Ghost Hero romps in Classics Cup

Ghost Hero rose to the top of the Oklahoma-bred class Friday night, when he powered to a 7 1/4-length win over 4-5 favorite Number One Dude in the $131,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup at Remington Park. Ghost Hero also defeated past winners Absaroka and That's Something.

The Classics Cup for 3-year-olds and up was the richest of eight Oklahoma-bred stakes on the card. The 10-race Oklahoma Classics Night program was worth $1 million.

Ghost Hero ($4.40) was making his first start in the Classics Cup as a 3-year-old, returning to the Oklahoma-bred ranks after finishing 10th in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby and third in the $350,000 Hilton Memorial at Charles Town.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Ghost Hero tracked Kwontro through an opening quarter in 23.25 and a half-mile in 46.93 in the 1 1/16 miles race. Ghost Hero took over through six furlongs in 1:11.67 and went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:45.37.

Floyd Wethey Jr. was aboard for trainer Jayde Gelner.

Norman Stables owns the son of Shaman Ghost, who was bred by Clark Brewster. Ghost Hero was winning the fifth stakes of his career, and overall is 6 for 13 for earnings of $326,282.

The Classics Cup is the richest offering for Oklahoma-breds.

Gelner had a second winner on the Classics card when Run Slewpy Run drove to a three-quarter length victory over Drenched in the $99,600 Distaff Turf. It was the second win in the race for Run Slewpy Run and her fifth stakes victory overall as she was coming into the Distaff Turf off a third consecutive win in the Bob Barry Memorial.

Run Slewpy Run ($3) stalked the pace set by Ruby the Destroyer, who led through fractions of 24.66 seconds for the opening quarter, 50.29 for the half-mile and 1:15.40 for six furlongs. Run Slewpy Run went on to cover 1 1/16 miles on firm ground in 1:46.72.

Stewart Elliott was aboard the daughter of Den’s Legacy for Mike Jones. Run Slewpy Run is now 8 for 20 for earnings of $396,401.

Stormieis Blue upsets Distaff

Stormieis Blue earned a long-awaited first career stakes victory in the $111,000 Distaff, when she closed for a three-quarter length win over favorite Da Prairie Girl. Stormieis Blue, a 7-year-old mare who had previously placed in five stakes, was the first stakes win for trainer Sarah Davidson.

Davidson is the daughter of veteran trainer Brent Davidson.

Stormieis Blue was making a rare two-turn start in the Distaff, stretching out off a seventh-place finish in a $10,000 starter allowance at five furlongs on turf. Before that, she was third against males in an allowance sprint restricted to horses bred in Oklahoma.

Stormieis Blue sat off the pace set by Okie Attitude, who put up fractions of 23.53 for the opening quarter, 47.55 for the half-mile and 1:13.33 for six furlongs. Stormieis Blue, a gray mare who can appear white in color, was caked in kickback and looking more like a brown horse as she stormed through the stretch. She covered the distance in 1:44.54.

Richard Bracho was aboard the daughter of Moro Tap for Henry Witt Jr. She has now won 4 of 52 starts for earnings of $282,474.

Eakly likes turf

Trainer Donnie Von Hemel said earlier in the Remington Park meet he wanted to explore the turf side of Eakly’s pedigree and the horse responded with a half-length win over Rowdy Rascal in the $99,600 Turf. The winner was always prominent and covered the 1 1/16 miles on firm ground in 1:45.99. Eakly paid $15.40. The son of Caleb’s Posse is out of the Lonhro mare Vian and Von Hemel said the Lonhro influence encouraged the move to turf with Eakly, who was picking up his first stakes win. Richard Eramia was aboard for Cheyenne Stable.

* Fly to the Bank ($18.80) won the $99,600 Sprint for the second year in a row when he rallied for a 2 1/4-length victory over Tommyhawk. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to 4-5 favorite Connors Outlaw, who set fractions of 22.04 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.47 for the half-mile. Fly to the Bank covered six furlongs in 1:11.47. Reylu Gutierrez was aboard the son of Euroears for Juan Gallegos and trainer Steve Martin. Fly to the Bank is now 11 for 38 for earnings of $461,526.

* Dicey ($4.20) was always prominent for a 1 3/4 lengths win over Nice Neighbor in the $99,600 Distaff Sprint. She was part of a pace of 22.16 seconds for the opening quarter in 45.64 before stopping the timer for six furlongs in 1:11.73. Harry Hernandez was aboard the daughter of Flat Out for trainer Patrick Swan, who co-owns Dicey with Judith Lewis. Dicey was winning her third stakes and is now 9 for 49 for earnings of $389,002.

* Boom Baby Flats ($35.40) won his maiden in the $76,000 Juvenile when he moved past 1-5 favorite Power Slam in the late stages, for a 2 3/4-length victory over that one. Boom Baby Flats covered six furlongs in 1:12.47. C.R. Trout bred, owns, and trains the son of Flat Out, who was ridden by Jose Alvarez. Boom Baby Flats is from the female family of Grade 1 winner Shotgun Gulch.

* Miss Code West ($5.40) improved her record to 2 for 2 when she wired her rivals in the $76,000 Juvenile Fillies. She won by two lengths over Letta’s Legacy, while covering six furlongs on a fast track in 1:12.92. Wethey was aboard the daughter of Code West for Jeffry Puryear and Julie Puryear and trainer Kevin Scholl.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.