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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Shared Sense Seeks Second Derby

GIII Indiana Derby victor Shared Sense (Street Sense) looks to add to his Derby collection in Sunday’s GIII Oklahoma Derby. Second behind subsequent GII Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Art Collector (Bernardini) in a June 13 optional claimer, the bay won the Indiana Derby by three lengths July 8 and was fifth to Art Collector in the Ellis Park Derby Aug. 9.

Rowdy Yates (Morning Line) kicked off this term with a win in the Riley Allison Derby Jan. 26 and was fourth in the Saudi Derby Cup S. Feb. 29. Filling the same spot behind the re-opposing Dean Martini (Cairo Prince) in the GIII Ohio Derby June 27, the dark bay completed the superfecta in the Ellis Park Derby. Dean Martini was sixth in that event.

Avant Garde (Tonalist) takes a big step up in class in this test. Breaking his maiden while in for $25,000 at Gulfstream in July, the gelding won another $25,000 claiming event July 23 in Hallandale and scored at the $50,000 level Aug. 13. He captured a starter allowance by 4 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream last time Sept. 5.

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Shared Sense Tabbed As 5-2 Morning Line Favorite In Sunday’s Oklahoma Derby

A competitive field of nine horses were drawn Wednesday morning for Sunday's Grade 3, $200,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park, with Indiana Derby winner Shared Sense being made the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

The 32nd Oklahoma Derby is set for the 10th race of 11 on Sunday. The stakes-laded program of action begins at 3pm with the Oklahoma Derby set for 7:12pm. All times are Central.

The three horses with top earnings in the field are close in talent and in odds with Dean Martini at 7-2. He comes in as the winner of the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby and the top money earner in the field of nine horses at $393,202. Rowdy Yates, trying to become only the third Oklahoma-bred to win the Oklahoma Derby (Clever Trevor in 1989 and Shotgun Kowboy in 2015), is second in earnings with $346,556, and listed as the third-choice in the morning line at 4-1 odds. He will carry the colors of L and N Racing of Tulsa, Okla., and will be the hometown favorite, having won two stakes races over the Remington Park track as a 2-year-old last year. The favorite, Shared Sense, is third in earnings at $327,745.

Here's a closer look at your 2020 Oklahoma Derby field:

1 – Salow, 15-1

Owner: Tony Caver and D.K. Strickland of Cordova, Tenn.

Trainer: Terry Brennan

Jockey: Iram Diego

Undefeated Kentucky-bred colt by Distorted Humor, out of the Five Star Day mare Eve Giselle, is very lightly raced. He is two-for-two lifetime and both victories came over the turf. He won a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park in July at the Hallandale, Fla., track. He then followed that up with a win greensward at the first-level allowance level as the 2-1 favorite at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas on Aug. 2. He won his maiden race by 2-3/4 lengths and then scored by one length in allowance-company. He hasn't raced since Aug. 2, but has a bullet work at a half mile at Double M Training track in Arkansas, just outside of Hot Springs. He covered a half mile in :49.80 seconds breezing on Sept. 7. This will be the colt's first try in a stakes race. Earnings of $48,600.

2 – Creative Plan, 8-1

Owner: M and M Racing of Colleyville, Texas

Trainer: Karl Broberg

Jockey: Orlando Mojica

Another entrant with more experience on the turf than the dirt, but has shown a willingness to win. The gelded Kentucky-bred son of Creative Cause, out of the Divine Park mare Let's Park, has won four-of-seven in his career, two wins on the grass and two on the dirt or off-track. Five of his seven starts have come on turf courses. Both times he has started on the main track, he was a winner, however. His first win came on the turf course at Fair Grounds in New Orleans in a maiden claiming $30,000 race and he came home 3-1/4 lengths in front. His other three wins have come in allowance or allowance-optional claiming conditions at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, and Canterbury Park in Minnesota. His main track wins have both come at the one-mile distance. In his only stakes try, he ran third in the $100,000 Mystic Derby at Canterbury on July 15, beaten only one length. Trainer Karl Broberg has been the winningest conditioner in the country for six years. Earnings of $74,265.

3 – Rowdy Yates, 4-1

Owner: L and N Racing of Tulsa, Okla.

