Third straight Classic for Mr Ross

OKLAHOMA CITY - Mr Ross won his third consecutive Classic Stakes by a commanding 10 3/4 lengths Sunday at Remington Park. The $90,000 race was the richest of seven statebred stakes at the track that made up the ninth annual Oklahoma Classics Day.

Mr Ross raced about eight lengths behind his stablemate, Peyvon, who held for second after running the opening six furlongs of the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:10.88. Mr Ross overtook Peyvon at the top of the stretch then cruised home, covering the distance over a fast track in 1:44.09.

It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Vince.

Mr Ross, who created a $456 minus place pool and a $10,668 minus show pool as the 1-9 favorite, paid $2.20. Don Pettinger was aboard the winner for trainer Donnie Von Hemel.

One race earlier in the $50,000 Sprint, Pettinger escaped serious injury in a two-horse spill when his mount, Naturalingredients, fell after clipping heels near the quarter pole. After she went down, Findaway fell over Naturalingredients and unseated his rider, Tim Doocy, who returned to ride Peyvon in the Classic. Both horses appeared to escape serious injury.

Medium Rare ($5.20) won the Sprint by 7 3/4 lengths over Expert for trainer Roger Engel and jockey R.D. Williams.

Devout Sinner ($2.80) won the $50,000 Distaff in hand, proving three lengths better than Voladora in the mile-70-yard race for fillies and mares. It was another seven lengths back in third to Fastybutnasty. Devout Sinner, a 3-year-old owned and trained Joan Charlton, was ridden by Cliff Berry.

Among 2-year-olds, the Von Hemel-trained April's Lucky Boy ($6) held off stablemate Expensive Risk by 1 3/4 lengths to win the $50,000 Juvenile, while Bayakoa's Image ($7.40) split horses entering the stretch and went on to a 3 1/2-length win over Here Comes Kari in the $50,000 Lassie.

In other races, Baja Harri ($78.40) posted the biggest upset of the program when he wore down the leaders through the stretch to win the $50,000 Turf. One race earlier, Itchieslew Park ($20.40) drove past the leaders inside the final grounds to win the $25,000 Starter.