Asmussen Brings Quintet into Springboard Mile
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Bankit, winner of the Sleepy Hollow Stakes, is among the five entrants for the Springboard Mile from the barn of Steve Asmussen
Racing Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen brings strength in numbers into the $400,000 Remington Springboard Mile Stakes, boasting five entrants in the 11-horse field for the one-mile test Dec. 16.
Remington Park's featured 2-year-old event is the final 2018 race in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, with valuable qualifying points on the line for the 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
Asmussen's quintet includes four who already have competed in Oklahoma City this season and a new player in Bankit.
Derby Qualifying Points Boost Springboard Mile
Bankit, owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, last raced Oct. 20 when he won the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes for New York-breds at Belmont Park. Bankit will have the riding services of Ricardo Santana Jr. Santana won five races on the Oklahoma Derby Day program in Oklahoma City Sept. 30, all for Asmussen, including the grade 3 Remington Park Oaks, the Governor's Cup, the Kip Deville Stakes, the Ricks Memorial, and the E.L. Gaylord Memorial.
Long Range Toddy, winner of the $100,000 Clever Trevor Stakes Nov. 2 at Remington, seeks to complete the sweep of the top two local stakes races for juveniles at Remington Park. After breaking his maiden status Sept. 28, Long Range Toddy led throughout the seven-furlong Clever Trevor, winning by one length.
Tobacco Road, third in the Clever Trevor Stakes, tries to make amends for that effort with his second start at Remington for Asmussen. The winner of the Ellis Park Juvenile in August, Tobacco Road was fourth in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in September and then ninth in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland in October. Ramon Vazquez will ride Tobacco Road for the first time in the Springboard Mile.
Rounding out the Asmussen team for the Springboard Mile is Tone Broke, a winner of a maiden event followed by an allowance score at Remington Park this season; and Kaziranga, second behind Tone Broke in that allowance race in November. Jockey David Cabrera keeps the ride on Tone Broke while Iram Diego handles Kaziranga.
Jockey Javier Castellano will ride the morning-line favorite in Epic Dreamer. Trained by Kelly Breen, Epic Dreamer posted a bullet half-mile breeze Dec. 7 at Remington, cruising in :47.31 over a fast track. It was the fastest work of 27 going a half-mile that morning. Epic Dreamer is at 8-5 odds and drew the rail for the Springboard Mile. The 2-year-old son of Orb won a maiden race at Belmont Park Oct. 26, winning by 2 1/2-lengths.
The Springboard Mile is the main event Sunday, with five other stakes, including the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes for juvenile fillies, helping to round out the 12-race program.
Remington Park, Sunday, December 16, 2018, Race 11Entries: Remington Springboard Mile S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Epic Dreamer (KY)
Javier Castellano
121
Kelly J. Breen
8/5
2
2Kaziranga (KY)
Iram Vargas Diego
121
Steven M. Asmussen
15/1
3
3Marquee Prince (KY)
Florent Geroux
121
Brad H. Cox
10/1
4
4Six Shooter (KY)
Alex L. Canchari
121
Paul E. Holthus
8/1
5
5Long Range Toddy (KY)
Richard E. Eramia
121
Steven M. Asmussen
12/1
6
6Tone Broke (ON)
David Cabrera
121
Steven M. Asmussen
15/1
7
7Dobbins G (OK)
Luis S. Quinonez
121
Martin Lozano
30/1
8
8Bankit (NY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
121
Steven M. Asmussen
3/1
9
9Tobacco Road (KY)
Ramon A. Vazquez
121
Steven M. Asmussen
15/1
10
10Dunph (KY)
Reylu Gutierrez
121
Michael J. Maker
10/1
11
11D Toz (OK)
Lane J. Luzzi
121
Danny Pish
20/1
