For Immediate Release
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
OKLAHOMA DERBY DRAWS COMPETITIVE FIELD OF 10, PLEASANT PRINCE TABBED AS 7-2 MORNING-LINE FAVORITE
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Derby Day racing program was compiled this morning by the Remington Park racing office. A field of 10 will test the 1-1/8 miles of the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, the finale of a 10-race card. Ohio Derby winner and Florida Derby runner-up Pleasant Prince has been made the 7-2 morning-line favorite.
Owned by Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey of Nicholasville, Ky. and trained by Wesley Ward, Pleasant Prince won the Grade 3, $100,000 Ohio Derby this summer and nearly won the Florida Derby in March, finishing second by just a nose. He went on to test the Triple Crown waters, finishing 11th in this year’s Preakness Stakes behind Lookin at Lucky in May.
A Florida-bred by Indy King, Pleasant Prince has been at Remington Park since late September and has a pair of workouts over the surface. The striking chestnut colt finished third most recently in the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx Racing in Philadelphia on Labor Day.
Jockey Joel Rosario will have the call on Pleasant Prince in the Oklahoma Derby. He currently has 217 wins for 2010 and is fifth in mount earnings with over $10 million this year. It will be his first attempt on Pleasant Prince and at Remington Park.
The resume of Pleasant Prince and a leading national jockey, stood out to Remington Park odds-maker Jerry Shottenkirk.
“This is probably one of the most talented and competitive Derby fields seen here in years,” Shottenkirk noted. “Pleasant Prince is deserving of the favorite's role, but is a slight choice at that. The runner-up finish to Ice Box in the Florida Derby plus the win in the Ohio Derby, were the determining factors.
“He is the slight choice over Distorted Economy, the runner-up to Apart in the Super Derby,” Shottenkirk continued. “The riders of those two will attract their share of pari-mutuel attention as southern California leader Joel Rosario puts a leg up on Pleasant Prince and another southern Cal regular Joe Talamo will guide Distorted Economy.”
Distorted Economy is 4-1 on the Oklahoma Derby morning-line. Owned by Robert Evans of Stamford, Conn. and trained by National Racing Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, the colt had the lead late in the stretch of the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La. last month before giving way to the eventual winner by 1-1/2 lengths.
Distorted Economy arrived at Remington Park a few days after his Super Derby second. He worked five furlongs here on Tuesday to ready for the Oklahoma Derby.
Grade 3, $300,000 Canadian Derby winner No Hesitation will have Remington Park leading jockey Cliff Berry up for the Oklahoma Derby. The streaking gray has won five consecutive races, all at Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He drew the outside post position, number 10, for Sunday.
Owned by Barbara Side and trained by Jim Meyaard, No Hesitation posted a bullet five-furlong workout at Remington Park on Oct. 3 in his final drill for the Oklahoma Derby. The Siberian Summer colt traveled with Meyaard, along with stable mate and Oklahoma Derby entrant Professor Pollard, on a 30-hour journey from Edmonton to Oklahoma City in late September.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, the leader in earnings in 2010 with over $12 million, has sent Monsignor as his representative for the Oklahoma Derby. Owned by Padua Stables of Summerfield, Fla., Monsignor is the third-choice on the morning-line at 5-1 odds. Jockey David Cohen will ride Monsignor. He was up when he won an allowance race last month at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.
Pletcher saddled Super Saver, the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby.
Remington Park’s leading trainer Steve Asmussen will send a pair out to try and win his first Oklahoma Derby. Holiday Buzz will get his second attempt locally after a third-place run in an allowance here last month. The Afleet Alex colt is owned by the Dallas partnership of Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner, Holiday Buzz will be ridden by Luis Quinonez and is 8-1 in the morning-line.
Asmussen, a two-time Eclipse Award winning trainer, will also start Raven Hawk in the Oklahoma Derby. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds of Las Vegas, Nev., Raven Hawk is a recent allowance winner at Monmouth Park. Jockey Aaron Gryder will have the call on Raven Hawk, also by Afleet Alex, at 6-1 morning-line odds.
The $400,000 Oklahoma Derby is scheduled for 5:49pm on Sunday. The complete field by post position and program number with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:
1. Professor Pollard, Jim Meyaard, Quincy Hamilton, 20-1
2. Monsignor, Todd Pletcher, David Cohen, 5-1
3. Paris Vegas, Fabrice Chappet, Joe Bravo, 9-2
4. Holiday Buzz, Steve Asmussen, Luis Quinonez, 8-1
5. Distorted Economy, Neil Drysdale, Joe Talamo, 4-1
6. Timely Pursuit, Mike Tomlinson, Terry Thompson, 30-1
7. Raven Hawk, Steve Asmussen, Aaron Gryder, 6-1
8. Pleasant Prince, Wesley Ward, Joel Rosario, 7-2
9. Stachys, Michael Biehler, Bobby Walker, Jr., 15-1
10. No Hesitation, Jim Meyaard, Cliff Berry, 10-1
1. Professor Pollard, Jim Meyaard, Quincy Hamilton, 20-1
2. Monsignor, Todd Pletcher, David Cohen, 5-1
3. Paris Vegas, Fabrice Chappet, Joe Bravo, 9-2
4. Holiday Buzz, Steve Asmussen, Luis Quinonez, 8-1
5. Distorted Economy, Neil Drysdale, Joe Talamo, 4-1
6. Timely Pursuit, Mike Tomlinson, Terry Thompson, 30-1
7. Raven Hawk, Steve Asmussen, Aaron Gryder, 6-1
8. Pleasant Prince, Wesley Ward, Joel Rosario, 7-2
9. Stachys, Michael Biehler, Bobby Walker, Jr., 15-1
10. No Hesitation, Jim Meyaard, Cliff Berry, 10-1
The first post on Oklahoma Derby Day, the lone Sunday afternoon of the season is at 1:30pm. Ahead of the Oklahoma Derby are stellar stakes races including the $50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes (race 6, 3:53pm); the $150,000 Remington Green Stakes (race 7, 4:22pm); the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial Stakes (race 8, 4:51pm) and the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks (race 9, 5:20pm).
Live racing continues leading up to Oklahoma Derby Sunday, tonight thru Saturday at 6:30pm. All times are central.
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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