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Make It Big Battles Osbourne Through Stretch To Take Springboard Mile

Make It Big earned 10 qualifying points in the 2022 Kentucky Derby standings Friday night, winning the $401,200 Springboard Mile for 2-year-olds at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The top 2-year-old race of the Remington Park season provided the stage for the third win in a row to start the career of Make It Big, who has never raced on Lasix. Kentucky Derby points are awarded to horses only if they have not raced on the diuretic during the qualifying races. The other horse earning points in the Springboard was runner-up Osbourne, who gets four in the Derby standings. The third and fourth place finishers, Concept and Classic Moment, both from trainer Steve Asmussen's barn, competed with Lasix on Friday night.

Rick Sacco, racing manager for Make it Big's owner, Red Oak Stable in Ocala, Fla., was non-committal on where Make It Big's first start as a 3-year-old will be in 2022, but the dark bay colt by Neolithic, out of the Congrats mare Ruby on My Mind, won his first two races at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. The $120,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders Sale Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training has quickly earned his keep. He won $240,000 from the purse Friday and is now undefeated through three attempts with total earnings of $303,828.

“Yes, we will enjoy these Kentucky Derby points,” said Sacco, “but we will have to discuss where we send him next.”

Sarah Shaffer, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.'s assistant, was on hand for the victory, just having met the horse for the first time this week. She stables at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.

“He has a personality and a half,” she said. “We expected the cold weather to sharpen him up here.”

Temperatures were brisk in the high 40s when seven horses broke from the gate for the Springboard. Make It Big was feeling his oats in the warmup. Jockey Jose Ortiz was putting everything he had to keep the colt in his skin before the race.

“We really wanted to get him warmed up,” said Shaffer. “He's very smart. He knew what he was here for. Nice horse.”

Make It Big broke his maiden on Oct. 9 at Gulfstream, winning by 8 1/2 lengths at first asking. He then took down the $60,000 Ocala Stud Juvenile Sprint Stakes for Florida-breds at Gulfstream by 2 1/4 lengths on Oct. 30. Both of those wins came at seven furlongs and with jockey Edgard Zayas in the saddle. Friday night's Springboard was his first trip around two turns.

“The horse was two-for-two with Edgard,” said Ortiz, who shipped in from the East Coast for the mount. “Unfortunately, Edgard couldn't ride because he had to have surgery on his shoulder.”

Ortiz, the No. 4 rider in the country with his horses earning more than $24 million in 2021, wasn't a bad substitute and he rode Make It Big to perfection. He took the winner's circle photos with the garland of flowers wrapped around his shoulders from head to near his feet.

Ortiz let Make It Big settle in fifth down the backstretch and then asked for a run at the top of the stretch. By that time the colt was rolling and he engaged Osbourne who took the lead before the field left the final turn. Make It Big battled neck and neck with Osbourne throughout the length of the stretch, gaining a half-length win at the finish.

Osbourne is trained by Ron Moquett of Breeders' Cup Sprint winner fame, Whitmore. Osbourne, a 2-year-old gelded son of Tapiture, out of the Rock Hard Ten mare Planet Rock also has not raced on Lasix in three tries. He broke his maiden in his last start at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 17 at seven furlongs. Julien Leparoux, his regular rider, fought gamely from the outside post position in the field of seven. He was three lengths ahead of third-place finisher Concept, winner of the $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes on Sept. 26 at Remington.

The remaining order of finish in the Springboard was Classic Moment (4th), Rowdy Rascal (5th), Revenir (6th), and Bye Bye Bobby (7th).

Make It Big was sent off at 6-5 odds as the betting favorite and paid $4.60 to win, $3.40 to place, and $2.60 to show. The winner cut into early fractions of :24.77 for the first quarter-mile, :49.22 for the half-mile, 1:14.94 for three-quarters of a mile, and 1:27.86 for seven furlongs. His winning time at the mile was 1:41.23 over the fast main surface.

Make It Big is doing his best to put his young sire, Neolithic, on the map. That stallion went to stud in 2018 and Make It Big was foaled in 2019. Neolithic has some classic bloodlines, being a son of Harlan's Holiday, and his stud fee might soar if this horse proves to be worthy on the Kentucky Derby trail. Neolithic's stud fee for 2022 is $5,000 for a live foal. Harlan's Holiday won $3.6 million in his racing career, including Grade 1 wins in the Florida Derby, the Blue Grass Stakes, and the Donn Handicap.

