There were convincing performances from two promising three-year-olds at Remington Park on Sunday, with Lady Mystify making her journey from California worthwhile with a dominant display in the local Oaks, and Warrant – a barnmate of Breeders’ Cup Classic favourites Essential Quality and Knicks Go – landing the local Derby.
Oklahoma Derby – Grade 3, $400,000, 1m 1f, 3yo
Warrant signs the ticket
In the battle of the provincial Derby winners, Warrant emerged on top, doubling his tally of ‘Classics’ with a gritty victory in the Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Sunday. The Constitution colt, previously winner of the Texas Derby, picked up his first Graded stakes when drawing away through the last sixteenth to beat long-time leader Flash Of Mischief by a length and three-quarters.
Warrant ($8.40) had raced shy of the early pace under Joel Rosario, but moved into contention just after halfway, getting a dream run up the fence. Flash Of Mischief proved tenacious around the turn and into the stretch but didn’t have the answers when Warrant kicked on, stopping the clock in 1:50 and three-quarters. Super Stock, winner of the Arkansas Derby and Ellis Park Derby, was a never-dangerous third, closing late to finish a half-length behind the runner-up.
“It was a perfect trip,” said Rosario, winner of three stakes races on Sunday’s card, to the BloodHorse. “When we dove to the inside, he settled in and seemed very happy. The more I asked him, the more he gave me.”
Warrant has never been off the board in seven starts, winning three of them. Trainer Brad Cox was winning his third consecutive Oklahoma Derby following the victories of Owendale and Shared Sense.
“It’s a nice race to win,” Cox told the Daily Racing Form. “Any time you win a race with ‘Derby’ attached to it, it’s very meaningful.”
Remington Park Oaks – Grade 3, $200,000, 1m 1/2f, 3yo fillies
Lady lays down the law
Cox had the favourite in the other Graded contest on the card, but his Amendment Nineteen couldn’t cope with the power-packed display put on by Lady Mystify, whose win in the Remington Park Oaks was her first in Graded company.
Lady Mystify ($14), trained by Peter Eurton and ridden by Flavien Prat, sat just off the fractions set by My Girl Red before assuming command at the top of the lane. From there it was easy work, Lady Mystify keeping up a strong gallop to hit the wire three lengths clear in a time of 1:44 and change. Amendment Nineteen came from the back of the field to finish third, a head behind runner-up Pauline’s Pearl.
“She broke really well for me and we had a good trip,” said Prat. “I gave her a little breather on the backstretch and that’s why she gave me so much in the stretch.”
Lady Mystify, a daughter of Bernardini from the family of dual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow, has won three of her five starts in 2021, and was bouncing back from a dull effort in a Grade 3 at Del Mar, in which she was reported to have bled without Lasix.