Shipping Shanon Nicole to Oklahoma proves worthwhile for Maker

Just three weeks after a successful stakes invasion at Louisiana Downs, Kentucky-based trainer Mike Maker returned to the region Sunday and won the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks with Shanon Nicole. And he’ll be back again later this month with a starter for a major stakes at Retama Park near San Antonio.

Shanon Nicole was one of three horses Maker sent to Remington Park for the Oklahoma Derby Day program of seven stakes. He also ran second in the $100,000 Remington Green with Gentleman’s Kitten and third in the $150,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup with Ghost Is Clear. Shanon Nicole was a dominant 5 1/4-length winner of the second-richest race on the card Sunday.

“She was visually impressive,” Maker said. “She saw daylight, and she was gone.”

Shanon Nicole, who earned a career-high 91 Beyer Speed Figure, races for her breeder, Connie Apostelos. The horse had been a candidate for another stakes this weekend but was rerouted to Oklahoma.

“We were thinking about the Indiana Oaks,” Maker said. “We saw how this race was coming up and changed plans.”

Shanon Nicole, who won her second straight stakes after taking the $205,200 Indiana Grand in July, is a daughter of Majestic Warrior. She returned to Kentucky on Monday, with her plans to be determined, said Maker.

“Everything’s on the table,” he said. “We’ll see how she responds to the ship and the race.”

Maker said plans also are pending for Gentleman’s Kitten and Ghost Is Clear.

Sassy Kitten, one of the Maker success stories in early September at Louisiana Downs, is being pointed for the Grade 1, $400,000 First Lady at Keeneland on Saturday, the trainer said. She will be seeking her third straight win in a streak that began in a Mountaineer stakes on Aug. 2 and continued at Louisiana Downs in the $75,000 River Cities on Sept. 6. She won the latter race by an impressive 3 3/4 lengths and earned a career-high 91 Beyer. Sassy Kitten races for Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

Coalport, who finished first in the $75,000 Unbridled at Louisiana Downs last out but was disqualified and placed second for an infraction in the stretch, is targeting an Illinois-bred stakes, said Maker.

Vicar’s in Trouble, who won the Grade 2, $400,000 Super Derby on the same Louisiana Downs card as Sassy Kitten and Coalport, has long been a candidate for the Indiana Derby.

Maker said he plans to send a 2-year-old filly to Retama for the $100,000 La Senorita. The one-mile turf race is Oct. 11.