Locally based Ted's Folly, the only Oklahoma-bred in the field of 2-year-olds for the $315,000 Remington Springboard Mile, finished with a rush to post his sixth consecutive victory as the 2011 racing season at Remington Park came to an end Dec. 10 (VIDEO).
Owned by Steve Martin of Morrison, Okla., and trained by Wilson Brown, 6-1 shot Ted’s Folly was ridden as he has been in all his wins by Jose Medina. The gelded son of Wild Tale adds the richest 2-year-old race of the Remington meet to his previous stakes triumphs over the track against state-breds in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile in October and the Oklahoma Stallion Stakes in November.
Ted's Folly ran the mile in 1:38.90 to post a 1 1/4-length win over Reckless Jerry, who edged Pee H Dee by a head for the runner-up spot.
Seeker, part of the Winchell Thoroughbreds entry for trainer Steve Asmussen, took the early lead at 4-5 odds as Ted’s Folly settled in at the back of the field in his first attempt going more than six furlongs and around two turns. He was last in the field of 12 as the group made their way up the backstretch but began to move up with just under a half-mile to go.
A prominent closer, Ted’s Folly had pace to run after as a three-way battle for the lead ensued from the start. Seeker, pushed along by Pee H Dee and Flashy Kid, clipped the opening quarter-mile in :23.54 seconds before Pee H Dee, ridden by Bryan McNeil, narrowly took over from the favorite with the half-mile in :47.43 seconds and six furlongs in 1:13.01.
Rounding the far turn with a quarter-mile to go, the original pace battle had dissolved with a wall of runners entering the stretch on even terms. From the rail out Pee H Dee, Reckless Jerry, Basalt, and No Spin were all in position to triumph. Pee H Dee held a slight advantage but as they neared the furlong pole Ted’s Folly had full momentum rolling wide off the turn. He swept past the leading quartet to take command with yards to go and drew off quickly.
Ted’s Folly continues to amaze many, even his trainer.
“Every time he runs, he’s fooled me,” Brown said after his first Springboard Mile victory. “He doesn’t look the part when you see him up against these big colts and only weighs about 900 pounds. But there’s none of them that have any more heart and none of them tonight had as much talent as he’s got.”
Bred by Harmony Stable, Ted's Folly is out of the Sword Dance mare Tricksword.
Pee H Dee, at 37-1 odds, was tagged late by Reckless Jerry, ridden by Shane Laviolette. Then came No Spin, Fire Alarm, Basalt, Pleasant Closing, Strong Resolve, Seeker, Alternative, Mr. Bluegrass Music, and Flashy Kid.
Under equal weights of 120 pounds, Ted’s Folly paid $15.40, $7.20, and $4.60. Reckless Jerry returned $14.20 and $6.40. Pee H Dee paid $15.20 to show.
Ted’s Folly, the lone gelding in the field, won won all six of his career races this season at Remington Park. Prior to the meet, the dark bay had a pair of off the board finishes at Prairie Meadows in Iowa.
The Springboard Mile winner’s check of $195,000 bumps the total bankroll for Ted’s Folly to $336,979.
With the close of the Remington meet, jockey Cliff Berry secured his 14th Pat Steinberg Award, winning one race to put his season total at 68 victories. He finished three wins ahead of Luis Quinonez.
Asmussen, from Arlington, Texas, was shut out on closing night but had already clinched his eighth Remington Park training title with 50 winners, 17 ahead of runner-up Chris Hartman. He won his first training title at the Oklahoma City track in 1991.
Danny Caldwell and Black Hawk Stable, both based in Oklahoma, shared the owner title with 18 wins apiece.
Ted's Folly rolls late to win the Remington Springboard Mile.
Dustin Orona Photography