Reride latest in family's string of good ones

Reride improved his record to 4 for 5 with his win in the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park last Sunday, and the success he is having on the track is no surprise given his family tree.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said the horse has ties to several notable runners for Reride’s breeder and owner, Winchell Thoroughbreds.

“I’m a huge fan of the whole family,” Asmussen said. “His mother, Remit, is a full sister to Tapiture. I’ve been fortunate to have so many from that family that have been so good.”

Asmussen noted Remit also is a full sister to Retap, one of the first winners and stakes winners for Tapit.

Tapit has since become one of racing’s most prolific sires. Retap won the Riley Allison Futurity at Sunland in December 2008 for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Asmsusen. Tapiture went for the same connections when winning five graded stakes and more than $1.5 million. Remit, meanwhile, was a two-time stakes winner for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Asmussen, and Reride is her first stakes winner. He captured the $60,000 Big Drama at Delta Downs in January.

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Reride then shipped to New Mexico and won the Mine That Bird Derby with a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 91. The race was run over 1 1/16 miles, and Reride is now a three-time winner at two turns. He won his debut over 4 1/2 furlongs last June at Churchill.

“He obviously travels well,” Asmussen said. “He’s an honest little horse, and we’ll just try to find the right spot for him next.”

Asmussen said Reride was to ship to Sam Houston – which had been a stopover for him on the trip to New Mexico – and he will likely stay in Texas until a decision is made on the next start. The Mine That Bird Derby was the local prep for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby, and that race will be looked at, Asmussen said.

“I think we need to with him winning the prep,” Asmussen said. “Not a lot of the winners of the prep win the derby there. I think we’ll do the same as we’ve done with him to this point – just evaluate and try to find a spot he can win.”

Alfredo Juarez Jr. was aboard Reride in the Mine That Bird Derby. Last year, Juarez teamed with Asmussen to win the Sunland Derby with Hence.

Reride is a Triple Crown nominee by Candy Ride, the sire of Gun Runner. Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year, is co-owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and was trained by Asmussen.