Chifforobe, the lone Oklahoma-bred in a tough field of older horses, defeated the only Texas-bred, Solar Charge, to take the $52,500 Clem McSpadden Memorial Route 66 Stakes at Will Rogers Downs on Tuesday. The 4-year-old gelding by Nobiz Like Shobiz scored by a length at odds of 13-1 with Jose Medina riding for trainer Jody Pruitt and owner Paul Sinclair. He covered six furlongs in 1:10.49.
This marked the stakes debut for Chifforobe, who was claimed by Pruitt and Sinclair for $7,500 last year when he broke his maiden first time out at Lone Star Park. The gelding then won a $15,000 claiming race at Fair Meadows and a $25,000 claimer at Remington Park. In his two prior starts this year, he won a pair of allowance races at Sam Houston Race Park. All told, the gelding has won seven of 11 starts with earnings of $105,513. He was bred by Chris Duncan and Elizabeth Valando.
Carolyn Barnett and David and Lana Alford’s Solar Charge, a 7-year-old gelding by Authenticate, took second and boosted his career bankroll to $397,109 in 48 starts. The Texas-bred shipped into Will Rogers after three consecutive stakes placings at Sam Houston.
Tim Williams and Tony Dale Jones’ Flat Black, who won the 2012 Clem McSpadden, finished third.