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Mo Mosa Wins Steve Sexton Mile For First Graded Stakes Triumph

Coming off a stakes win on the bullring at Fonner Park, Perry and Denise Martin's homebred Uncle Mo colt Mo Mosa found a muddy track to his liking at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, on Monday night, coming from just off the pace to win the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths.

Ridden by Ramon Vazquez for trainer Michael Maker, Mo Mosa was clocked in 1:37.15 for the mile and paid $48.60 as the second longest shot in the field of seven older runners.

Multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter C Z Rocket, sent to Lone Star by trainer Peter Miller, finished second as the 8-5 favorite, with Silver Prospector finishing third and Hunka Burning Love, who set the pace for the first six furlongs, fourth. Sheriff Brown, Warrior's Charge (the 9-5 second choice compromised by a very slow start) and Harvey Wallbanger completed the order of finish. By My Standards was scratched.

David Cabrera, the rider of Hunka Burning Love, claimed foul against C Z Rocket alleging stretch interference, but stewards allowed the original order of finish to stand.

Hunka Burning Love raced off to the early lead, opening up two lengths after a quarter mile clocked in :24.70. C Z Rocket applied pressure to his outside through a half-mile in :47.83, and that pair was joined further to the outside by Mo Mosa around the far turn, the six furlongs timed in 1:11.55.

Under strong urging from Vazquez, Mo Mosa poked his head in front with a furlong remaining (the seven-furlong fraction was 1:23.95), then widened the advantage down the stretch.

The win was the fourth in 16 career starts for Mo Mosa, who was produced from the Eskendereya mare Roughing. Second in the G3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park last year, the colt's only previous stakes win came in the Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes on April 24.

The race, formerly the Texas Mile, was renamed in 2017 to honor the memory of the late Steve Sexton, the respected racing executive who was part of the management team when Lone Star Park opened in 1997.

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Fonner Files: Fonner Park Rides The Wave Of Success As Meet Closes

Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak shares slices of life from the Grand Island, Neb., racetrack throughout the 2021 meet in the Fonner Files.

Riding the wave of an unprecedented 2020 extended season of Thoroughbred horse racing, Fonner Park concluded the 2021 season with over $4.65 million in on-track mutuel handle.

Comparing numbers to 2019, rather than the 2020 season (when Fonner Park was closed to the public after the first four weeks due to the pandemic), Fonner was up 19 percent in parimutuel handle of Fonner Park guests betting on Fonner Park races.

The handle for out-of-state wagers on Fonner Park in 2021 was roughly $15.5 million, an increase of 447 percent compared to $2.8 million in 2019. The overall national horse racing industry handle was up approximately 12 percent for March and April, but Fonner Park was up 19 percent on-track.

“This year I spent extra on marketing to the horseplayers across the nation who got exposed to Fonner Park last year during the pandemic. I wanted to remind them that we were back and still a good bet,” said Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak. “In 2021 average field size bumped to 7.9 from 7.3 in 2020 and large fields are always a draw to the bettor regardless of quality.”

Sleepy Eyes Todd went on to win three stakes races after his 2020 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes win. Remarkably, he returned to defend his title off three multi-million-dollar, G1 races in three previous months. As a 2-5 favorite, he was beaten by 9-2 second-choice Mo Mosa, ridden by Armando Martinez and trained by Michael Maker.

Mo Mosa was named 2021 Horse of the Meet and First Alternate was the unanimous choice for champion older filly or mare after winning three stakes races in as many starts for trainer Stetson Mitchell.

“She's a blessing to me and my family and the special kind of horse horsemen pray for,” said Mitchell said.

By winning the final race of the year, Jake Olesiak won his sixth title as champion jockey, with a total of 46 wins, one more win than Armando Martinez.

David C. Anderson won his 15th champion trainer award at Fonner Park, with 36 wins from 169 starts. D and L Farms (Darcy and Lee Burghardt) won 15 races from 39 starts and earned leading owner honors.

The 2021 Feat of the Meet award was voted as Fonner Park's presence on the national stage with 2021 export handle five-times greater than 2019.

“I am convinced that the success and future of Fonner Park is directly attributed to our passionate community of staff, horsemen and race fans. Without our strong community support we could not survive,” Kotulak remarked.

