Sunday’s Oklahoma Derby Field Takes Shape

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3) on Sunday, September 29, 2019, will be compiled in the Remington Park racing office on Wednesday morning, along with the seven other stakes events on the special program. 

New York Derby winner at Finger Lakes, Bankit, breezed a half-mile at Saratoga in upstate New York on Sunday, September 22, in :49.7 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Bankit finished second in the 2018 Springboard Mile behind stablemate Long Range Toddy, at Remington Park.

Bankit is expected to arrive with many horses traveling from Kentucky aboard the Tex Sutton Equine Air Charter “Air Horse One” on Wednesday afternoon at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City before vanning to the Remington Park stable area.

Long Range Toddy has been galloping on a regular basis at Remington Park since arriving here in late August. The victor of a division of the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., this spring, also posted a bullet five-furlong workout on September 15th in :59.21, handily at Remington Park. The colt who also won the Clever Trevor Stakes here last fall, has appeared on the workout report almost weekly since returning to Oklahoma City where he started his career.

Mucho Gusto worked five furlongs at Santa Anita on Monday, September 23rd for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, traveling in 1:00.40 handily. The colt won both the $100,000 Laz Barrera Stakes (G3) and the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita in California this spring. He then pushed the best horses in the country in the 3-year-old division this summer. Mucho Gusto held his own after the weather heated up, running second to Maximum Security in the $1 million Haskell (G1) at Monmouth and third in the $1,250,000 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga to Code of Honor, who some believe is the top sophomore runner in the country.

Mucho Gusto is scheduled to arrive via Air Horse One from California on Thursday in Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma Derby entries include: (From rail out) Drifting West, View Magic, Bankit, Sleepy Eyes Todd, Tax, Funny Guy, Chess Chief, Cairo Cat, Long Range Toddy, Mucho Gusto, and Owendale.