Ghost Hero battles back to win Don C. McNeill Stakes

Ghost Hero came back along the rail Friday night to win his second straight stakes race in the $75,000 Don C. McNeill at Remington Park. He edged Send the Boss by a head, while it was another 5 3/4 lengths back in third to Eakly.

The McNeill was for 2-year-olds at a mile and was one of three stakes on the card. The races were all restricted to horses bred in Oklahoma. Doudoudouwanadance remained undefeated with her win in the $75,000 Slide Show for 2-year-old fillies, and Fly to the Bank won his third consecutive race in the $70,000 Silver Goblin.

Ghost Hero ($3.40) won his maiden last month in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile, one start ahead of the McNeill. In Friday night’s race, he set fractions of 24.16 seconds for the opening quarter, 49.18 for the half-mile, and 1:13.98 for six furlongs. In the late stages, Send the Boss poked a head in front, but Ghost Hero had more and covered the distance on a muddy track that took snow earlier on the card in 1:39.20.

“That was quite a battle,” winning rider Stewart Elliott said in a post-race interview broadcast by Remington. “He showed a lot of heart.”

Jayde Gelner trains Ghost Hero for Norman Stables. The horse, who is by Shaman Ghost, is now 2 for 4 for earnings of $108,504.

Doudoudouwanadance ($2.80) ran her record to 3 for 3 when she overtook pacesetter Nice Neighbor in the stretch and went on to a 3 1/4-length victory over that one in the Slide Show. It was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third to Cueca.

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Doudoudouwanadance had won her maiden and the Oklahoma Classics Lassie by a combined margin of 15 lengths leading into the Slide Show. She was making her two-turn debut and covered the one-mile distance on a muddy track in 1:39.66.

“When I asked her, she just took off,” winning rider Leandro Goncalves said in an interview with Remington.

Doudoudouwanadance is a daughter of Magna Graduate and a half-sister to a multiple stakes winner Number One Dude. She races for Terry Westemeir and is trained by Kari Craddock.

Fly to the Bank ($5.60) led throughout for 1 3/4-length win over Salt Creek Kid in the Silver Goblin, which was for 3-year-olds and up over 6 1/2 furlongs. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third to the filly Dicey.

Fly to the Bank set fractions of 22.51 for the opening quarter and 45.50 for the half-mile. He then withstood a stretch challenge from Salt Creek Kid before going on to win on a good track in 1:17.09.

“Every time the horse on the outside would get close to me, he gave me another gear,” winning rider Cristian Torres said in a post-race interview broadcast by Remington.

Torres, who won three races on the night and leads the standings at Remington, was aboard for breeder and trainer Jim Helzer. Fly to the Bank is a son of Euroears who races for Juan Gallegos.

Obed Sanchez, who has been the horse’s regular rider this meet, was on hand for the Silver Goblin. He is recovering from five broken ribs sustained in a recent spill. His wins with Fly to the Bank include last month’s Oklahoma Classics Sprint.

“It’s nice to be here to see my champ win,” he said in an interview with Remington.

Fly to the Bank is now 8 for 29 for earnings of $336,117.

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