More Than Even faces new challenger in Classic Distaff Sprint

More Than Even will meet a notable new rival in Heykittykittykitty on Monday, when she defends her title in the $55,000 Cherokee Casino Classic Distaff Sprint at Will Rogers Downs near Tulsa, Okla.

Heykittykittykitty enters off a productive Oaklawn season in which she won two high-end optional claimers and finished second in the $100,000 Spring Fever Stakes.

More Than Even, meanwhile, has won four of her last five starts, including the $53,000 Wilma Mankiller at Will Rogers in her most recent out April 6. The horses are part of a field of six for the Classic Distaff Sprint, a six-furlong race restricted to fillies and mares bred in Oklahoma.

Classic Distaff Sprint, race 9

KEY CONTENDERS

More Than Even (Last 3 Beyers: 85-86-78)

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◗ She improved her Will Rogers record to 5 for 6 with a dominant win in the Wilma Mankiller. It was the fifth stakes win for More Than Even, who defeated a field of open-company runners featuring several invading from Oaklawn.

◗ More Than Even has tactical speed and might get a tracking trip behind the rail-drawn Shut the Gate, Jealous Ellis, and perhaps Heykittykittykitty, who breaks to her inside from post 3. More Than Even will start from post 5.

◗ Cliff Berry has the mount on More Than Even, who races for her breeder, Doyle Williams, and is trained by Roger Engel. Engel is having a banner meet at Will Rogers, where through Thursday he had won 24 races from 41 starters, for a 59 percent win rate.

Heykittykittykitty (Last 3 Beyers: 81-85-86)

◗ She has been in the zone all year, finishing first or second in her four starts at the Oaklawn meet. Heykittykittykitty won an optional $40,000 claimer Feb. 6, ran second to Spring Included in the Spring Fever on Feb. 21, ran second in an allowance March 12, then capped the meet with a win in an optional $50,000 claimer April 4.

◗ Heykittykittykitty returns to the Oklahoma-bred ranks with the move to Will Rogers, and both of her career stakes wins have come against such rivals. The wins were in Oklahoma Stallion Stakes races, with one at Will Rogers last May.

◗ Heykittykittykitty, who races for Westrock Stables, invades from the Churchill Downs base of her trainer, Ron Moquett, who has Arkansas Derby runner-up Far Right for the Kentucky Derby.

◗ Didiel Osorio has the mount on Heykittykittykitty.