Trainer C.R. Trout said Sunday Flashback's shins went south on her after she broke her maiden at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Oct. 30 last year, but that didn't stop him from winning his career 15th Oklahoma Classics race with her on Friday night.
The 3-year-old filly by Flashback, out of the Sunday Break (JPN) mare Sundayville Break, returned from the long layoff to heal up from October last year to Sept. 10 this year to win by 14-1/2 lengths in allowance company. That was an indication that she would be the one to beat in the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Sprint, presented by Global Gaming Solutions. Heavily favored in the wagering at 1-5 odds, Sunday Flashback didn't exactly win as one would expect at such a low price.
An indication that it might not be Sunday Flashback's night was when she acted up in the paddock and then again at the gate. It was not a surprise after that when jockey Jose Alvarez had to fight tooth and nail at the wire with 23-1 longshot Our Musical Moment for the win. Sunday Flashback finally prevailed by a head after breaking seventh from the gate.
“I knew she was going to be special all along,” Trout said. “But those shins were not good after last year. We gave her some time to heal and now she has been training forwardly since we brought her back.”
She paid $2.40, $2.20, and $2.10 to win, place, and show. Our Musical Moment was another three lengths ahead of Casino Queen (9-1) in third. The remaining order of finish was Don't Touch My Man (4th), Stormieis Blue (5th), Kallie Sioux (6th), Yak Attack (7th), Sweet Mary M (8th), Polly Tiz (9th), and Machos Vision (10th).
This was also Trout's fourth win in the Classics F&M Sprint. He was in the winner's circle in 2010, 2016, and 2017 with Shotgun Gulch, Euro K Shotgun, and Hailstorm Slew, respectively.
Alvarez was a winner for the first time in an Oklahoma Classics race. Trout not only trains the filly, but owns her and bred her. He broke a three-year win streak for trainer Kenny Smith in this race, who had won with Three Chords in 2018-2020.
Alvarez sat in mid-pack down the backstretch of the six-furlong race and didn't catch front-runner Casino Queen until deep stretch. There, he engaged his filly with the longshot Our Musical Moment and they battled to the finish line.
Early fractions for the race were set by third-place finisher Casino Queen, going :21.86 for the quarter-mile, :45.26 for the half-mile, and :57.89 for five-eighths of a mile. The winning time for Sunday Flashback was 1:10.82 over the fast track. In her two previous wins, the filly had been on the lead of her sprints almost immediately.
“I don't know why she broke so badly,” said Trout, “whether the ground broke out from under her or what. She acted goofy in the gate, so maybe that was it.”
Sunday Flashback earned $78,000 for the win and improved to three wins from four starts. She was third in her other attempt when she finished behind stakes-quality fillies Gotta See Red and Twilight Curfew in the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Lassie last year. Her bankroll after only four tries is $134,306.
The Oklahoma Classics is a $1,000,000 series of stakes races devoted to Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbreds.
Remington Park racing continues Saturday, Oct. 16 with the first race at 7:07 pm Central.
The post Sunday Flashback Outlasts Our Musical Moment To Take Oklahoma Classics Distaff Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