Make It Big is easily Neolithic's top earner among his progeny.

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Number One Dude Dominant In Jim Thorpe At Remington

Number One Dude solidified his dominance as arguably the top Oklahoma-bred in training as he won the $70,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes by open daylight on Friday night at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Owner-breeder Terry Westemeir of Broken Arrow, Okla., said his only concern was the long layoff for his 3-year-old gelded son of American Lion, out of the Macho Uno mare Ebony Uno. Number One Dude had been off since Oct. 15 when he ran second in the $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup to multiple-time winner at Remington this meet, Absaroka.

Number One Dude has now won four Oklahoma-bred stakes races at Remington Park and one at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla. His overall record improved to 10 starts, six victories, and two seconds for $276,843. He earned $42,000 from this purse.

He was purchased by Westemeir when the owner bought Number One Dude's dam (mom) Ebony Uno and she was in foal with him. Westemeir was trying to figure out how to break the news to his wife Leslie that he had bought not only one horse, but another one yet to come.

“She didn't want me to buy one, let alone two,” Westemeir said. “She's good now.”

Regardless of what the undisclosed purchase price was, it couldn't have been close to what he has earned on the track. Number One Dude broke his maiden at Remington Park as a 2-year-old on Sept. 18, 2020. He won that race by 7 1/2 lengths. He followed that up with victories in the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile and the $75,000 Don McNeill Stakes on Oct. 16 and Nov. 13, respectively, last year. The margins of victory in those two were one length and six lengths.

An abscess developed and was found after he was soundly defeated in the $200,000 Springboard Mile to finish the 2020 meet, running eighth, and he was given time off before his next start at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. The layoff showed as he could do no better than fifth, beaten 13 lengths in open allowance 3-year-olds company there on May 9 this spring.

After winning the $55,000 Will Rogers Stakes on May 25 by 5 1/4 lengths, he had a quick trip to Iowa and Prairie Meadows before returning to his home base at Remington Park. Once he got back to Oklahoma City, he became a monster again.

He won the $50,000 Oklahoma Stallion Stakes by seven lengths on Sept. 10 here and then was the runner-up to Absaroka prior to this race. Number One Dude, a beautiful dark bay, almost black, then had the short vacation.

“I was concerned about the lack of a race since the Classics Cup,” Westemeir said. “I have to give credit to (trainer) Kari (Craddock) and her crew, Jeremy Collier and exercise rider Keith Bilbey, (jockey) Leandro (Goncalves), and everyone else for getting him ready off of works.”

Number One Dude sat just off the shoulder of front-runner Salt Creek Kid all down the backstretch. When the pacesetter began to fade to last, the Craddock charge took over and drew away by seven lengths as the heavy wagering favorite at 2-5 odds.

Tap the Dot was second at 3-1 and You'reobadboy finished third, another half-length behind at 27-1.

Number One Dude showed his tactical speed behind early fractions of :24.76 for the first quarter-mile, :49.69 for the half-mile, 1:14.84 for three-quarters of a mile, and 1:27.51 for seven furlongs, finishing the mile in 1:40.25 over the fast track. He paid $2.80 to win, $2.10 to place, and $2.10 to show.

The Jim Thorpe Stakes is named after the native Oklahoman and Olympic gold-medalist who was considered the greatest athlete of the 20th century.

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Jockey David Cabrera Nabs Fourth Straight Riding Title At Remington Park

Jockey David Cabrera was honored Thursday night, winning his fourth consecutive Pat Steinberg Leading Rider award at Remington Park.

Cabrera had long since clinched the riding title as he finished the night with 90 wins on the season, 31 ahead of second-place Stewart Elliott at 59.

“I want to thank all the trainers and owners who give me a chance; I want to thank God and Remington Park and my agent Jose Santos,” Cabrera said. “This is home. I feel like I'm with family. It is an honor to ride here. I also want to thank all the grooms, hotwalkers and gate crew. They all do a great job.”

