Team Merchants For Oklahoma Derby At Remington Park

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.

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Keepmeinmind Heads List Of Nominees For Oklahoma Derby

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 $400,000 Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby, scheduled for Sept. 26 at Remington Park.

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.

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.

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Keepmeinmind Gets 99 Beyer Speed Figure For Fourth In Travers, Dream Lith, Lone Rock Breeze

Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm's Keepmeinmind posted a career-best 99 Beyer in finishing fourth in Saturday's Grade 1 Runhappy Travers at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Robertino Diodoro and piloted by Joel Rosario, the Laoban bay was off a step slow from post 3 and raced behind horses as Midnight Bourbon set a moderate pace before being overtaken by Essential Quality, who prevailed by a neck.

“Nothing really went our way from the break. It was a very slow pace and we got trapped and never really got a clear run until it was way too late,” Diodoro said. “He ate dirt for a long ways and when things did open up at the top of the lane, you couldn't expect him to sprint home against those two horses after they went ;24, ;49 and 1:14. There was no pace to run at, at all.

“I think that's why Essential Quality had such a tough time getting by Midnight Bourbon down the lane; he walked everyone to sleep,” Diodoro added. “I thought we had him ready to go, but you need racing luck. He cooled out good last night. We'll let the horse tell us how he is and come up with a plan.”

Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith's maiden-winner Dream Lith worked a half-mile in :48.25 in company with 2-year-old gelding Paynt Your Wagon, who Diodoro claimed for $40,000 out of an off-the-board effort in his August 15 debut at the Spa.

“They were rolling right along,” Diodoro said. “We gave her something to run at and made sure she was in front at the wire. I thought she worked really well. She galloped out strong.”

Dream Lith, by Medaglia d'Oro, is pointed to the $300,000 Grade 1 Spinaway on September 5 at the Spa.

Flying P Stable's Lone Rock breezed a half-mile in :50.85 Saturday on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

The 6-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding has won seven of his last eight starts, including wins in the Grade 2 Brooklyn presented by Northwell Health in June at Belmont and the Birdstone last out on August 5 at the Spa.

Lone Rock is pointed to the 1 5/8-mile $300,000 Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational on September 18 at Belmont.

“Lone Rock is doing great. He'll ship down to Belmont next week and be ready for the 18th. He breezed great,” Diodoro said.

Diodoro boasts a record of 30-5-6-6 at the Spa summer meet heading into Sunday's card and will look to close strong with a number of stakes runners, including Dreamer's Disease who is entered in today's Better Talk Now.

“We'd like to pick off another win or two for sure, but it has been a good meet,” Diodoro said.

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