The 20th renewal of the Oklahoma Classics takes place Oct. 19 with a 10-race card for top Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbreds at Remington Park. The card of divisional stakes racing worth more than $1 million will feature the $175,000 Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma Classics Cup presented by TVG.
A field of 10 entered the main event, to be contested at 1-1/16 miles, with a streaking Pacar tabbed as the slight morning-line favorite by Remington oddsmaker Jerry Shottenkirk.
"Pacar is on a roll with four straight wins and has been odds-on in his last two," Shottenkirk noted. "Distance and track surface do not seem to be a problem for him as he has won over turf, a sloppy track and a fast track during his run. Z Rockstar and Imahit are the co-second choices and have been running well."
Owned by Ruston Jennings of Granbury, Tx., and trained by J.R. Caldwell, Pacar will have jockey Bryan McNeil aboard. McNeil has been the pilot for all of Pacar's win-streak races.
A 6-year-old by Fast Play from the Pleasant Tap mare Tap Tap Tap, Pacar was claimed for Jennings by Caldwell at Oaklawn Park in February for $7,500. He has finished in the top three in all but one of his nine races since and has excelled back in Oklahoma-bred company, winning a division of the $50,000 Red Earth Stakes at Remington in August.
Imahit and Z Rockstar both come into the Classics Cup off a one-two finish in the $50,000 Tishomingo Stakes on Sept. 21. Imahit prevailed by two lengths in that seven-furlong tune-up race for the Classics Cup.
Fifth Date is the top winner of races in the field of 10 for the Classics Cup with 14 career scores, eight of them at Remington Park. The top career earner in the race is Ted's Folly with $375,082. Ted's Folly was the 2011 Remington Park Horse of the meeting by virtue of his six consecutive victories during a perfect season that included stakes wins in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile and the Springboard Mile, the main event for 2-year-olds during the season.
The Classics Cup is carded as the 10th and final race on the program for Oklahoma Classics night. The action begins at 6:30 p.m. CDT with the Classics Cup scheduled for 10:42 p.m.
The other stakes races on the Oklahoma Classics card include the $130,000 Sprint; $100,000 Juvenile; $130,000 Distaff Turf; $100,000 Lassie; the $130,000 Distaff Sprint; the $145,000 Distaff and the $130,000 Turf. All Oklahoma Classics stakes purses are estimated.
$175,000 Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma Classics Cup, powered by TVG (Race 10, approximate post time 10:42 p.m. CDT), 3YO & Up, Oklahoma-breds, 1 1/16 miles
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Z Rockstar, L.S. Quinonez, 119, D K Von Hemel
2. Pacar, B. McNeil, 123, J R Caldwell
3. Polka Joke, C. Landeros, 114, B W Charlton
4. Imahit, L. Wade, 119, C R Trout
5. Fitzhugh Flash, B.C. Landeros, 123, A Gladd
6. Lucky Reward, B. Quinonez, 118, M Lozano
7. Fifth Date, A. Birzer, 118, F Villafranco
8. Evansville Storm, N. Matz, M R Teel
9. Ted's Folly, J.A. Medina, 119, W L Brown
10. Highway Fiftyfour, G. Steinberg, 118, A Gustafson