Ibaka back with statebreds in Cherokee Nation Classic Cup
It’s a good time to be an athlete named Ibaka.
Serge Ibaka, a forward with the Oklahoma City Thunder, is enjoying postseason success as his NBA team has advanced to the Western Conference finals.
Ibaka, the five-time stakes winner, will start as a top contender Tuesday when he returns to the Oklahoma-bred ranks for the $55,000 Cherokee Nation Classic Cup at Will Rogers Downs.
“I look for him to run a good race,” said Bret Calhoun, who trains Ibaka for breeder Doug Wall.
The Classic covers one mile and 70 yards on the main track and is for 3-year-olds and up. Others making up the seven-horse field include Johnny Whip, a multiple stakes winner looking for career victory No. 15, and Lingerlonger, who is coming off a seven-length optional-claiming win at the distance April 11 at Will Rogers.
Cherokee Nation Classic Cup (Race 9)
KEY CONTENDERS
Ibaka, by Uncle Abbie
Last 3 Beyers: 66-67-92
◗ He is returning to the statebred ranks for the first time since October, when he captured the $126,000 Oklahoma Classics Turf at Remington Park. That race was Ibaka’s first on grass, and he remained on the surface for his next start, winning the $60,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial in December at Fair Grounds.
“He’s a horse that started out on dirt, ran well,” Calhoun said. “Once we switched over to turf, it’s what he wants now. He won the Oklahoma-bred stakes on the grass, then went and won an open stakes at the Fair Grounds on the grass. I really believe he’s basically become a grass horse. He will run on dirt, fits with Oklahoma-breds. At the end of the day, turf is what he wants now.”
◗ Ibaka’s three other stakes wins have come on the main track at Lone Star Park and Sam Houston.
◗ C.J. McMahon has the mount on Ibaka, who will break from post 6.
“On the turf, he takes it right to them a lot of times, but he’s been very versatile,” Calhoun said.
Johnny Whip, by Stephen Got Even
Last 3 Beyers: 61-84-69
◗ He will be stretching out to two turns off a third-place finish in the $55,000 TRAO Classic Sprint on April 26 at Will Rogers. He was a winner at a mile last June at Fair Meadows in Tulsa.
◗ Benny Landeros has the mount for George Straw and trainer Jody Pruitt.