More Than Even tries turf in Bob Barry Memorial
The veteran racemare More Than Even will be testing her skills in a brand-new arena on Friday night when she makes her turf debut in the $50,000 Bob Barry Memorial at Remington Park. The seven-time stakes winner will be looking for career victory No. 15.
“She brings what she’s got all the time,” said Roger Engel, who trains More Than Even for her breeder, Doyle Williams.
The Barry Memorial is a 7 1/2-furlong turf race for fillies and mares bred in Oklahoma. Formerly the Ladies on the Lawn, the stakes was renamed this year to pay tribute to Bob Barry Sr., who was a longtime announcer affiliated with the University of Oklahoma, and his son, Bob Barry Jr., who was a popular television personality in Oklahoma.
Bob Barry Memorial, Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
More Than Even (Last 3 Beyers: 79-81-77)
◗ Engel is looking forward to the long-awaited turf test with More Than Even.
“The time had never been right for us to run her on the grass,” Engel said. “She’s so good on the dirt, I never really tried the turf. We breezed her on it, thought she worked pretty well over it, and will give it a go.”
Engel said the timing of the Barry Memorial, which is earlier on the calendar this season, and the fact that it’s for Oklahoma-breds, were other reasons to make this race the turf debut of More Than Even.
◗ More Than Even will be stretching back out to two turns following a dominant win in the Muscogee Creek Nation Stakes at six furlongs at Fair Meadows in her last start July 25.
“She’s pretty versatile,” Engel said. “She can sprint or go long. I feel like she’s a little better going two turns. I think she likes a flat mile as good as anything. Seven and a half [furlongs] should be a good distance for her.”
◗ Cliff Berry has the mount from post 2.
Bringinginthelute (Last 3 Beyers: 67-75-83)
◗ The winner of last year’s Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf at Remington, she is making her first start since December.
◗ Bringinginthelute also is returning to turf after running fifth on the main track in her season finale in 2014.
Harpers Princess (Last 3 Beyers: 83-71-76)
◗ She is moving back into the statebred ranks after defeating open company in an optional $40,000 claiming race July 19 at Lone Star Park.