The Remington Park 2-year-old triple of stakes events is now underway as the $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes began the three-race series with The Drifter pulling away to victory by 1 1/4 lengths on Friday night.
Owned by Charles Fletcher of Heath, Texas, and trained by Cody Autrey, The Drifter grabbed the lead coming off the lone turn of the six-furlong race and drew clear late under Cliff Berry, finishing in 1:10.65 over the good track. Westernator charged down the lane for second with Estrickator holding third after dueling for the lead with the winner through the first half-mile.
Away at 9-5 odds, The Drifter paid $5.80 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Keith and Steve Asmussen’s Westernator returned $7.40 to place and $3.60 to show. Connie Scherr’s Estrickator was the actual wagering favorite at 9-5 odds with a few dollars more played on him than The Drifter; he paid $2.40 to show.
The Drifter won his third career race from just four starts in the Kip Deville, his first stakes win against open company. Previously, The Drifter won the $75,000 Texas Stallion Stakes at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, a restricted event.
Bred in Louisiana by Leonard Warf and Patricia Clark, The Drifter earned $45,000 for his Kip Deville effort to move his career money to $105,000. He is a gelding by Seeking a Home from the Cutlass Fax mare Lady Radkey.
The Drifter gave progeny of Texas stallions a sweep of the top three. His sire, Seeking a Home, stands at Paul Jordan’s Rolling Oaks Farm in Gonzales, Texas, while Westernator and Estrickator are both by Intimidator, who stands at Asmussen Horse Center in Laredo, Texas.
Remington Park live continues Saturday and Sunday. The first race on Saturday is at 6:30pm. The Oklahoma Derby Day program on Sunday starts at 1:30pm, featuring the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, the $250,000 Remington Park Oaks, the $200,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup, the $125,000 Remington Green Stakes and the $50,000 Ladies on the Lawn Stakes.