Von Hemel sends out strong duo in TRAO Classic Sprint

Trainer Donnie Von Hemel will send out the capable pair of Chuck and Z Rockstar against the streaking duo of Chifforobe and Crusin’ Main in the $55,000 TRAO Classic Sprint at Will Rogers on Tuesday. The six-furlong race is restricted to 3-year-olds and up bred in Oklahoma.

Chifforobe could go favored after winning his third straight race last month in the $50,000 Route 66 at Will Rogers. Crusin’ Main will also be out to make it four in a row Tuesday, and he comes off a win in a first-level allowance for open company at Will Rogers on March 17.

Von Hemel counters with Chuck, the winner of the $116,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint at Remington Park in October, and Z Rockstar, who captured Remington’s $50,000 Silver Goblin in November.

“I think they’ll both be factors in the race,” Von Hemel said.

Chuck enters off a fourth-place finish in an optional $40,000 claiming sprint at Oaklawn on March 28. Z Rockstar, meanwhile, was second in an $80,000 claiming race, also at Oaklawn, in his most recent start March 27. The winner of the race, Moonshine Mullin, returned to capture an optional $50,000 claimer at Oaklawn on Friday.

“Z Rock’s cutting back after some longer races, so we’ll see if cutting back will be a good thing for him,” Von Hemel said. “Both he and Chuck won sprint stakes last year against the breeds at Remington.”

Floyd Wethey Jr., has the mount on Chuck for his breeder and owner, Norma Lee Stockseth. Luis Quinonez will ride Z Rockstar for his owner and breeder, Robert Zoellner.

Chifforobe is returning to the statebred ranks for the first time in a while. He built his streak against open company, winning a pair of optional claimers at Sam Houston and the Route 66 at Will Rogers. The last time he faced fellow Oklahoma-breds he was a first-level allowance winner at Remington Park in November.

Jose Medina has the mount from the rail for owner Paul L. Sinclair and trainer Jody Pruitt.

Crusin’ Main started his streak in November 2012 in a first-level allowance at Remington. He returned from a lengthy layoff in February at Sam Houston and won a $25,000 claiming race. Justin Shepherd has the mount for trainer Kari Craddock.

Also in the nine-horse field is Big Sugarush, the winner of the $50,000 Jim Thorpe last December at Remington Park. In his seasonal debut March 29, he was third in a $10,000 starter allowance at Will Rogers. Cliff Berry has the mount for Roger Engel.