Remington: Winchell, Asmussen out for top dollar again

Winchell Thoroughbreds and trainer Steve Asmussen won the richest 2-year-old race in the Mid-South region of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas last month, when Sabercat overhauled the competition in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot.

Saturday night, the owner-trainer team has two bullets to fire in the region’s second-most lucrative offering for juveniles, the $300,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park. Seeker, who was fourth in the inaugural $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, and Basalt, who gave Asmussen the 6,000th win of his training career Nov. 18, will start as a coupled entry.

The Springboard, which will be the final race of the 2011 season at Remington, drew a field of 12 horses when entries were taken Wednesday. Post for the race is 10:14 p.m. Central. Asmussen, who is closing in on his eighth training title at Remington, will also start Pleasant Closing.

The complete field from the rail with riders is Reckless Jerry, Shane Laviolette; Pee H Dee, Bryan McNeil; Flashy Kid, Sebastian Madrid; Seeker, Corey Nakatani; Basalt, Luis Quinonez; Fire Alarm, Cliff Berry; Mr Bluegrass Music, Chris Landeros; Alternative, Belen Quinonez; Strong Resolve, Lindey Wade; Ted’s Folly, Jose Medina; Pleasant Closing, Alex Birzer; and No Spin, Chris Rosier.

Seeker, who earlier this year was third in the Grade 2 Nashua at Belmont, will be adding blinkers. Basalt, a son of Giant’s Causeway and the Grade 1-winning mare Fleet Renee, won a maiden race last out.

◗ Lone Star Park will host the Fasig-Tipton Texas December mixed sale on Monday. There are 131 horses cataloged to the auction, which will begin at 12 p.m. Central. The sale features breeding stock and horses of racing age.