Rated R Superstar a Hit for Caldwell in Governor's Cup
Image:
Description:
Photo: Dustin Orona Photography/Remington Park
Rated R Superstar rallies in time under Ramon Vazquez to take the Governor's Cup Stakes at Remington Park
Owner Danny Caldwell has won 372 times at Remington Park but on Aug. 20 the Poteau, Okla., native took a race he had never won before—the $175,000 Governor's Cup Stakes with Rated R Superstar . The Governor's Cup was the feature event on the opening night of the 2021 Thoroughbred Season at Remington Park.
Caldwell has won the Thoroughbred owners' title 11 times at Remington and now can add one of Remington's richest races to his trophy case.
"I don't have one of those; it's pretty," Caldwell said as he was presented the trophy.
It was also the first win in the Governor's Cup for jockey Ramon Vazquez and trainer Federico Villafranco.
Caldwell picked up Rated R Superstar for $50,000 in a claim at Oaklawn Park Jan. 30, a race that the 8-year-old gelding won.
"I love these older horses," Caldwell said. "He had a bad couple of races at Turfway Park and no one else put a claim for him that night (in January) so I was fortunate to get him."
Since the claim, the Kentucky-bred son of Kodiak Kowboy out of the Gold Case mare Wicked Wish has won two races, including Friday night's contest, in which he rallied from last to score by a neck over Plainsman , who had beaten him by a neck in the Jim Rasmussen Stakes at Prairie Meadows June 4. Trident Hit was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
"I knew the horse was doing great right now," said Vazquez. "I worked him the other morning. He had a lot in reserve when I finally asked him to run."
Rated R Superstar earned $105,000 for his victory and paid $9.40 to win. He improved his record to 55 starts, nine wins, nine seconds, and eight thirds for earnings of $1,173,014. He passed the $1 million mark in earnings this summer.
Running time for the 1 1/8 miles on the fast track was 1:50.30, following opening fractions of :23.61 and :47.17 set by defending champion Hunka Burning Love , and three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.18 led by Plainsman
It was the first race for Rated R Superstar on the dirt at Remington Park after having raced on the turf in the 2018 Remington Green Stakes. He finished sixth in that start, 3 1/4 behind victorious Turbo Street .
Bred by Thorndale Stable, Rated R Superstar is one of seven winners from 11 foals out of Wicked Wish. He is the dam's only stakes winner, though a half sister of his has produced a stakes winner.
Caldwell won nine owner titles at Remington Park during the past 10 years, losing only in 2019 to End Zone Athletics, trainer/owner Karl Broberg's outfit. Caldwell also won in 2008 and 2010. His top year was 2016 when he won the crown with 50 wins, the most ever by an owner at Remington.