For Immediate Release
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
SOLID FIELD ENTERED FOR DEBARTOLO MEMORIAL FRIDAY NIGHT
OKLAHOMA CITY – A strong cast of turf performers are set to battle in Friday night’s $100,000 Edward J. DeBartolo Memorial Handicap at Remington Park. The 1-1/8 miles test features graded winners and this season’s Governor’s Cup victor coming right back for more.
Expansion and Schramsberg bring the graded value to the race, each with triumphs at the highest level of North American stakes racing this year. Skip A Smile, winner of the $100,000 Governor’s Cup on Aug. 20, comes back aiming for his second Remington Park stakes race of the meeting. Expansion, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, is just ahead of Schramsberg who is the second favorite at 7-2 odds.
“Expansion won the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap and was second in the Grade 2 Mervin Muniz in New Orleans. Combined with a second-place effort in the Dallas Turf Cup at Lone Star Park, that group of races will give him a good shot in the DeBartolo Memorial,” said Jerry Shottenkirk, Remington Park odds-maker. “He's been a regular in Grade 1 and Grade 2 stake races and rates an edge.”
Expansion, Schramsberg and Skip A Smile will all carry the same weight in the DeBartolo Handicap, sharing high-weight status at 120 pounds.
Owned by Millennium Farms and Mike
McCarty, partnership of Austin, Texas, Expansion is
trained by Steve Asmussen, Remington Park’s leading
trainer this season with five wins thru the first seven race
dates. Jockey Gerard Melancon, who rode Expansion to
his win and pair of seconds in races mentioned earlier, has
been named to ride.
Schramsberg, winner of the $150,000 Remington Green Stakes
over the turf last October, makes a return to grass racing
after winning the $50,000 Omaha Stakes at Horsemen’s Park in
Omaha on July 24. Owned by Bobby Hammer of Elmore City,
Okla. and trained by Chris Hartman, Schramsberg
won the Grade 3 John B. Connally Handicap over the Sam
Houston Race Park turf in January. Jockey Ken Tohill
rode him to victory in Omaha and has the call Friday night.
Skip A Smile, winner of the $100,000 Governor’s Cup on the main track here during the season’s opening weekend will also move to turf, a surface he has won over. Owned by Rose Marie chandler of Cibolo, Texas and trained by Asmussen, Skip A Smile came from 17 lengths off the pace to win the Governor’s Cup under Luis Quinonez who keeps the mount. Skip A Smile has won two straight races, scoring the $75,000 Assault Stakes for Texas-breds at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas in early July. He is 9-2 in the morning-line.
At 4-1 in the morning-line is Beachcombing, owned by Gary & Mary West Stables, Inc. of Omaha, Neb. and trained by Cody Autrey. Beachcombing has run three consecutive second-place efforts together over the turf in stakes races at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.
The only 3-year-old entered in the DeBartolo, Beachcombing ran fourth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. in March. A Triple Crown prep race, Beachcombing finished 11-3/4 lengths behind Animal Kingdom who would go on to win the Kentucky Derby. Jockey Corey Nakatani will travel to Remington Park to ride Beachcombing Friday night.
The complete field for the DeBartolo
Memorial Handicap, by post position and saddle-towel order,
with trainer, jockey, weight and morning-line odds:
1. Skip A Smile, Steve Asmussen, Luis Quinonez, 120, 9-2
2. Sunset Rider, Joyce Salisbury, Jenna Joubert, 113, 20-1
3. Dakota Gypsy, Kari Craddock, Chris Landeros, 117, 10-1
4. Schramsberg, Chris Hartman, Ken Tohill, 120, 7-2
5. Expansion, Steve Asmussen, Gerard Melancon, 120, 5-2
6. Little Wagon, Randy Oberlander, Lindey Wade, 117, 8-1
7. Beachcombing, Cody Autrey, Corey Nakatani, 114, 4-1
8. Shoot It’s War, Michael Biehler, Quincy Hamilton, 117, 15-1
Remington Park begins a special holiday week of racing, running Wednesday thru Saturday with action underway at 6:30pm. After an off day on Sunday, a special Labor Day program will be presented on Monday, Sept. 5 starting at 1:30pm.
In addition to the DeBartolo Memorial Handicap on Friday night, the $50,000 Ricks Memorial Stakes will be run over the turf for fillies and mares on Saturday evening. The Thoroughbred Season continues thru Dec. 10, featuring $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday, Oct. 16.
Open daily at 10am for casino gaming and simulcast racing, Remington Park also features Henry Hudson’s on the first floor, which opens for lunch at 11am. Admission, general parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park.
Remington Park is Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino, located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.
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For More
Information, Contact:
Dale Day
405-425-3215 (o), 405-326-7496 (m)