Oklahoma City, OK, December 6, 2024 – The biggest 2-year-old stakes race of the Remington Park season, the $300,000 Springboard Mile, drew a maximum field of 12 for Friday night, Dec. 13.
The Springboard Mile program was drawn by the Remington Park racing office this morning. A dozen races, six of them stakes events, will wrap the live racing here for the year. The special early start for the Dec. 13 season-ender is 5pm-Central.
Speed King will try to live up to his name and status as the morning-line favorite at 7-2 odds. The Ron Moquett-trained colt was impressive in breaking his maiden status in his career debut, winning a six-furlong race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. by 2-1/4 lengths. Since that Nov. 1 score, Moquett has Speed King training at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., posting a sharp half-mile work on Nov. 29 in :48.80 over a fast track.
Owned by Triton Thoroughbreds of Fort Smith, Ark., Speed King will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
Undefeated Jolly Samurai is a close second in the morning-line odds at 4-1. The gelding owned by Jake Brown has won all three of his attempts at Remington Park this season, at 5-1/2 furlongs, six-furlongs and seven-furlongs. His last two attempts were stakes scores in the Kip Deville (Sept. 29) and the Clever Trevor (Oct. 25). Danny Pish trains this closer with Rene Diaz remaining the only rider to be named on him.
Mister Omaha, will attempt to become the first Oklahoma-bred to win the Springboard since Ted’s Folly in 2011. Racing for Remington Park’s season-leading owner Bryan Hawk and trainer Joe Offolter, Mister Omaha will again have Luis Quinonez aboard for the fifth attempt of the season.
Mister Omaha has defeated only Oklahoma-breds to this point in his career, winning his last three races, including the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile (Oct. 18) and the Don McNeill Stakes (Nov. 8). He is the third in the morning-line odds at 5-1.
Jolly Samurai and Mister Omaha share the lead for most wins in this year’s Springboard field with three.
Dr Ruben M will ship from California for the Springboard, after breaking his maiden (Oct. 14) at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winning-trainer Doug O’Neill, Dr Ruben M is at 6-1 in the morning-line and will be ridden by regular jockey Edwin Maldonado.
O’Neill won the Kentucky Derby in 2012 with I’ll Have Another and in 2016 with Nyquist.
The Springboard Mile is a qualifying points race for the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
The leading earner in the race is Coal Battle (10-1) with $127,625. Coal Battle recently won the $100,000 Jean Laffite Stakes (Nov. 8) at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. A winner of two races from four starts, the colt is trained by Lonnie Briley and will be ridden by Juan Vargas.
The Springboard Mile will be the 12th and final race on Dec. 13, with an approximate off time of 10:28pm. Here is the field by program and post-position order with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:
- Coal Battle: Lonnie Briley, Juan Vargas, 10-1
- Blue Angel: Steve Asmussen, David Cabrera, 15-1
- Speed King: Ron Moquett, Rafael Bejarano, 7-2 (morning-line favorite)
- Dominant Spirit: Bret Calhoun, Jose Alvarez, 15-1
- Brooklyn Alley Cat: Danny Pish, Iram Diego, 20-1
- Essay: Bret Calhoun, Richard Eramia, 20-1
- Jolly Samurai: Danny Pish, Rene Diaz, 4-1
- Complex Music: Steve Asmussen, Stewart Elliott, 8-1
- Dr Ruben M: Doug O’Neill, Edwin Maldonado, 6-1
- Medicine Dog: Sarah Davidson, Floyd Wethey, Jr., 20-1
- Mister Omaha: Joe Offolter, Luis Quinonez, 5-1
- Keeno: Steve Asmussen, Jermaine Bridgmohan, 12-1
The Springboard Mile card features five other stakes just prior to the main event, including: the $50,000 Useeit Stakes, the $50,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes, the $75,000 Toby Keith Stakes, the $75,000 She’s All In Stakes and the $75,000 Jeffrey Hawk Memorial.
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Remington Park has provided more than $370 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 year-round simulcast racing casino gaming. The 2024 Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 13 when the $300,000 Springboard Mile tops the final night of the season. The major 2-year-old stakes race of the season, the Springboard awards valuable 2025 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