Fonner Park

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Patience Pays Off As Shared Sense Victorious In Oklahoma Derby

Into August, Godolphin's Racing operation and trainer Brad Cox had considered running Shared Sense in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. When they opted out, the G3 Oklahoma Derby was chosen as the next stop for him and on Sunday, he came through for those connections at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Godolphin's top option for the Kentucky Derby for most of the year was a horse named Maxfield. When he left the Derby trail with an injury, Shared Sense became a possibility for the run for the roses the first Saturday of this month. He was a late bloomer, however, winning his first stakes race on July 8 when he took down the G3, $300,000 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand. While he earned 20 points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby field, he would have had to be supplemented for $45,000 if they wanted to take on Tiz the Law and Authentic. The connections opted to keep him on a different route and that's when he came to Remington Park.

“We just didn't feel like he had the turn of foot coming out of the gate that you need to be in position to run against horses like those in the Kentucky Derby,” said Blake Cox, who represented his dad, Brad Cox, at Remington Park. “We always thought he was a nice horse, but he still needed to learn some things.”

A perfect example of Shared Sense's lack of a turn of foot came after he won the Indiana Derby and was entered back in the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9. If a horse doesn't have the temerity to get position out of the gate as Cox mentioned, it can be an even tougher task to beat this class of horse from the outside 12-post position. That's what he drew for the Ellis Park Derby and he left the starting gate dead last. He was behind the field down the backstretch of that race and did close, but could do no better than fifth.

That's when Blake Cox said his father, Brad, talked to Godolphin representatives and they opted out of Kentucky for Oklahoma to give him more experience.

Brad Cox, the second-leading trainer in the country behind Remington Park leading trainer Steve Asmussen, has stable earnings of more than $11 million this year. Cox became the first trainer to win the Oklahoma Derby in back-to-back years, having also scored in the 2019 edition with Owendale.

Shared Sense, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Street Sense out of the Bernardini mare Collective, was made the betting favorite at 9-5 odds, and pulled away deep in the stretch for a two-length victory over Mo Mosa (5-1) in second. Lightly raced Liam, making his first start against winners, and first stakes try, ran third at 26-1, another 2 1/2 lengths back.

A pair of horses with plenty of action on the tote board that didn't live up to the backing were Oklahoma-bred Rowdy Yates (5-1) in sixth and Dean Martini (4-1) in seventh. Rowdy Yates was trying to become only the third Oklahoma-bred to win this race but didn't have any rally into the stretch. Dean Martini pressed the pace into the stretch but backed up over the final furlong.

Jockey Richard Eramia took comfortable rein on Shared Sense down the backstretch of the 1 1/8-mile race on the main track, sitting fifth.

“I had a little hold on him and he was relaxed behind horses,” said Eramia. “I knew I had a lot of horse left and the best horse in the race.”

Eramia and Shared Sense put a head in front at the top of the lane before drawing off from their competition.

Shared Sense hit the finish line in 1:49.88 over the fast surface. The final time was well off the stakes and track record, set in 1998 by Classic Cat in 1:48. Shared Sense chased fractions set by Liam of :24.11 for the first quarter-mile, :48.96 for the half-mile, 1:13.75 for three-quarters of mile, and 1:38.14 for the mile.

Shared Sense earned $120,000 for the win, his fourth from 10 starts to go along with two seconds while boosting his overall bankroll to $447,745 lifetime. He was bred in Kentucky by the owner. Shared Sense was not the top money earner in this nine-horse field, going in, but he was coming out, proving he is learning his craft.

The complete order of finish in the Oklahoma Derby was Shared Sense, Mo Mosa, Liam, Avant Garde, Salow, Rowdy Yates, Dean Martini, Code Runner and Creative Plan.

Remington Park racing continues into a new month with a Thursday-Saturday schedule on Oct 1-3. The first race nightly is at 7:07pm-Central.

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Kentucky Derby Contenders Major Fed, Necker Island Among Nominees To Oklahoma Derby

Trainer Michael Maker has given a nod to Remington Park for Mo Mosa to run in the Grade 3, $200,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday, Sept. 27.

