For Immediate Release
Friday, September 30, 2011
HUMBLE SMARTY WINS INAUGURAL VANCE STAKES
OKLAHOMA CITY – An intelligent effort came through in the first-running of the $100,000 David M. Vance Stakes at Remington Park as Humble Smarty saved enough run to win the six-furlong race by a nose.
Owned and trained by Brett Creighton of Pine Bluff, Ark. and ridden by Dean Butler, Humble Smarty left from the outside post position in the field of seven. Butler hustled him into place, running second while tracking the 2-1 wagering favorite Chief Of Affairs for the first half-mile. Humble Smarty can go all out to set the pace in a race but Butler revealed leading early was not the strategy after the 7-year-old’s race in the Remington Park Sprint Cup in August.
“We knew that Chief Of Affairs would want to use his rail post and show a lot of speed,” Butler said. “He put the pressure on Humble Smarty in the Remington Park Sprint Cup when he had the early lead. I thought tonight we might be able to turn the tables and we could pressure him.”
Humble Smarty was about three lengths off Chief Of Affairs until the end of the lone turn. After getting his early position, the gelding knew it was time to conserve energy.
“I started to give him a breather after the start but he’s pretty smart and he did it on his own,” Butler noted. “He had plenty left.”
Humble Smarty needed everything he had after moving out to lead by a length in the stretch. Rival company quickly arrived with late runs to make things interesting in the final strides where Humble Smarty prevailed by a nose over Herecomesbert. It was another nose back to Native Ruler.
Humble Smarty crossed the finish in a very sharp 1:08.72 over the fast track.
The fifth-choice in the wagering at 10-1 odds, Humble Smarty rewarded his supporters with $23 to win, $12.40 to place and $6 to show. Herecomesbert paid $22 to place and $7 to show. Native Ruler returned $2.80 to show.
The pace-setting Chief Of Affairs faded after leading early on, dropping all the way to last in the field.
Bred in Arkansas by James Danaher, Humble Smarty is by Mutakddim from the Zignew mare Humble Danzig. The win in the Vance Stakes was his 15th overall from 55 attempts. It was his sixth career win at Remington park. The $60,000 first-place share of the purse moves Humble Smarty’s lifetime earnings to $373,467.
Friday’s main event is named in honor of David M. Vance, Remington Park’s first president and general manager who presided over the facility’s concept and construction in the late 1980s. He then operated the track for its first seven and a half racing years before leaving in 1995. Vance was on hand Friday to present the connections of Humble Smarty with their stakes trophy.
Racing now moves into October with the Saturday night program underway at 6:30pm.
The 2011 Remington Park Thoroughbred Season continues thru Dec. 10 and will be highlighted by the 23rd 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.
Humble Smarty wins the David M. Vance Stakes at Remingon
Photo Credit: Dustin Orona Photography
For more information, contact:
Dale Day
405-425-3215, 405-326-7496 (m)