Quite a Handful has easier task in DeBartolo at Remington

Quite a Handful will be shaking top-class turf horses Debussy and Gio Ponti on Monday when he invades from Chicago for the $125,000 DeBartolo Memorial at Remington Park.

The DeBartolo, at 1 1/8 miles on turf, drew a field of 10 horses, including millionaire Going Ballistic and the Grade 3-winning filly Peach Brew. Remington will also run the $50,000 Ricks Memorial for fillies and mares as part of a special afternoon card that starts at 1:30 p.m. Central.

Quite a Handful was an Arlington Million also-ran in his last start Aug. 21, when he dueled for the early lead under Tanner Riggs and finished ninth behind winner Debussy and runner-up Gio Ponti. He entered that race in peak form, having set an Indiana Downs course-record of 1:40.91 for 1 1/16 miles in an optional claimer.

“As good as he was doing we decided to give him a shot,” said trainer Andrew Hansen. “I’m not real sure if he liked the turf that day. It was soft, and Tanner said he dropped the bridle on the backside. He only got beat nine lengths with those kinds of horses and came out of it really, really well, so we’re sticking with our plans to go to Oklahoma.”

Quite a Handful has placed in three stakes, including last year’s Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby. He will break from post 8 in the DeBartolo and could get a stalking trip behind King Dan and Heza Wild Guy.

“I think he’s better with a target to run at,” Hansen said. “He always breaks really sharp, and then if he could tuck in right behind the leaders, I think that would be the best trip for him.”

Hansen, a former jockey who briefly rode at Remington in 1988, has given the mount to Chris Landeros.

Tricky Causeway is the DeBartolo field’s sharp local, having won a $35,000 optional claimer on turf Aug. 21. He was up for a head win under Ramsey Zimmerman, in what was his first race since December.

“There was a lot of speed in that race, they did cut a rug pretty early,” said Chris Hartman, who trains Tricky Causeway. “Ramsey put a beautiful ride on him – he came running on. It looks like he’s come back in good form.”

◗ Slide on Bye, who has faced some of the region’s best turf mares in her last three starts, looks like a top contender in the Ricks Memorial at a mile. In her last three starts, Slide on Bye has finished second to Bubbler, sixth to Wasted Tears, and fifth to Category Seven. Glen Murphy has the mount for trainer Francisco Bravo.