The $1 million night of stakes racing for Oklahoma-breds, the Oklahoma Classics, has its 24th renewal at Remington Park this Friday at 7pm. A night of full field racing will include 13 going to the gate in the main event, the $175,000 Classics Cup.
The all-stakes Primetime Pick 4 will carry a boosted $70,000 guaranteed wagering pool for Oklahoma Classics night. The Pick 4 will take place over races seven thru 10 on Friday night.
The $175,000 Classics Cup field includes Imahit who will attempt to join a prestigious group of horses to win the biggest race of the night a third time. Owned and trained by his breeder, C.R. Trout of Edmond, Okla., Imahit won the Classics Cup in 2013 and 2014. He returns to the big race this season after his stablemate Shotgun Kowboy won the race last year.
If Imahit can win the Classics Cup, he would join Mr. Ross and Zee Oh Six as the only three-time winners of the race. Mr. Ross, an Oklahoma-bred millionaire, dominated the Cup from 1999-2001 while Zee Oh Six won the race in 2002, 2005 & 2006.
Imahit would also place Trout into special company in the Classics Cup as it would be his fourth win in the race, all consecutively. If that happens, Trout would join Donnie Von Hemel (6 wins) and Steve Hobby (4 wins) as the only trainers to win the Cup at least four times.
Von Hemel will be represented in the Classics Cup with Z Rockstar who will make his sixth start in an Oklahoma Classics race as he has competed every year since 2011. This will be the fifth straight year Z Rockstar has started in the Classics Cup, a race he has yet to win. He has finished second the past two years while finishing third in 2013 and fourth in 2012.
The only horse in the Classics Cup coming into the race off a stakes victory in Hyper Drive, winner of the $50,000 Oklahoma Stallion Stakes on Sept. 16 at Remington Park. Trained by Randy Oberlander, Hyper Drive is a perfect two-for-two so far this season.
The field for the $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup, by program and post-position number; with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:
1. Gospel Abe: Federico Villafranco, Ramon Vazquez,
2. Rage Riot: Roger Engel, Bryan McNeil,
3. Phantom Trip: Clinton Stuart, David Cabrera,
4. Cash King: Scott Young, Israel Ocampo,
5. Mustang Eddie: Boyd Caster, Quincy Hamilton
6. Imahit: C.R. Trout, Geovanni Franco,
7. Ted’s Folly: J.R. Caldwell, Iram Diego,
8. Royal Lion: Clinton Stuart, Richard Eramia,
9. Tuff Kidd: Ace Hare, Kevin Roman
10. Z Rockstar: Donnie Von Hemel, Luis Quinonez,
11. Lingerlonger: Kari Craddock, Erik McNeil
12. Hyper Drive: Randy Oberlander, Alex Canchari
13. Air Assault: Charles Abernathy, Jose Medina,
The Classics Cup is the ninth of 10 races on Friday night with a scheduled post time of 10:59pm. The remaining races include:
Race 1, $40,000 Filly & Mare Starter Allowance, 7 furlongs, 7pm
Race 2, $130,000 Distaff Sprint, 6 furlongs, 7:36pm
Race 3, $40,000 Starter Allowance, 7 furlongs, 8:04pm
Race 4, $145,000 Distaff, 1 mile-70 yards, 8:34pm
Race 5, $130,000 Distaff Turf, 1-1/16 miles, 9:04pm
Race 6, $130,000 Sprint, 6 furlongs, 9:32pm
Race 7, $100,000 Juvenile, 6 furlongs, 10pm
Race 8, $100,000 Lassie, 6 furlongs, 10:31pm
Race 10, $130,000 Turf Classic, 1-1/16 miles, 11:27pm
Guests attending the Oklahoma Classics at Remington Park on Friday night may take the “Classics Challenge,” a free contest where they must pick the winners of eight consecutive races. If successful, a lone winner will be awarded $250,000. If there are multiple guests to conquer the “Classics Challenge,” then they will share the prize money.