Shared Sense rallies to win Oklahoma Derby as favorite

Shared Sense picked up his second derby win in just 10 career starts Sunday, when he rallied for a two-length victory over Mo Mosa in the Grade 3, $200,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to pacesetter Liam.

The Oklahoma Derby anchored a card featuring eight stakes, including the Grade 3, $100,000 Remington Park Oaks won by Envoutante. The races were worth a cumulative $640,000.

Shared Sense ($5.80) was favored in the Oklahoma Derby on the strength of his recent form, which included a July win in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby. He was content to settle in fifth in the early stages Sunday, as Liam set fractions of 24.11 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.96 for the half-mile, and 1:13.75 for six furlongs. Shared Sense advanced on the final turn, came four wide into the stretch, and put in a determined bid to cover the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.88.

“I had a perfect trip,” winning jockey Richard Eramia said on an interview broadcast by Remington.

Eramia, a longtime leading rider in the Southwest region, was winning his first Oklahoma Derby. He was aboard for Brad Cox, who became the first trainer to win the race in back-to-back years, it was announced by Remington. Cox captured last year’s Oklahoma Derby with Owendale.

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Godolphin bred and owns Shared Sense, who is a son of Street Sense. The horse has come to hand in short order, running second to Preakness probable Art Collector in a June allowance at Churchill before his three-length victory in the Indiana Derby.

Shared Sense earned $120,000 for the win Saturday, his fourth career victory. He has now earned $447,745.

Asmussen wins eighth Ricks Memorial

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen won the $60,000 Ricks Memorial for the eighth time in his career when Confessing rallied for a three-quarter-length victory over Quick Quick Quick. It was another neck back in third to Corluna.

Asmussen also was winning his third straight Ricks Memorial.

Stewart Elliott was aboard Confessing ($4.40), who covered the 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares on firm turf in 1:42.10. The daughter of Scat Daddy races for Phoenix Thoroughbred and was making her stakes debut Sunday.

Asmussen and Elliott had one other stakes win on the card with Kandy Ginger ($3.80), who remained undefeated in three starts when she captured the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord for 2-year-old fillies.

She was strong on the front end, racing with the pace through an opening quarter in 22.79 and continuing on through a half-mile in 46.65. In the stretch, she shuttled to a 2 1/2-length win while covering 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.41.

Miss Twenty finished second, while it was another length back in third to Gotta See Red.

Kandy Ginger is a daughter of Kantharos. She was winning her second straight stakes for the ownership of Asmussen’s father, Keith Asmussen, and Erv Woolsey. She also won a division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity in August at Lone Star Park.

* Racing resumes Thursday at Remington. Elliott will be off his mounts through Saturday as he is serving a suspension for a riding infraction, confirmed his agent, Scott Hare.