Cabrera's biggest night of the meet came on Nov. 13 when he won five races, including the 1,500th of his career. He took five of the nine races on the card that night. His winners were Quinn Ella (6-5) in the first, Mr B Quiet (3-1) in the fourth, Fred'stwirlincandy (2-1) in the sixth, Bobbin Tail (even) in the seventh and My Golden M (2-5) in the ninth for the 1,500th in his career.

Another highlight of Cabrera's fourth title in a row included riding Welder to his final win at Remington Park, the 16th such victory for the now retired all-time winningest horse here. Welder, owned by Ra-Max Farms (Clayton Rash) of Claremore, Okla., and trained by Teri Luneack, only won one race this meet but it was a significant one as he broke the tie of 15 wins all-time with Highland Ice and Elegant Exxactsy. Cabrera booted the 8-year-old gray gelding home on Aug. 27 in Welder's first start of the season.

The most wins Cabrera ever had in one meet at Remington Park during this skein was 96 last year. The 29-year-old jockey came to Jones, Okla., to live with his aunt Marti Rodriguez, a trainer at Remington Park, when he was 14 years old, moving from Mexico. He worked his way up from mucking stalls to becoming a jockey in 2013. He had 46 wins to start his career that year.

Cabrera's best year thus far was 2018 when he won 236 times. He has 216 wins thus far in 2021. In his nine-year riding career, he has won 1,526 times for earnings of $35,348,847, according to Equibase stats. His best year in horse earnings has been this year with $7,646,957.He has averaged $6,834 per start this year, compared to $1,372 per start in 2013 when he began.

The leading jockey award is named after Pat Steinberg who was a dominating jockey in the early years of Remington Park, winning nine riding titles before passing away in 1993.

There is only one more day of racing at Remington Park on Friday, Dec. 17. The final night of the season includes the cornerstone race for 2-year-olds at Remington Park, the $400,000 Springboard Mile, with horses eligible for Kentucky Derby points. It goes as the 12th race on Friday. The other stakes are:

Race 8, $70,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile (Oklahoma-breds)

Race 9, $70,000 Useeit Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 mile (Oklahoma-breds)

Race 10, $100,000 She's All In Stakes, 3-year-olds and older, fillies-mares, 1m-70 yds
Race 11, $100,000 Trapeze Stakes, fillies, 2-year-olds, 1 mile

The last night of the season gets underway at 5pm-Central.

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Marion Francis Looks For First Stakes Win In She’s All In Friday At Remington Park

Marion Francis has yet to enjoy the sweet taste of stakes success, but she hails from the barn of the top trainer in the country. The 3-year-old filly ships into Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., and has been established as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the $100,000 She's All In Stakes on the final night of the season, Friday, Dec. 17.

Brad Cox leads all trainers nationally with earnings of $30,932,681 this year. He has yet to win the She's All In Stakes.

Marion Francis has made $222,578 in 2021 and has lifetime earnings of $232,118 despite never winning in black-type company. Her record is 10 starts, three wins, three seconds, and three thirds.

A daughter of Constitution, out of the Two Punch mare Sophie's Destiny, has been stakes-placed twice. She ran third two races back in the $200,000 Plum Pretty Stakes at Parx Racing in Philadelphia on Sept. 25. Cox's filly also got third in the $150,000 Cathryn Sophia Stakes at Parx on Aug. 24. She broke her maiden at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., this spring on March 28 as the 6-5 favorite. Her margin of victory was 1-1/4 lengths.

Marion Francis picked up her next win at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. against allowance/optional $75,000 claiming fillies. She won that one by three-quarters of a length on May 28 over a wet fast track. She will be entering the She's All In off her third win, beating optional $100,000 claiming fillies under allowance conditions, at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., by a mere neck on Oct. 21. She's been off almost two months since then but has a series of works to prep for this comeback, three of them at Keeneland and her last on Dec. 5 at Oaklawn where she breezed in :48.40 for a half-mile.

Jockey Florent Geroux has been in the saddle for all three Marion Francis wins and all 10 of her starts. Cox will once again give him a leg up in the She's All In. Marion Francis is owned by Madaket Stables, Kent Spellman, and Wonder Stables. She was bred in Pennsylvania by Blackstone Farm. This filly was last purchased for $150,000 in the Ocala (Fla.) Breeders' Spring Sale for 2-year-olds in Training in 2020.

