Remington Park: King Henny holds on in Clever Trevor

Dustin Orona Photography

King Henny digs in under Jamie Theriot to win the Clever Trevor Stakes.

King Henny fought off a pack of challengers to win the first stakes race of his career Friday night in the $100,000 Clever Trevor for 2-year-olds at Remington Park. The Drifter, the favorite seeking his third stakes win, was pulled up after leading the field through an opening quarter. The race was a prep for the $300,000 Springboard Mile on Dec. 9.  

King Henny ($8.60) sat just off The Drifter through an opening quarter in 22 seconds, after which the leader was guided to the outside rail and pulled up. King Henny took the lead from there, dueling with Dentention through a half-mile in 44.78 seconds.

King Henny continued to show the way through six furlongs in 1:09.96, then forged to a head win nearing the wire, while holding off bids from Backstreet Hero, who rallied for second, and Best of Birdstone, who finished a neck back in third. King Henny covered seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:23.97.

“He put me in a garden spot and came home strong,” said jockey Jamie Theriot, who rode the winner for trainer Steve Asmussen. “He’s lacking in experience and was lugging in a little bit, but he was full of run and kept digging in down the lane. I lost my stick at the eighth pole and it came close at the wire. He hung on.”

King Henny was making just his third career start in the Clever Trevor, entering off a maiden special weight win at Hoosier Park on Oct. 4. The horse, who is by Henny Hughes, races for the partnership of Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen, the father of Steve Asmussen.