Remington: Texas Bling pays $259.60 in Springboard Mile upset

Dustin Orona Photography

Texas Bling (8) launches his winning rally under Erik McNeil in the Springboard Mile.

Texas Bling set a season-record in the final stakes race of the Remington Park meet on Sunday, when he paid $259.60 to win in the $300,000 Springboard Mile for 2-year-olds. He burst to the lead from between horses in the next-to-last race of the meet, for a 1 3/4-length win over Will Take Charge. It was another half-length back in third to Worldventurer.

The Springboard Mile was the richest of four stakes on the closing-day card, with the races worth a cumulative $450,000. Cat Five’O was a nose winner of the $50,000 Mistletoe for 2-year-old fillies, while trainer Donnie Von Hemel and jockey Luis Quinonez swept the stakes for 3-year-old  Oklahoma-breds, the Useeit with Lady Jensen and the Jim Thorpe with Z Rockstar. 

Texas Bling was the longest shot in the Springboard at 128-1, but he hardly ran like it. He settled about three lengths off the pace set by Will Take Charge, a son of the Grade 1-winning mare Take Charge Lady, as that one set fractions of 23.67 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.81 for the half-mile, and 1:14.56 for six furlongs. Texas Bling advanced on the final turn, was stuck behind horses in the stretch, then got an opening late and burst through to go on and win by a clear margin in 1:39.36.

“I was just trying to look for a place to go,” said winning rider Erik McNeil. “Then it’s there... ‘pinch me if this is real.’ ”

McNeil was aboard for Hall’s Family Trust and trainer Danele Durham.

“Erik and I aren’t stunned,” Durham said about the literal odds overcome by Texas Bling.  “We knew this horse could run.”

Texas Bling came into the Springboard off a close sixth-place finish in the $75,000 El Joven on the turf at Retama Park. Prior to that start he won a maiden special weight at 7 ½ furlongs on the grass at Remington. Texas Bling picked up $180,000 for the win on Sunday, to improve his record to 2 for 10 for earnings of $209,483. He is a son of Too Much Bling and the Country Pine mare Anythingmore. He was bred in Texas by Hall’s Family Trust.

Texas Bling paid $122 to place and $29.80 to show. He also topped a $2,490 exacta, an  $18,827 trifecta,  and a $94,384 superfecta.

The remaining order of finish in the Springboard Mile was Best of Birdstone in fourth, followed by King Henny, Smack Jack, Backstreet Hero, Hardrock Eleven, Steelman Run, favorite Exploring, Hornet,  and Channel Isle.

* Cat Five’ O put in a determined late bid to catch Sister Ginger on the wire in the Mistletoe, a one-mile overnight stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Broken Spell, the favorite off a fifth place finish in the Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill, rallied for seventh. Cat Five’ O ($10.40) covered the distance in 1:40.48. Cliff Berry was aboard for Lane Thoroughbreds and trainer Clinton Stuart.

* Z Rockstar ($10.60) was always prominent in the Jim Thorpe, to win by a length over favorite Imahit. He covered seven furlongs in 1:25.72. Z Rockstar races for his breeder, Robert Zoellner.

*Lady Jensen ($3.40) closed for a 4 1/2-length win in the Useeit, covering seven furlongs in 1:25.67. She races for her breeder, Kelly Thiesing.