The notable debut winner Speed King takes on stakes winners Jolly Samurai, Mister Omaha, and Coal Battle in Friday night’s $300,000 Springboard Mile, a Kentucky Derby points race that closes out the meet at Remington Park.
The race for 2-year-olds offers points to the first five finishers on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1. It’s being showcased on a 12-race card that begins at 5 p.m. Central. There are six stakes worth a cumulative $625,000 on the program.
Speed King wired a field of maiden special weight rivals by 2 1/14 lengths on Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs, covering six furlongs in a sharp 1:10.25 and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 82. It’s the best last-race number in the 12-horse Springboard. Speed King will be making his first start around two turns Friday.
“That’s the big question,” said trainer Ron Moquett. “We’re all going to find out together. I know he’s a talented horse. And his gallop-outs indicate that he deserves the opportunity.”
Moquett said Speed King is a good-sized, good-minded horse. Rafael Bejarano has the mount from post 3.
“We’re going to the front,” Moquett said. “I mean, the trick is if he’s meant to go two turns, we’ll find out by the way he finishes because we’re going to put him on the lead. We’re going to try anyways.”
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Jolly Samurai is unbeaten in three starts and will be moving to two turns for the first time. He enters off back-to-back stakes wins at Remington.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to see how he likes two turns,” said trainer Danny Pish. “And, I’m looking forward to seeing if he can keep stepping up, like he has so far.”
Jolly Samurai closed from last to win his stakes debut by a neck in the Kip Deville at six furlongs Sept. 28. He returned to take the Clever Trevor, over seven furlongs, with a closing rush in his most recent start Oct. 25. Rene Diaz has the mount from post 7.
“I’m glad to see that there is a decent amount of speed in the race, a decent amount of horses that that like to be forwardly placed,” Pish said. “Anytime I have an off-the-pace sprinter that’s stretching out to a two-turn race, I’m always concerned that they’re going to get too involved early because of the softer pace, and it appears that there may be enough pace that it’s going to make it less likely for him to get involved early.
“I can see him laying about mid-pack and it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if he was farther back than that.”
Mister Omaha is proven at two turns by virtue of his win in the Don McNeill at a mile Nov. 8 at Remington. He will be making his first start against open company.
Coal Battle won the Jean Lafitte, a 6 1/2-furlong race run at two turns at Delta Downs, in his last start Nov. 8.
Trainer Steve Asmussen, who has won a record seven Springboard Miles, saddles Remington maiden winners Blue Angel and Keeno, and Complex Music, a Horseshoe Indianapolis allowance winner.
Complex Music romped by eight lengths on Oct. 22. For the effort, he earned a career-high Beyer of 74.
“I think he’s done a lot better since he’s come from off of it, just letting him settle a little bit,” said Asmussen, who has given the mount to Stewart Elliott.
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