Imahit, former Oklahoma-bred of the Year, retired
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Imahit, a past Oklahoma-bred of the year and an earner of more than $500,000, has been retired, his breeder, owner and trainer, C.R. Trout, said Thursday.
The horse last raced at Oaklawn on Feb. 17, finishing off the board in an optional-claiming sprint won by Yockey’s Warrior. Imahit, an 8-year-old gelding, will head to Trout’s farm in Edmond, Okla.
“He’s part of the family,” Trout said.
Trout said Imahit will share a pasture with millionaire Maysville Slew. Imahit is a two-time winner of the Oklahoma Classics Night Classic at Remington Park. Overall, he won eight of 35 starts. Imahit is a son of Whywhywhy.
“He was such a hard-trying horse,” Trout said. “He won anywhere from six furlongs to a mile and a sixteenth. It made no difference to him. Every time they’d open the gate, he’d run.”
◗ Jockey Luis Contreras, who has moved his tack from Santa Anita to Oaklawn, has the mount on Gotham News in the featured eighth race Sunday. The optional $40,000 claiming route will be run at 1 1/16 miles. Gotham News was third at a similar level last out at Oaklawn. He is trained by Steve Asmussen.
The field of 11 also includes Secret Passage, who is coming off a second-place finish in an optional $35,000 claiming route at Oaklawn.
Snickerboxer will be shooting for his fifth straight win in the race. He began his streak at Remington Park in December and is coming off an optional $50,000 claiming route win Feb. 16 at Oaklawn. Federico Villafranco trains for the meet’s leading owner, Danny Caldwell.
◗ Far Right, who won the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes in 2015 at Oaklawn, had his first work since August on Feb. 17. The horse went three-eighths in 36.80 seconds, the fastest of 16 moves at the distance that morning at Oaklawn.
“He galloped out real good, didn’t get tired, so we’re hopeful we can run him before the end of the meet,” said owner Harry Rosenblum.
Far Right is in training with Wayne Catalano. Oaklawn races through April 15.
Rosenblum co-owns Far Right with Bob LaPenta. The horse has earned more than $700,000.