Shannon C gets rematch with Denver City in Remington Park Turf Sprint
Shannon C will attempt to turn the tables on the win-streaking Denver City in Friday night’s $70,000 Remington Park Turf Sprint.
The five-furlong race is one of three Oklahoma-bred stakes on the card, and all are expected to produce starters for next month’s $1 million Oklahoma Classics Night at Remington.
The Friday night stakes also usher in Oklahoma Derby weekend. Remington is putting on 11 stakes between Friday night and the special Oklahoma Derby Day program Sunday. The latter card features eight stakes, including the Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks.
Shannon C was second to Denver City in a Remington allowance when the pair last raced Sept. 3. Denver City was winning his fifth straight race when he bested Shannon C by a length in the five-furlong turf sprint that went in a quick 56.21 seconds. Denver City, who was making his turf debut, led throughout, while Shannon C was prominent after breaking from the rail.
“He had a lot of pressure being applied to him midstretch he didn’t care for,” said Scott Young, who trains Shannon C. “We couldn’t get to the eventual winner.”
Young hopes to turn the tables Friday night, when Shannon C breaks from post 4 under Floyd Wethey Jr. Shannon C was beaten a neck by millionaire Welder in this race a year ago and has been putting up some strong Beyer Speed Figures in recent turf-sprint efforts. They include a July allowance at Canterbury in which he ran second to eventual stakes winner Minister of Soul and earned a career-high Beyer of 88.
“I feel like the five-eighths distance is key for him,” Young said of Shannon C. “And as he’s gotten older, he kind of seems to like the turf a little more than the dirt. He seems to carry his speed farther and faster than he did on the dirt. He ran a really good race at Canterbury for us, a great second. He’s been a fun horse to have in the barn. He’s going to bring his ‘A’ game Friday.”
Shannon C is a son of Latent Heat and Miranda Diane, a six-time stakes winner who earned $416,258. Shannon C races for his breeder, B and S Racing, who campaigned the popular Miranda Diane.
Denver City began his win streak last December when he won a maiden special weight for Oklahoma-breds at Remington Park. It was his second career start. Denver City proceeded to win three allowances at Will Rogers Downs between March and May before his turf-sprint allowance win over Shannon C.
Denver City will be making his stakes debut when he breaks from post 7 in the field of seven. Richard Eramia has the mount on the Silver City homebred for James Rogers and trainer Kenneth Nolen.
◗ Quarky, who was third behind Denver City and Shannon C in the Sept. 3 allowance, stretches out around two turns in the $70,000 Red Earth for 3-year-olds and up over 7 1/2 furlongs on turf. Quarky, who owns the field’s best collection of recent Beyer Figures, makes a rare start against Oklahoma-breds after being based on the East Coast. David Cabrera has the mount from post 2 for Jerry Namy and trainer Karl Broberg.
◗ She’s All Wolfe, daughter of millionaire She’s All In, makes her second start since a May allowance win at Churchill in the $70,000 Bob Barry Memorial. She faces defending winner Hawaiian Typhoon in the 7 1/2-furlong turf race for fillies and mares. Eramia has the mount on She’s All Wolfe for Robert Zoellner and trainer Donnie Von Hemel.