Separate Bet Highlights Big Stakes Night

The American Quarter Horse Journal, March 25, 2010 – Defending winner Separate Bet – winner of three stakes last year at Remington Park – tops the $100,000 Leo Stakes (G1) and highlights an impressive Saturday night stakes card at Remington Park.

Joining the 400-yard Leo on Saturday is the $35,000 Decketta Handicap for fillies and mares. Also, the $312,000 Oklahoma Futurity (G2) and $136,000 Oklahoma Derby will be contested after last Saturday’s card was postponed due to inclement weather.

Leo Stakes (G1)

Jimmy Harrel, Duane Harrel and Jo Ann Adams’ Separate Bet (Separatist-Better Bet On Me by First Down Dash) was the horse of the meet last year at Remington when he raced to three stakes wins in three starts. The gray gelding won the $50,000 Eastex Handicap, the Leo and the $200,000 Remington Park Championship (G1).

After winning the 2009 Eastex by nearly 2 lengths, Separate Bet also dominated the Leo when he set a track record of :19.396 for 400 yards while racing to a daylight win. That set him up as the 7-5 favorite for the Remington Park Championship and he gamely rallied for a head win over Here To Entertain.

The Paul Jones trainee then returned to his trainer’s main base at Los Alamitos Race Course. The earner of $745,748 has been winless in five starts at Los Alamitos against top-shelf stakes company, but comes off a second-place run behind 2009 World Champion Freaky in the $228,000 Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G1).

Joining Separate Bet from the Jones barn in the Leo is Jose Santo’s Frankie Shoots (Dashin Bye-Shake N Shoot by Tolltac), winner of the 2008 Vessels Maturity (G1) at Los Alamitos. The earner of nearly $300,000 comes off a close second-place finish in the Eastex Handicap (G2) in his first race at Remington Park.

Maliche Cattle Co.’s Charal Kid (Steakin La Jolla-The Special Feature by Strawfly Special) has won six of his latest eight starts. His most important win during this hot streak was a half-length win in the $202,000 Dash For Cash Derby (G1) for trainer Eusevio Huitron.

Decketta Handicap

In the Decketta, The Sparky Mullins-owned, -trained and -bred Eyesa Country Miss (Mr Eye Opener-Country Zevi by Zevi (TB)) is a local favorite and should be ready to defend her title in the Decketta. The winner of last year’s running by a length was second in an allowance race at Remington Park on March 7. That was her return to racing after an eight-month layoff.

The Reed Land and Cattle Co.’s Feature Jess Rockin (Feature Mr Jess-Me Rockin by Meter Me Gone) comes to Remington Park after a successful winter at Hialeah Park in South Florida. The Heath Reed-trained mare easily won the Sawgrass Stakes and was a close second in the City of Hialeah Stakes.

Oklahoma Futurity (G2)

In the Oklahoma Futurity, Don Hill’s homebred Traffic Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Traffic Ten Too by Dash Thru Traffic) brings fastest-qualifier status into a deep field, including eight trial winners, racing 300 yards.

The Stacy Charette-Hill-trained Traffic Wagon impressed in her career debut by pulling out to a 1 1/2-length trial win and by posting the fastest qualifying mark of :15.527.

Second-fastest qualifier Absolut Treasure (Desirio-Absolut Fortune by Stoli) also showed potential in his trial when he handily won by one length in :15.565. The Reed Land and Cattle Co.-owned homebred is trained by Reed.

Ed Melzer’s first-time starter Knuckles O Toole (Country Chicks Man-Itty Bitty Rarity by Rare Form) dominated his trial while pulling away to win by more than a length. The gelding was clocked in :15.599.

Oklahoma Derby

In the Oklahoma Derby, stakes winners Make It Bentley and Shakem Blue are set for a trial rematch over 350 yards.

James Sills and Gerald Swindell’s Make It Bentley (Make It Anywhere-Eye Opener Bentley by Mr Eye Opener) competed on the Oklahoma circuit last year and capped his juvenile campaign with a 10-1 upset win in the Black Gold Championship (G3) at Blue Ribbon Downs. He drew out in a sharp effort to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Make It Bentley made his 2010 debut in the Oklahoma Derby trials and raced to a narrow head win over Shakem Blue with the quickest qualifying time of :17.577.

Dan and Jolene Urschel’s Shakem Blue (Jess Louisiana Blue-Shakem Cash by Royal Shake Em) was credited with the second-fastest time of :17.587.

The gelding from the Jones stable won the Hialeah El Niño Handicap on December 27 and then was a close second in the $143,000 South Florida Derby. Overlooked at 20-1 odds, Shakem Blue was beaten by a neck over 440 yards after holding the early lead in the El Niño.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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Tags: AQHA, equestrian competitions, equestrian disciplines, Horse Racing

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