Hyper Drive Wins Cherokee Nation Classic Cup at Will Rogers Downs

Hyper Drive (Photo by Coady Photography)

Henry Thilmony’s Cherokee Hyper Drive drew clear to a 4 ½-length win in Tuesday’s $55,000 Cherokee Nation Classic Cup Stakes for Oklahoma-breds at Will Rogers Downs. Lindey Wade rode the 4-year-old Don’t Get Mad gelding for trainer Randy Oberlander.

Bred by Tracy Strachan, Hyper Drive sold for $12,500 at the Carter Sales Company yearling sale in 2014, and the gelding has since banked $154,295 with a record of 18-5-2-2. This marked his third career stakes win after taking the Jim Thorpe Stakes and a division of the Oklahoma Stallion Stakes last year at Remington Park.

Randy Hare and Patrick DaSilva’s Tuff Kid, also a son of Don’t Get Mad, finished second to Hyper Drive. Tuff Kid also finished second to Hyper Drive in the Jim Thorpe and Oklahoma Stallion Stakes. Tuff Kid did get the better of Hyper Drive in an April 4 allowance at Will Rogers earlier in the meet.

Veteran Johnny Whip, in his 63rd career start, finished third and pushed his earnings over $490,000.