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Stewart Elliott

Trained by Steve Asmussen, the leading trainer in the country by money earned this year and 15-time leading trainer and all-time winningest trainer at Remington Park. Asmussen is a Hall of Famer nationally and in Oklahoma. He is a two-time winner of the Eclipse Award for top trainer in the country. 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. He is a two-time stakes winner over this track surface, taking the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile on Oct. 18, 2019, at six furlongs and the $75,000 Don McNeill Stakes on Nov. 15, 2019. Both of his local stakes triumphs were against fellow Oklahoma-breds. Other than his Oklahoma stakes wins, he also took home the $100,000 Ellis Park Juvenile on Aug. 19, 2019 and the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park on Jan. 26 this year. Owners L and N Racing have sent out Lookin at Lee, who ran second in the Kentucky Derby, and Echo Town, a top sprinter/miler in the country this year.

4 – Liam, 15-1

Owner: Red Lane Thoroughbreds and JSM Equine of Lexington, Ky.

Trainer: Danny Pish

Jockey: Lane Luzzi

Another lightly raced Kentucky-bred colt, showing only three starts lifetime, but winning his only try around two turns last time out. This colt by Liam's Map, out of the Street Sense mare S S Pinafore, broke his maiden at 1 mile-70 yards by a full length in near wire-to-wire fashion. He began his career as a 2-year-old at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, sprinting six furlongs and finishing sixth, beaten five lengths. He improved in his second start, running second on Aug. 29 at Remington Park, his debut as a 3-year-old with maidens. Trainer Danny Pish stretched him out to a route race and he was the winner at 4-5 odds. Liam tries a stakes race for the first time. Earnings of $22,996.

5 – Shared Sense, 5-2

Owner: Godolphin Racing of Lexington, Ky.

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Richard Eramia

This Kentucky-bred colt by Street Sense, out of the Bernardini mare Collective, won the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand on July 8 as the 5-2 favorite. He 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 on Aug. 9, but has worked forwardly at Churchill Downs at Louisville, Ky., since. Trainer Brad Cox is currently second in the country in money earned with his horses pocketing more than $11 million, second only to Asmussen's $14 million-plus.

6 – Code Runner, 10-1

Owner: Calumet Farm in Lexington, Ky.

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Lindey Wade

This Kentucky-bred colt by Honor Code, out of the Rock Hard Ten mare Nereid, was nominated to the Kentucky Derby, but never made it to the gate for the “run for the roses.” He did, however, compete in two graded stakes races this year, trying his wares in both the Grade 1, $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., and the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby. Code Runner was soundly defeated by two in this field while in Ohio, both Dean Martini and Rowdy Yates, but you can never discount horses out of Asmussen's barn. His best finish in stakes-company was a fifth-place finish in the $100,000 Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town in West Virginia on Aug. 28. Earnings of $89,887.

7 – Avant Garde, 6-1

Owner: Gelfenstein Farm of Ocala, Fla.

Trainer: Jesus Lander

Jockey: Luis Quinonez

This gelded Kentucky-bred 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 will face in a stakes race. Winning this race and the $120,000 portion of the purse would make possibly make him the “claim of the year.” Gelfenstein Farm claimed him for $10,000 out of a maiden race in Florida on Jun 10. Since the claim, trainer Jesus Lander has led him to the winner's circle in four races in a row, three of them around two turns. He has yet to race against stakes horses, but there's something to be said for a horse that likes to win and win easily. His four victories have come by a combined 17 lengths. His shortest victory margin has been 3-1/4 lengths. Earnings of $70,900.

8 – Mo Mosa, 8-1

Owner: Perry and Denise Martin

Trainer: Michael Maker

Jockey: Ramon Vazquez

This Kentucky-bred 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 gets 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. He was a Kentucky Derby nominee but was moved off the Derby trail after poor performances in those graded stakes. Broke his maiden by 5-3/4 lengths at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky at the one-mile distance and won comfortably last time out at one mile by 4-1/4 lengths on Aug. 22 at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. Earnings of $78,020.

