Magic Grant possible for Springboard Mile

Magic Grant, who won his maiden in the Clever Trevor at Remington Park, is a candidate for the track’s $300,000 Springboard Mile on Dec. 15. The race for 2-year-olds offers points for the Kentucky Derby.

Magic Grant closed from next to last for a 4 1/2-length win in the seven-furlong Clever Trevor.

“I think he’s going to end up running in the Springboard,” owner Kevin Horton said from Arkansas. “Long Range Toddy won over there and Will Take Charge was second. We’ve had some pretty good success over there.”

Long Range Toddy won the Springboard and Clever Trevor in 2018 and Will Take Charge was second in the 2012 Springboard.

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Magic Grant was a $300,000 purchase at a 2-year-olds in training sale this past spring at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company. Eddie Milligan Jr. trains the son of Good Magic in his new role as a private trainer for Horton, who races as Willis Horton Racing in honor of his late father.

Horton and Milligan won another 2-year-old stakes last weekend, when Tapit Jenallie captured the $100,000 My Trusty Cat at Delta Downs. Her connections said she is a candidate for the Year’s End at Oaklawn Park.

An older runner for the barn is Oaklawn Handicap winner Last Samurai.

“He’s been on a 60-day layup,” said Horton.

◗ Remington’s turf season ended Saturday, according to track spokesman Dale Day. “It held on for two weeks after we had four or five straight nights in the low 20-degree range,” he said, “but had gone dormant, forcing the end of competition over that course.”

◗ Remington will have special afternoon cards on Monday and Tuesday and be dark next Wednesday and Thursday, which is Thanksgiving. Racing resumes Friday, Nov. 24.

◗ The Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic will top a 22-race, $2.5 million stakes schedule at Sam Houston. The 43-date meet runs from Jan. 5 to April 7. The Ladies Classic, for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, will share a Jan. 27 card with the Grade 3, $200,000 Connally Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles and the $100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile for 3-year-olds. Texas Champions Day is March 23.

◗ The Texas 2-year-olds in training sale will be held April 3 at Lone Star, the Texas Thoroughbred Association announced. The under tack show is April 1.

◗ Remington-based jockeys Luis Quinonez and Gerardo Mora are nearing milestones. Quinonez is 10 wins from 4,000 Thoroughbred victories and Mora was sitting at 991 wins through Tuesday.

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