Marion Francis was made the slight favorite over Casual (2-1) from the barn of the nation's second-leading trainer and the all-time winningest conditioner in history, Steve Asmussen. Casual also is a multiple stakes-placed filly and ran fourth in the 2020 She's All In. Asmussen, who is second behind Cox in a heated battle for top-earning trainer this year at $30,523,870, has won the She's All in twice and will be going for his third victory in the past four years. He won with Magical in 2019 and Clever Serve in 2018. Ricardo Santana, Jr., booted home the 2019 winner while David Cabrera, the track's leading rider the past four years, 2018-2021, was aboard Clever Serve. This year, Asmussen will use the riding services of Jose Ortiz, who is fourth in the country among jockeys in money earned ($23,721,025). He trails only Joel Rosario in first, followed by Jose's brother Irad, and Luis Saez.

Casual is owned by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings (J.G. Sikura), Stretch Run Ventures (Ed McGee), and Windsor Boys Racing (Faheem Hasnain). The 4-year-old daughter of two-time Horse of the Year, Curlin, is out of the Mutakddim mare Lady Tak. She was bred in Kentucky by the first two owners. She may not yet be a stakes winner, but she has finished second or third in six of her last seven tries against stakes company.

Casual ran second in Oaklawn's $200,000 Spring Fever Stakes on Feb. 27 and third in the Carousel Stakes on April 10, followed by a runner-up finish in the $100,000 Skipat Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on May 15. She continued her run with a third in the $120,000 Shine Again Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Asmussen decided to jump her up into the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap there, where she ran seventh, beaten 11 lengths by champion Gamine on Aug. 28. Her next stop came here at Remington Park where she finished second to Cinnabunny in the $50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes on Sept. 26.

Casual was shipped out to Zia Park in Hobbs, New Mexico for her final start before the She's All In. She was a distant second in the $75,000 Zia Distaff there, beaten 5 3/4 lengths on Nov. 23.

The filly carrying the local flag in the She's All In will appropriately be She's All Wolfe, a 4-year-old daughter of the mare whose name is on this stakes race. She's All Wolfe, by Magna Graduate, was bred in Oklahoma by owner Dr. Robert Zoellner. All this filly has done for Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer trainer Donnie Von Hemel is win five of her eight starts at Remington on the main track. She is the 6-1 fourth favorite in the morning line.

She's All Wolfe is the lone Oklahoma-bred in the She's All In and leads in career victories and earnings. The 4-year-old's record is 20 starts, seven wins, five seconds, and a pair of thirds for a bankroll of $390,761. Her wins at Remington Park include the $30,000 Oklahoma Stallion Stakes for fillies on Sept. 11, 2020, and the $145,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff last year and this year. Richard Eramia gets the return call on She's All Wolfe. Von Hemel has won the She's All In once since its inception in 2014. He sent out Ready to Confess for Pin Oak Stable in 2017.

She's All In reached millionaire status during her racing career, as well as being dominant in the Oklahoma Classics, winning the Distaff in four consecutive years from 2010-2013.

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Here's a look at the She's All In Stakes field from the rail out with post position, horse, jockey, trainer, and odds:

My Bets, Lane Luzzi, Philip Sims, 12-1
Lady Gwen, Carlos Montalvo, Brent Davidson, 20-1
Island Hideaway, Julien Leparoux, Karl Broberg, 12-1
She's All Wolfe, Richard Eramia, Donnie Von Hemel, 6-1
Paige Anne, Sophie Doyle, John Ennis, 5-1
Casual, Jose Ortiz, Steve Asmussen, 2-1
Marion Francis, Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 9-5
Content, Danny Sorenson, Tina Hurley, 15-1

The She's All In goes as the 10th race on a 13-race card with an approximate post time of 9:25 p.m.

There are four other stakes races on Dec. 17:

Race 8, $70,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile (Oklahoma-breds)

Race 9, $70,000 Useeit Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 mile (Oklahoma-breds)

Race 11, $100,000 Trapeze Stakes, fillies, 2-year-olds, 1 mile

Race 12, $400,000 Springboard Mile, 2-year-olds, 1 mile

The total closing day card will begin at 5 pm. on Friday, Dec. 17. Prior to the final night, racing will take place Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 15-16 starting at 7:07 pm. All times are Central.

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