America targets first stakes win in Remington Park Oaks
After a series of throwdowns with some of the nation’s top 3-year-old fillies, the Bobby Flay homebred America lands in a more palatable spot Sunday in the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks. But enough with the culinary puns tied to her breeder-owner, who happens to be a renowned chef.
America has credentials of her own. She’s a daughter of A.P. Indy and was third to division leader Untapable in the Mother Goose back in June. She since has done battle with Stopchargingmaria in both the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama. America has made her way from New York to Oklahoma with the hope of adding to her r é sum é .
“We’ve been running in some tough spots,” said Bill Mott, who trains America. “She’s been running in Grade 1s, and we wanted to go take advantage of the opportunity of a straight 3-year-old filly race before she turns 4.
“She’s Grade 1-placed, and we’re trying to get a stakes win with her.”
The Remington Park Oaks, to be run at 1 1/16 miles, is one of six stakes supporting the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby.
Oaks (race 9)
Key contenders
America (Last 3 Beyers: 76-74-79)
* She will break from post 5 under Junior Alvarado and might get a decent setup behind Swing It Dish, Dream Spinner, and Lady Fifty Two.
“She’s generally speaking a stalking type,” Mott said. “She generally doesn’t sit up on the pace.”
Shanon Nicole (Last 3 Beyers: 90-80-72)
* She won the $250,000 Indiana Grand in her last start July 23, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 90 that she earned is the best last-race number in the Remington Park Oaks.
* Rosie Napravnik has the mount for trainer Mike Maker.
Sprint Cup (race 10)
Heitai will be making his first start since a summer vacation in the $150,000 Remington Park Sprint Championship. He was freshened following his win in the $300,000 Evangeline Turf Sprint and will be moving back to dirt, a surface on which he is a multiple stakes winner.
“He’s ready to go, happier than ever,” said Karl Broberg, who trains the horse for Rowell Enterprises.
Key contenders
Heitai (Last 3 Beyers: 98-90-90)
* In his final prep for his return, he worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:11.60 at his Remington base Sept. 18.
“We felt he needed to do something a little more than he had been doing because he’s not a big work horse,” Broberg said. “We gave him a target to run at, and he enjoyed it immensely.”
* Colby Hernandez has the mount with regular rider Diego Saenz still recuperating from an injury sustained over the summer.
Wine Police (Last 3 Beyers: 86-87-69)
* He is the defending champ, and following this race a year ago, he advanced to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and finished eighth, four lengths behind the winner Secret Circle.
Ivan Fallunovalot (Last 3 Beyers: 93-90-96)
* He’s seeking his fifth straight win – his latest having been the local prep, the $75,000 David M. Vance Sprint.
Alsvid (Last 3 Beyers: 85-91-98)
* He won this race at 3. Now 5, he’s compiled a career Remington mark of four wins from six starts in Oklahoma City.
Green (race 5)
Broadway Empire, the winner of last year’s Oklahoma Derby, will make his turf debut in the $100,000 Remington Park Green. His connections have long wanted to try him on the grass, and in his most recent start Sept. 1, he won an off-the-turf allowance at Canterbury.
“It’s been the plan all summer,” trainer Robertino Diodoro said of getting Broadway Empire to turf. “It just hasn’t worked out for several different reasons. He worked two or three times on the grass at Canterbury.”
One of those moves was five-eighths in 57.80 over yielding ground July 2.
Key contenders
Broadway Empire (Last 3 Beyers: 99-98-100)
* Diodoro said there is some pedigree precedence for turf with Broadway Empire.
“Lots of Empire Makers will run on the grass, and he’s out of a Belong to Me mare,” he said.
* Broadway Empire will break from post 2 in the 1 1/8-mile race and could prove to be the controlling speed under Rico Walcott.
Gentleman’s Kitten (Last 3 Beyers: 95-73-75)
* He set the pace over yielding ground last out and prevailed in an Ellis Park stakes in his first start since July 2.
* Rafael Bejarano has the mount for Maker.
In other stakes
** Saratoga maiden winner Bayerd meets Del Mar maiden winner American Sailor in the $75,000 Kip Deville for 2-year-olds.
** Snappy Girl could go favored in the $50,000 Flashy Lady for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
** A full field of 12 clashes in the $50,000 Ladies on the Lawn, a 7 1/2-furlong turf race for fillies and mares bred in Oklahoma.