Euphony blasts through rail opening to win Oaks

For Immediate Release
Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY - Pin Oak Stable's Euphony received a perfect ride from jockey Cliff Berry as she was able to save ground and move at the right time to win Saturday's $75,000 Remington Park Oaks.

The Versailles, Ky. owned filly defeated nine other 3-year-olds females in the one-mile turf event. Trained by Donnie Von Hemel, Euphony was impressive in winning her Remington Park debut by 2-1/4 lengths. She passed the pace-setting Fabulous Babe with a furlong to go and then held off a late charge by Hartfelt.

Euphony handled the turf mile in 1:38.43 over firm footing. Her winning effort came after waiting patiently through the first six-furlongs of the race, saving ground at the rail. Nearing the top of the stretch, Euphony and Berry exploited an opening at the rail that allowed clean sailing to victory.

The wagering favorite at 6-5 odds, Euphony paid $4.60 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Hartfelt returned $9.80 to place and $5.60 to show. Fabulous Babe held third for a $2.80 show pay.

The exotic payoffs in the Oaks included the exacta (Nos.2-6) $38.80, quinella (2-6) $20.80, trifecta (2-6-5) $129.80 and superfecta (2-6-5-1) $666.60.

A Kentucky-bred filly by Forest Wildcat from the Smart Strike mare Strike It Up, Euphony won her sixth career race from eight starts. She has never been worse than third in any of her races. The Oaks win was worth $45,000 to Euphony who has now bankrolled $227,200.

It was the second Remington Park Oaks win for Pin Oak Stable as they won with Brownie Points in 2006. Von Hemel won his third Oaks as he also trained Brownie Points along with Darlin Dixie in 2000. The score was the first for Berry in the Oaks.

The $52,450 Ada Stakes, for older fillies and mares going six furlongs, went to the late-running Awsugahnow who just got up to win by a neck over Reel Chrome after rallying from near the back of the pack in the early stages.

Owned by the Prospect, Ky. partnership of Randall Bloch, Phil Milner, Keith Basso and John Seiler, Awsugahnow is trained by Ian Wilkes and was ridden with perfectly-timed confidence by Eddie Martin, Jr. The 4-year-old filly made the lead in the final sixteenth of a mile, holding off a strong run by Reel Chrome in the process. She handled the six furlongs in 1:10.30 over the fast track.

Dispatched from the starting gate at 4-1 odds, Awsugahnow paid $10.80 to win, $6.40 to place and $4.40 to show. Reel Chrome paid $11.40 to place and $5.60 to show. Starry Pie rallied for third and paid $12.40 to show.

The Ada win was the fourth from 20 starts for Awsugahnow, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Forestry from the Quiet American mare American Jewel. She won her Remington Park debut and gained $30,000 to push the lifetime earnings to $213,414.

It was the first Ada Stakes win for all of the connections of Awsugahnow.

Speedy 2-year-old fillies had the racing stage in the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial Stakes at 6-1/2 furlongs. Phoenician Moon came from off the pace to win for Springfield, Mo. owner Poindexter Thoroughbreds.

Trained by Lynn Chleborad and ridden by Martin Escobar, Phoenician Moon took over in the final strides and pulled away to win by 1-1/4 lengths over the pace-setting Shining Moment. The Kentucky-bred filly handled the distance in 1:17.74.

Phoenician Moon was 7-2 in the wagering and paid $9.60 to win, $5.60 to place and $5 to show. Shining Moment returned $6.20 to place and $4.80 to show. Smart Cents was third and paid $4.80 to show.

A daughter of Malibu Moon from the Mr Purple mare Phoenicia, Phoenician Moon won her second race from three career starts, taking her Remington Park debut in the process. The first-place check of $30,000 for her Gaylord Memorial effort places Phoenician Moon's total earnings at $54,700.

The Gaylord Memorial is named after the late publisher of The Oklahoman, the largest newspaper in Oklahoma, and an avid racing fan and supporter of Remington Park in its early years.

Remington Park opens at 10 a.m. Sunday for Oklahoma Derby Day. The 10-race program features four stakes races, including: the $75,000 Remington Park Spring Championship, the $125,000 Remington Green Stakes, the $125,000 Remington-MEC Mile and the $350,000 Oklahoma Derby, presented by News9.

Tiz Now Tiz Then is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the derby, a 1-1/8 miles event for 3-year-olds. The derby drew a full-field of 12.

The first race on Oklahoma Derby Sunday is at 1:30 p.m.