9 – Dean Martini, 7-2

Owner: Raise the BAR Racing and David Bernsen

Trainer: Thomas Amoss

Jockey: David Cabrera

This Kentucky-bred colt has two wins lifetime and nine in-the-money runs from 11 starts. Owned by Raise the BAR Racing and David Bernsen, who also owns a computer wagering business in Point Loma, California. 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, beating Storm the Court (ran third), who was last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner. He followed that with a sixth-place run in the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby.

Remington Park racing continues this week with a special Wednesday-Sunday night schedule. Wednesday through Saturday first post is 7:07pm with nine races each night. On Sunday, Oklahoma Derby Day, there will be 11 races starting at 3pm.

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Several Kentucky Derby Runners Nominated To Oklahoma Derby

A couple of horses that competed in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby are strong possibilities for the Grade 3, $200,000 Oklahoma Derby that will be run on Sunday, Sept. 27, at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Stakes coordinator Don Thompson said Major Fed and Necker Island are two of the contenders from the Kentucky Derby that are possible to be in the gate for the 32nd running of the Oklahoma Derby. Two other Kentucky Derby competitors were nominated for the race as well – NY Traffic and Mr. Big News, who ran third to Authentic and Tiz the Law.

“NY Traffic is either going to the Preakness or coming here,” said Thompson.

A news story broke this week that NY Traffic threw a horseshoe during the Kentucky Derby and could improve off that finish of eighth. He went off at 12-1 odds in the Kentucky Derby.

Among other horses that Thompson said were possibilities for the Oklahoma Derby were Avant Garde, Dean Martini and Shared Sense.

Here's a look at those most possible for the Oklahoma Derby, contested at 1 1/8 miles, the headline event on a stakes-laden program on the final Sunday afternoon of this month:

Major Fed
Owned by Lloyd Madison Farms IV, trained by Gregory Foley… Went off 43-1 in the Kentucky Derby and had a troubled trip. During the race, he was jostled and then stuck in traffic most the way in the 15-horse field. Prior to the “run for the roses,” this 3-year-old colt by Ghostzapper, out of the Smart Strike mare, Bobby's Babe, was a maiden winner, but had been extremely competitive in several graded stakes races. He ran second to Shared Sense in the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby on July 8, a strong closing fourth to Wells Bayou in the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 21 at Fair Grounds (NY Traffic ran second in that race), and second in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds to Modernist. James Graham had the mount in the Kentucky Derby. He 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 at 49-1 in the Kentucky Derby and finished ninth after an eight-wide trip down the lane. Jockey Miguel Mena rode the 3-year-old colt in Louisville, Ky. Prior to the Kentucky Derby, he had finished third in the Grade 3, $300,000 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. This son of Hard Spun, out of the Mr. Greeley mare Jenny's Rocket, garnered a lot of the spotlight in Kentucky with his African American owners, Daniels and Greg Harbut, who got their message to the public about the importance of equality in America, and in the sport of horse racing.

Shared Sense
Owned by Godolphin Racing  and trained by Brad Cox, this colt by Street Sense, out of the Bernardini mare, Collective, won the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby and has been first or second in five-of-nine starts lifetime. He has not been out since running fifth to Art Collector in the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby. Florent Geroux has been his regular rider. When Godolphin took this horse off the Kentucky Derby trail, Brad Cox said he would train the horse up to a fall campaign with the Oklahoma Derby as a consideration, according to the Paulick Report.

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. He has been winning easily, but all four victories have come in lesser company than he would face in a stakes race. Jockey Luis Reyes has been his rider in all four wins.

Dean Martini
Owned by Raise the BAR Racing and David Bernsen, who also owns a computer wagering business in Point Loma, Calif. 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.

Horses nominated to the Oklahoma Derby who already reside and train at Remington Park include: Liam, a maiden who was second, beaten two lengths, in a maiden special event here Aug. 29; Rowdy Yates, a two-time stakes winner here as a 2-year-old in 2019, he was fourth in both the Ohio Derby and the Ellis Park Derby this summer; and Tonaltalitarian, broke his maiden here on Sept. 10 by 3-1/4 lengths and is trained by Donnie Von Hemel, a three-time winner of the Oklahoma Derby.

Remington Park racing continues Wednesday thru Saturday, Sept. 16-19, with the first event nightly at 7:07pm.

Past performances of Oklahoma Derby nominations

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