He joins likely possibilities that include a couple of Kentucky Derby competitors – Major Fed and Necker Island – for this field looking for an Oklahoma Derby crown. A couple of other Kentucky Derby horses were nominated – Mr. Big News (third in Kentucky Derby) and NY Traffic (eighth in Kentucky Derby) – but it appears those two are working toward the Preakness, the final leg of this year's Triple Crown.

Dean Martini is expected to fly into Oklahoma City on Sunday, Sept. 20, to prepare for his run at the Oklahoma Derby. He, Shared Sense and Rowdy Yates are three horses that show an official workout since the Kentucky Derby and likely for the derby. The Oklahoma-bred Rowdy Yates has been stabled at Remington Park since late August.

Dean Martini, winner of the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on June 27, breezed a half mile at Churchill Downs on Thursday, Sept. 17 and covered the distance in :48.4 seconds, the eighth fastest of 37 that day. Shared Sense, the winner of the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand on July 8, went five furlongs at Churchill Downs on Sept. 13, breezing in 1:00.4, the sixth fastest of 32 that worked the distance.

Rowdy Yates, with Oklahoma ties (L and N Racing, owners from Tulsa, Okla.) and the winner of the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile and $75,000 Don McNeill Stakes at Remington Park last year, got the bullet work at Remington on Sept. 13, going five furlongs in 1:01, the fastest of 12 that morning.

Here's a look at those most possible for the Oklahoma Derby of the 22 nominees:

Major Fed

Owned by Lloyd Madson Farms IV, trained by Gregory Foley. Went off 43-1 in the Kentucky Derby and had a troubled trip. He ran second to Shared Sense in the Indiana Derby, a strong closing fourth to Wells Bayou in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 21 at Fair Grounds and second in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds. Was ridden by James Graham in the Kentucky Derby. Graham rode Lone Sailor to an Oklahoma Derby win in 2018.

Necker Island

Owned by Raymond Daniels, Wayne Scherr and Will Harbut Racing, trained by Chris Hartman. Went off 49-1 in the Kentucky Derby and finished ninth after an eight-wide trip down the lane. Prior to the Kentucky Derby, he had finished third in the Indiana Derby to Shared Sense and third in the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby to Art Collector, who figured to be one of the favorites in the Kentucky Derby, but was scratched.

Shared Sense

Owned by Godolphin Racing, and trained by Brad Cox. This colt by Street Sense, out of the Bernardini mare Collective, won the Indiana Derby and has been first or second in five-of-nine starts lifetime. Has not been out since running fifth to Art Collector in the Ellis Park Derby.

Dean Martini

Owned by Raise the BAR Racing and David Bernsen, who also owns a computer wagering business in Point Loma, California. Trained by Tom Amoss. This 3-year-old gelding by Cairo Prince, out of the Friends Lake mare Soundwave, won the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on June 27 with jockey James Graham aboard. He followed that with a sixth place run in the Ellis Park Derby.

Avant Garde

Owned by Gelfenstein Farm of Ocala, Fla., trained by Jesus Lander. This gelded son of Tonalist, out of the Afleet Alex mare Dancing Afleet, is riding a four-race win streak at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., but all four victories have come in lesser company than he would face in a stakes race.

Mo Mosa

Owned by Perry and Denise Martin, trained by Michael Maker. This colt by Uncle Mo, out of the Eskendereya mare Roughing, competed in both the Grade 2, $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby and the Grade 1, $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark. He did not fare well in those two huge races, but would get into this race off a win by 4-1/4 lengths in first-level allowance-company Aug. 22 at Ellis Park in his last start.

Rowdy Yates

Owned by L and N of Tulsa, trained by Steve Asmussen, this colt by Morning Line, out of the Yes It's True mare Spring Station, has won 5-of-11 starts lifetime, four of those in stakes races. Other than his Oklahoma stakes wins, he also took home the $100,000 Ellis Park Juvenile in 2019 and the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park in January.

Remington Park features a five-date racing week, culminating with the Oklahoma Derby Day, Wednesday-Sunday, Sept. 23-27. The first race Wednesday through Saturday is at 7:07pm. The special Oklahoma Derby Day on Sunday, Sept. 27 begins at 3pm. All times are Central.

Tracked by more than 164,000 fans on Facebook and 10,500 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $248 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park is open daily for casino gaming and simulcast horse racing. The 2020 Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 20. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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