Oklahoma City, OK, October 19, 2024 – The superlatives continue through the roof for Miss Code West as she won for the sixth time at Remington Park with her win in the $111,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Handicap on Friday night.
No matter how many times she wins here, however, her trainer Kevin Scholl gets more and more emotional with each trip to the winner’s circle.
“I can’t even talk,” he stumbled through his words after the race. “Whew. She is a gift from God. She’s just so sound and talented.”
Scholl only has a six-horse stable at Remington Park, but he has done wonders with Miss Code West, a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred filly by Code West, out of the Kipling mare Inca Miss. She won four races here last year, including three stakes and was named 2023 Horse of the Meet. She has won twice now this meet and finished second against open company in the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks on Sept. 29 when the nation’s third-leading trainer Brad Cox won with Alpine Princess.
“(Miss Code West) ran her heart out in the Oaks,” Scholl said, “but Mr. Cox sent in a pretty nice little horse. He did that to me when we raced at the Fair Grounds (in New Orleans) too.”
Second-leading rider this meet, Floyd Wethey, Jr., won with Miss Code West on his birthday tonight. He won three races on Thursday night, his daughter Adalynn’s birthday. If he gets enough of his relatives’ birthdays lined up, he might even catch leading rider Stewart Elliott.
“This filly has really been a blessing,” said Wethey. “She is so easy to ride.”
Gospel Fabulous and Letta’s Legacy got a jump on Miss Code West out of the gate in the one mile-70 yards race on the fast main track, but Wethey said he was never worried.
“No worries,” he said. “I knew it was over. I was just being patient until we turned for home. Then I just pushed the button.”
Miss Code West (1-9) was the biggest favorite of the night. She drew away to blow their doors off by four lengths at the wire under wraps. Letta’s Legacy (14-1 second favorite) was the next across the line, beating the third-place finisher Stormieis Blue (27-1), the defending champion in this race. That 8-year-old mare was 3-3/4 lengths back of Letta’s Legacy. The rest of the order of finish was Janes Girls (40-1) fourth, Gospel Fabulous (45-1) fifth and Da Prairie Girl (35-1).
When Wethey pressed the go-button on Miss Code West at the top of the stretch, the winning filly sat behind fractions of :25.33 for the first quarter-mile, :49.85 for the half-mile and then hit the six-furlong mark in 1:14.47 and the mile in 1:39.36 before stopping the timer in 1:43.65 over the fast track.
She won $66,600 from the purse for owners Jeffry and Julie Puryear of Denton, Texas. They said their hearts were in their throats the whole race.
“I’ve been nervous for two days now,” said Jeffry. “I’m over it now.”
Miss Code West paid $2.10 across the board to win, place and show. She improved her record to 11 starts, eight wins and one second for $360,934 in earnings. Scholl said she will now be pointed for the Useeit Stakes on Closing Night, Friday, Dec. 13.
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Remington Park has provided more than $357 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The 2024 Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 13. The Oklahoma Classics Night of stakes racing for top Oklahoma-breds takes place on Friday, Oct. 18. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.