$114,500 Oklahoma Classics Filly and Mare Sprint presented by the Cherokee Nation
Shotgun Gulch won her second Oklahoma Classics stakes event in as many attempts, adding the Filly & Mare Sprint, presented by Cherokee Nation on Friday night at Remington Park.
Owned, trained and bred in Oklahoma by C.R. Trout of Edmond, Shotgun Gulch won for the fifth time in six races at Remington Park, winning the Filly & Mare Sprint under jockey Luis Quinonez at 5-2 odds. The 3-year-old daughter of 1995 Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch from the Boston Harbor mare Rosieville scored by an authoritative neck over her rival Vertical Vision.
"There was a lot of competition out there," said Trout, "and a lot of good horses. But, I thought she could win with her best race and she did."
Shotgun Gulch turned both barrels on 8-5 favorite Vertical Vision, catching her late in the stretch of the six furlongs while using her late-running style. Vertical Vision held on for second while Miss Natalie was another 2-3/4 lengths back in third. C J Jones ran fourth.
Shotgun Gulch and Vertical Vision have faced each other five times in their careers with the former always finishing ahead of the latter, winning four of those events.
Shotgun Gulch handled the distance in 1:10.02 over the muddy surface. She has won all three starts at six furlongs in her career and all five of her main-track starts at Remington Park. Her only loss in Oklahoma City came over the turf last time out, where she ran third behind two-time Oklahoma Classics Filly & Mare Turf winner Skedee.
Shotgun Gulch returned $7.40 to win, $3.60 to place and $2.60 to show. Vertical Vision, the beaten favorite, paid $3 to place and $2.40 to show. Miss Natalie paid $3.60 to show. The exacta (Nos. 1-2) $15.40 with the trifecta (1-2-3) paying $39.40. The superfecta (1-2-3-7) returned $157.80.
The win with Shotgun Gulch was the second for Trout in the Classics as he also saddled her to score in the Lassie a year ago. Quinonez won his sixth career Oklahoma Classics race, moving him into a tie for fifth-place on the all-time list in the series for the top Oklahoma-bred thoroughbreds.
The 3-year-old Shotgun Gulch earned $68,700 with her sixth career win from 12 attempts. She now boasts $249,346 overall.
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Photo Credit: Dustin Orona Photography
