For Immediate Release
Saturday, November 10, 2012
PHOTO FINISH WIN GOES TO DON DULCE OVER DIAMOND JOE
OKLAHOMA CITY – Stakes runners competed in Saturday’s $38,000 allowance/optional $50,000-claiming feature at Remington Park. Diamond Joe set the pace and nearly made it last but Don Dulce was able to come up the rail to nip him by a nose for the win.
The winner of the $100,000 DeBartolo Memorial Handicap in mid-August, Don Dulce just got up for his first win since then under jockey Glen Murphy. Owned by Michael Langford of Jonesboro, Ark. and trained by Steve Asmussen, Don Dulce was mid-pack in the short field of six runners for much of the 1 mile-70 yards before beginning his move off the final turn.
Diamond Joe had the lead from the outset and established very easy fractions in order to save something for the stretch. The tactic nearly worked. The winner of nine races in a row earlier this year, Diamond Joe went :25.09 for the opening quarter-mile, :49.48 for the half-mile and 1:14.15 for three-quarters of a mile. In the stretch Diamond Joe led Don Dulce by a half-length with a furlong to go.
Don Dulce managed to get through to gain the advantage inside of Diamond Joe but the race was not over. The 3-year-old Diamond Joe battled back to force a bobbing-nose finish with Don Dulce getting the edge in the photograph. The gray Don Dulce handled the 1 mile-70 yards in 1:43.41 over the fast track. Diamond Joe finished two lengths ahead of Stachys who was third.
The even-money wagering favorite, Don Dulce paid $4.20 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Diamond Joe returned $5.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Stachys paid $2.40 to show. The Roan Ranger, Normandy Shore and Ted’s Folly rounded out the field.
The win was the fifth from 18 career starts for Don Dulce, a Kentucky-bred by Maria’s Mon from the Sky Classic mare Sweet Eloise, and his second Remington Park score. The first-place check of $22,749 boosted his lifetime earnings to $220,113.
The win with Don Dulce was the third of the night for trainer Steve Asmussen. His Remington Park staff also saddled Accent ($2.80 to win) in race three and Royal Ronnie ($4.40) in race five. The training triple gives Asmussen 35 wins for the season and increased his lead in the trainer standings to 15 over Chris Hartman who is second with 20.
Don Dulce was the second of three wins on the night for Murphy. He also won aboard Big Tall Paul ($5.40) in race two and Pure Divinity ($6) in race nine. His riding triple gives him 32 wins for the season.
The Remington Park Thoroughbred Season resumes Wednesday, Nov. 14 thru Saturday, Nov. 17 with the first race at 6:30pm nightly.
Open daily at 10am for casino gaming and simulcast racing, Remington Park features the Bricktown Brewery on the casino floor. Admission, general parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park.
Remington Park, with over 25,000 fans on Facebook and 3,000 Twitter followers, is Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino and is 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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Photo Credit: Dustin Orona Photography
For more information, contact:
Dale Day
Dale.day@remingtonpark.com
405-425-3215, 405-326-7496 (m)
