Envoutante tops McPeek trio in Remington Park Oaks

The Grade 3, $100,000 Remington Park Oaks on Sunday is one of the few stakes opportunities left on the calendar for straight 3-year-old fillies, and trainer Ken McPeek is taking advantage of it by running Envoutante, Curls and Bows, and Jeweled Princess.

“I’m reluctant to run three horses, usually try to keep horses separated, but in this case it’s kind of the way the ball bounced,” said McPeek.

The fillies are part of a field of eight that includes Paige Ann, who exits a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines at Del Mar, and Seattle Slang, a promising daughter of Grade 1-winning millionaire Seattle Smooth.

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The Remington Park Oaks shares a card with the Grade 3, $200,000 Oklahoma Derby. The meet’s two graded stakes are being showcased on a special 3 p.m. Central program that features eight stakes worth a total of $640,000.

McPeek’s strength this year has been 3-year-old fillies, led by Swiss Skydiver, the Grade 1-winning millionaire who as of Thursday was being considered for a start in either the Preakness, Spinster, or Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

“I’m fortunate I get a lot of nice young horses and this is certainly a filly year for us,” McPeek said. “But every year is different. Next year could be colts. Good problem to have.”

Envoutante could go favored in the Remington Park Oaks off a fourth-place finish to Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 1 Alabama on Aug. 15 at Saratoga. Prior to that race, Envoutante was third in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland.

“She’s run well in high company and we want to win a stakes with her and, really, all three fillies are in here to try to pick up some black type,” said McPeek.

Envoutante earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 88 in the Alabama, which is the best last-race number in the Remington Park Oaks.

“It was a good race out of her and the Ashland was a good race, too,” McPeek said. “She runs well each time. She always tries hard. We thought just dropping down a notch, maybe we’ll get a graded stakes out of her.”

David Cabrera has the mount from post 4.

Curls and Bows has won her maiden and a first-level allowance in her last two starts and is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dearest Trickski.

“Curls and Bows, the last couple of races she’s continued to improve,” McPeek said. “I think she needed to get a win under her belt to give her confidence.

“This is kind of a windows-closing opportunity trying to get her black type. She’s got a lot of pedigree. Same case for Jeweled Princess. She’s finished in front three in a row and we want to give her a shot to pull in some black type.”

Jeweled Princess is making her stakes debut.

Orlando Mojica has the mount on Jeweled Princess and Ramon Vazquez will ride Curls and Bows.

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Mr. Misunderstood favored

In other stakes action Sunday, the $60,000 Remington Green drew a standout in Mr. Misunderstood. A Grade 2 winner who has earned $955,826, Mr. Misunderstood invades from Kentucky for Flurry Racing Stable and trainer Brad Cox.

Mr. Misunderstood comes into the race off a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Downs Preview Tourist Mile at Ellis Park. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

“He ran big at Ellis,” Cox said. “There were some races at Kentucky Downs, but we opted to not take him back down there. He’s been down there the past two years and he doesn’t seem to care for that track.

“We had him in an overnight race, the Opening Verse at Churchill, but it came off the turf. So once that race came off, we just kind of circled this race at Remington and thought it made the most sense.”

Mr. Misunderstood is familiar with the local course, having run second by a half-length in last year’s Remington Green.

Richard Eramia has the mount in the field of eight. It includes stakes winners Redatory, Sunlit Song, Sheriff Brown, and Tut’s Revenge, who is going for his fifth straight win Sunday.

Cox has two other top contenders on the undercard in Vulcan, who goes in the $60,000 Kip Deville for 2-year-olds at six furlongs, and Irish Mischief, who could get an ideal setup in the $50,000 Flashy Lady.

Vulcan is looking for his third straight win after taking a maiden special weight and entry-level allowance in August at Indiana Grand. In his only other start, he was fifth in a maiden special weight in July at Indiana.

“We’ve liked him, and first time out he was squeezed at the break pretty hard and pretty much was last and raced greenly,” Cox said. “He did seem to move forward off that race, was able to break his maiden, and still was a little green down the lane.

“Last race, he was much more polished. We ran him back somewhat quick off that maiden win and he seemed to move forward mentally. He’s had plenty of time to recover, so were going to take the next step, which is a stakes. Hopefully he can compete. He has been training well, so hopefully he’ll move forward.”

Vulcan is by Munnings, the same sire as Cox-trained graded winners Warrior’s Charge and Bonny South.

◗ The $60,000 David M. Vance drew a deep cast of sprinters led by Grade 3 winner Chief Cicatriz.

◗ The 2-year-old filly Kandy Ginger attempts to remain undefeated in three starts in the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial.

◗ Curlin’s Journey meets stakes winners Streak of Luck and Corluna in the $60,000 Ricks Memorial.