Nev's Cat starts for red-hot Broberg in Red Earth

Trainer Karl Broberg will attempt to keep the good times rolling in Friday night’s $50,000 Red Earth at Remington Park. He has Nev’s Cat in the 7 1/2-furlong turf race for Oklahoma-breds. The horse is one of 12 in a field that also includes four-time stakes winner More Than Even and defending champ Sooner Superstar, both of whom are taking on males in the Red Earth.

Broberg, who ranks as North America’s leading trainer by wins with 214 through Tuesday, is also the leading trainer at Remington Park. He had a three-bagger at the track Aug. 15.

“We sure did enjoy opening night at Remington,” he said.

Red Earth Stakes (race 8)

KEY CONTENDERS:

Nev’s Cat (Last 3 Beyers: 78-78-71)

◗ Nev’s Cat will be moving into the stakes ranks following a first-level allowance win over open company at Lone Star Park in his last start June 15. The horse is a winner over the Remington course and shows a strong series of five-furlong works for the Red Earth.

“He’s training incredibly well,” said Broberg.

◗ H and H Ranch claimed Nev’s Cat for $25,000 in May. The 4-year-old is a son of the Storm Cat stallion After Market, and he has won 4 of 25 starts and $97,684. Nev’s Cat won the day he was claimed, a 7 1/2-furlong turf race at Lone Star.

“We watched and looked at him for a while, and always wanted to claim him, and never had a client interested,” Broberg said. “Finally, we had our chance at Lone Star.”

◗ Nev’s Cat will break from post 7 under Glen Murphy.

Polka Joke (Last 3 Beyers: 94-94-64)

◗ He returns to the Oklahoma-bred ranks, where he is a stakes winner, after defeating open company in an optional $25,000 claimer at Lone Star. He’s also returning to turf, and while he has yet to win on the surface, he missed by a neck in this race a year ago.

◗ Polka Joke will be making his third start since November, and in both of his starts this year, he has put up Beyer Speed Figures of 94. The numbers rate as the best of his career.

Dusty Okie (Last 3 Beyers: 73-79-76)

◗ Dusty Okie is a stakes winner over the Remington course and a half-brother to D Fine Okie, a multiple stakes winner on turf who earned $470,607.

Big Sugarush (Last 3 Beyers: 81-75-73)

◗ He exits a fifth-place finish in a stakes that has become a key race, with the winner coming back to take an optional $80,000 claimer at Churchill Downs and the fourth-place finisher an optional $50,000 claimer at Lone Star.