Remington: Motion Approved upsets Red Earth Stakes

Motion Approved upset three Oklahoma Classics Day stakes winners in one shot at Remington Park on Friday night, when he won the $50,000 Red Earth at 37-1. He darted home by two lengths over Strategic Leader, the winner of last year’s Classics Turf.

Motion Approved ($76.60) also defeated She’s All In, the winner of last year’s Classics Distaff who finished fourth, and J J’s Indy, the winner of last year’s Classic who finished seventh. The Red Earth, a 7 1/2-furlong turf race for 3-year-olds and up bred in Oklahoma, was the first stakes race of the Remington meet that opened on Thursday.

Motion Approved came into the Red Earth off a fourth-place finish in a $10,000 claiming route race at Fair Meadows in Tulsa. He sat in fifth early on, as Ninilchik led the field through six furlongs in 1:11.05. Motion Approved advanced under jockey Nena Matz and went on to cover the distance on a course rated firm in 1:28.94.

Motion Approved races for his trainer, Marti Rodriguez. The red Earth was his first stakes win and fourth overall from 35 starts. He has now earned $175,182.