Oklahoma Derby better distance for Classy Class

Classy Class is scheduled to arrive at Remington Park from Maryland on Friday for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Wednesday. Classy Class will start as one of the top contenders in the Oklahoma Derby, which will be showcased on a special Sunday afternoon card.

Entries for the 1 1/8-mile race will be taken Thursday. Don Thompson, the stakes coordinator at Remington, said on Wednesday he anticipated a field of 11 or 12. Others set to start include Preakness runner-up Tale of Verve, West Virginia Derby runner-up Souper Colossal, and Grade 2 Super Derby winner Mobile Bay, all of whom were to arrive Friday.

Classy Class spent time on the Kentucky Derby trail this year, running third in both the Withers and Gotham stakes and fifth in the Blue Grass. He will be stretching back out to two turns after finishing ninth in the King’s Bishop at seven furlongs Aug. 29. The horse was forced to take up at a key point in the Grade 1 race at Saratoga.

“We just had a rough trip,” McLaughlin said. “Going further is more suited to our style. We’ll be forwardly placed.”

McLaughlin said Joe Bravo will ride Classy Class. The horse races for the Cheyenne Stables operation of Everett Dobson, who has strong ties to Oklahoma.

“We’d like to support Remington racing on the [big] day,” said McLaughlin.

The Oklahoma Derby is one of seven stakes on the card, which is worth a cumulative $1 million. The $200,000 Remington Park Oaks is expected to draw Grade 1 winner Include Betty, who has arrived on the grounds. The $150,000 Remington Park Sprint Championship will be led by Breeders’ Cup Sprint hopeful Ivan Fallunovalot. Trainer Tom Howard said the horse, who had been under consideration for the Grade 3 Phoenix next week at Keeneland, will instead have his final BC prep at home at Remington.

The field for the Oklahoma Derby also could include the Southern California-based Desert Dynamo. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Tuesday that if the horse runs, he will be ridden by Mario Gutierrez.

Hollendorfer won last year’s Oklahoma Derby with Tonito M. Desert Dynamo last raced Aug. 29 at Del Mar and finished third to Gimme Da Lute in the El Cajon. The race was over a mile, and Hollendorfer said he believes Desert Dynamo will like the added ground in the Oklahoma Derby. The horse races for Mark Dedomenico, Jerry Durant, and Michael House.

Trainer Donnie Von Hemel will be seeking a record fourth win in the Oklahoma Derby when he sends out Hillbilly Royalty and Poseidon’s Way. Von Hemel won the inaugural Oklahoma Derby, when it was called the Remington Park Derby, with Clever Trevor in 1989. Von Hemel was 27. He is now 53.

“I think for anybody who races Thoroughbreds in Oklahoma, this is the premier race in the state and one that’s on everyone’s list to win, including mine,” said Von Hemel.

Von Hemel’s other winners in the race have been Queen’s Gray Bee in 1991 and Going Ballistic in 2007.

Eramia out until Fair Grounds

Jockey Richard Eramia will be sidelined for the next six to eight weeks with a broken left collarbone.

Eramia said he will have surgery Tuesday. The injury stems from a spill at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 18. Eramia was originally diagnosed with just a small fracture to his right thumb, but he said after experiencing a significant amount of pain in his upper body, he visited his regular doctor this week at home near Dallas.

“It will take six to eight weeks, and I’ll be on time for Fair Grounds,” said Eramia, referring to the meet that begins in November.

Eramia won his fifth straight Louisiana Downs riding title last Saturday. Eramia, 36, became a U.S. citizen on Sept. 10. He has dual citizenship with his native Uruguay.

Cajun Spirit eyes Fair Grounds meet

Cajun Spirit, who invaded Louisiana Downs last Saturday and won the $75,000 A.L. “Red” Erwin, will target the upcoming meet at Fair Grounds, said trainer Dallas Stewart. Cajun Spirit shipped in from Churchill Downs for the Erwin and was back home on Monday.

Stewart said Cajun Spirit may spend the next few weeks at WinStar Farm to recoup from his travels. Earlier this summer, the horse raced at Saratoga.

“We want to get ready for the winter, for New Orleans, with him being a Louisiana-bred,” said Stewart.

Cajun Spirit races for West Point Thoroughbreds.

Cruz arrives at Remington

Angel Cruz, who won the spring riding title at Aqueduct, arrived Wednesday in Oklahoma City to ride the Remington Park meet, said his agent, Bill Castle. Cruz’s first mounts at Remington come Friday. Castle said the rider will see action in the Oklahoma Derby.