Answer In to Stretch Out in Springboard Mile

After drawing off to an easy victory in a seven-furlong maiden test Oct. 27 at Churchill Downs, Answer In will make his stakes debut Dec. 15 in the Remington Springboard Mile Stakes.

The two-turn mile stakes at Remington Park has attracted a dozen 2-year-olds in the final juvenile race of 2019 to offer Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The top four finishers will earn points (10-4-2-1) toward a spot in next year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables' Answer In will try two turns for the first time in his career. He lost his six-furlong maiden debut by a nose to South Bend, then delivered an eye-catching performance in his second start. Rating in sixth early in the latter race, Answer In improved his position in the turn, took command in early stretch, then drew off to a 5 1/4-length score. 

After earning a 90 Equibase Speed Figure in his debut, Answer In was awarded a 103 for his second effort. The runner-up in that race, Race Driver, came back to win a Nov. 23 maiden race by 3 1/4 lengths at Churchill.

Trained by Brad Cox, Answer In has worked five times at Churchill since his maiden win, including a five-furlong breeze in :59 3/5 Dec. 3, earning the bullet among 11 workers.

The Springboard Mile can be a good fit for horses moving into the lucrative Derby prep races at Oaklawn Park. Last year's Springboard winner, Long Range Toddy, took that route, earning placings in the Smarty Jones Stakes and Southwest Stakes (G3) before his victory in the first division of the Rebel Stakes (G2). Trained by Steve Asmussen, Long Range Toddy followed those efforts with off-the-board finishes in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby. 

Asmussen is back this year with L and N Racing's Rowdy Yates; Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables, and LNJ Foxwoods' Shoplifted; and Calumet Farm homebred Jungle Runner.

Oklahoma-bred Rowdy Yates is one of the most experienced runners in the field with six starts under his belt, including a pair of stakes wins against Oklahoma-breds at Remington Park in his past two starts. In August, the son of Morning Line won the TwinSpires Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes.

"We had a tip that he was going to be a nice horse at the sale," said co-owner Lee Levinson of their $42,000 purchase from the consignment of Susan Forrester last year at The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall yearling sale. "We just thought he was good-looking, and we rolled the dice, hoping to get lucky."

Shoplifted, by Into Mischief , will make his first start since a seventh-place finish in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park. Shoplifted earned his Juvenile start with a runner-up finish in the Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) in September at Saratoga Race Course.

Jungle Runner enters off back-to-back victories at Remington, including a clear score in the Nov. 1 Clever Trevor Stakes. The son of Candy Ride  also won at the mile distance at Remington, a 4 1/4-length maiden score Sept. 29.