E J Won the Cup, Most Wanted, and Flat Hanby have won five derbies among them and on Sunday each will be out to nail down their most significant career win in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.
The 1 1/8-mile race is the richest offering of the meet, and it’s being showcased on a card of eight stakes worth a cumulative $1 million. There is a special afternoon post of 3 p.m. Central.
Southern California-based E J Won the Cup, who will start from post 2 under regular rider Mike Smith, has won three derbies dating back to the Turf Paradise Derby in March. He then captured the Texas Derby in May and enters Sunday’s race off a 9 1/4-length win in the St. Louis Derby on Aug. 24.
“It was a real wowing effort,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “I was very impressed with the way he shipped over there and then Mike Smith – I have so much respect for his riding ability and opinion – commented he was so much more relaxed. Mike was really happy with the way he handled himself, with his progression.
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“He’s a horse that’s getting a little more mature with each start.”
E J Won the Cup’s win was notable for another reason as it came under the lights, conditions he will face Sunday.
“That was a night race, this is a night race, too,” O’Neill said. “He’s a nighttime guy.”
E J Won the Cup earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 101 and is looking for his first graded win Sunday for Superfecta King Stable.
“We thought if E J was doing well, this would be a good opportunity,” O’Neill said. “It’s a strong purse and it’s one of the last 3-year-old-only [stakes] this year.”
Most Wanted, winner of the Ellis Park Derby, is unbeaten in three starts. The half-brother to $4.5 million earner Life Is Good launched his career with a win over maiden special weight rivals at seven furlongs in June at Churchill Downs. Most Wanted then won back-to-back races at a mile at Ellis.
He took a first-level allowance over Uno Mas Bourbon, who came back win the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs, then captured the Ellis Park Derby with a career-high Beyer of 97 in his last start Aug. 11.
“We’ve always liked him,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He was a little late getting to the races, but he always appeared to have talent.
“This will be his first true two-turn test. Those races at Ellis are kind of like a turn and a half. They’re out of a chute. Based off his pedigree and how he presents himself mentally, I think he can handle the mile and an eighth. He’s obviously somewhat light on seasoning, but he’s a smart horse and listens to what the rider asks of him, and I’m hopeful that with a good trip he’ll respond the right way.”
The start Sunday will be the first under the lights for Most Wanted.
“It doesn’t concern me too much,” Cox said. “He trains under the lights here at Churchill in the mornings.”
Florent Geroux will be aboard Most Wanted from post 6 for Gary and Mary West.
“I don’t think he has to have the lead,” Cox said. “We’ll break and go forward and let him put himself in a comfortable position and rhythm.”
Most Wanted, who is making his graded stakes debut, is seeking to give Cox a fourth win in the Oklahoma Derby.
Flat Hanby, who won the Canterbury Park Derby in June, is attempting to win his sixth consecutive race. Floyd Wethey Jr. has the mount from post 4 for trainer Boyd Caster.
Remington Park leaders Steve Asmussen and Stewart Elliott are teaming with Dimatic after winning this race a year ago with How Did He Do That. The horse prevailed by a nose in a three-way photo and paid an Oklahoma Derby record $91.20.
Dimatic has had some close calls in stakes and enters off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby.
“He’s done everything right but win, the Texas Derby, the West Virginia Derby,” Asmussen said. “It’s time for him to win one of these things. We’re trying to pull out the Elliott magic at Remington, with Stewart winning it last year with How Did He Do That.”
Asmussen said in Dimatic’s favor is the fact that he’s a horse that’s bred to improve with age as a son of Gun Runner.
“You can see he’s just getting stronger and faster with every run,” he said.
The field is completed by Society Man, winner of the Grade 3 Matt Winn; Indispensable, runner-up in the Shared Belief at Del Mar; Mena, an allowance winner at Remington; and Canada Gate, a maiden winner at Del Mar.
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