For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
OKLAHOMA DERBY CONTENDER PLEASANT PRINCE WORKS AT REMINGTON PARK
OKLAHOMA CITY – The $400,000 Oklahoma Derby is fast approaching on Sunday, Oct. 10. Pleasant Prince has arrived and posted a sharp five-furlong workout this morning to begin his preparations for the state’s top Thoroughbred event.
Owned by Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey of Nicholasville, Ky. and trained by Wesley Ward, Pleasant Prince will attempt to add to his resume’ which includes a win in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in July and an extremely close runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in March. Ward was pleased with the first of two workouts he has planned for Pleasant Prince as he acclimates to Remington Park and Oklahoma City weather.
“He’s doing very well, the work was sharp,” Ward said via phone from his Keeneland Racecourse base in Lexington, Ky. “We are following the same plan we used with him for the Ohio Derby. We sent him to Thistledown over a week out from that race to get him ready and he won the race. We wanted to get in there early and get him familiar with the track and the surroundings.”
Pleasant Prince worked in company with 2-year-old filly Class of Fifty Two this morning. Pleasant Prince handled five furlongs in :59.67 seconds over a fast track, running down his stable-mate in the stretch. Class of Fifty Two finished in 1:00.25. Ward noted that Pleasant Prince will have one more official work before the Oklahoma Derby, most likely early next week.
While Pleasant Prince is headed to the Oklahoma Derby, Class of Fifty Two is being pointed to the E.L. Gaylord Memorial on the derby day undercard. Ward was able to send many horses in for the stakes card on Oct. 10.
“We managed to get a direct flight from Keeneland to Oklahoma City the other day. That works well for us to get our horses in place and get them an opportunity to work over the track.”
Pleasant Prince was most recently third in the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes on Labor Day at Parx Racing in Philadelphia. He has won two of his 12 career starts with a pair of seconds and three thirds. In addition to his efforts in winning the Ohio Derby and his near-miss by just a nose to Ice Box in the Florida Derby, Pleasant Prince also tested the Triple Crown waters.
After running third in the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs in late April, Pleasant Prince, a Florida-bred colt by Indy King from the Pleasant Tap mare Archduchess, also ran 11th in the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Preakness Stakes in mid-May.
Ward is making plans to attend the stakes-laden Oklahoma Derby program at Remington Park. His contenders that day will be the first that he has saddled in Oklahoma City.
In addition to the Oklahoma Derby, the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks, the $150,000 Remington Green Stakes, the $50,000 Gaylord Memorial and the $50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes will all be contested on Oct. 10.
The Remington Park stakes series for 2-year-olds begins on Friday, Oct. 8 with the $50,000 Kip Deville Stakes, at six furlongs. The race is named in honor of the all-time leading Oklahoma-bred runner who won his career debut at Remington Park over the main track in 2005 prior to becoming a top turf miler.
Remington Park will race Wednesday thru Saturday this week at 6:30pm before adding a day next week to race Wednesday thru Sunday to include Oklahoma Derby Day on Oct. 10.
Remington Park is Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino, located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.
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