Study Guide: 2024 Remington Springboard Mile

Dec 08, 2024 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Speed King breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)

Speed King breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)

A dozen horses have entered Friday’s $300,000 Remington Springboard Mile S. at Remington Park in Oklahoma, all vying for the 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualification points awarded to the top five finishers.

Eight of the entrants are exiting races at Remington. The other four prepped in California, Indiana, Kentucky, and Louisiana, so there’s representation from many places around the country.

Let’s take a horse-by-horse look at the field:

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Coal Battle

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Norman Stables
Breeder: Hume Wornall and Jay Adcock
Trainer: Lonnie Briley
Jockey: Juan P. Vargas

Top Speed Rating: (85) when winning the Jean Lafitte S. at Delta Downs.
Total Earnings: $127,625

Sire: Coal Front
Dam: Wolfblade
Color: Dark bay/brown

Coal Battle is 2-for-2 on dirt, most notably taking the 6 1/2-furlong Jean Lafitte S. by 2 1/2 lengths. But stretching out over one mile is a question mark for the speedily bred son of Coal Front; he missed the top three in his first two starts over one mile, though those were both on turf.

Blue Angel

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Three Chimneys Farm, Winchell Thoroughbreds, and Madison Mattmiller
Breeder: Gun Runner Syndicate, Jake Ballis, and Madison Mattmiller
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: David Cabrera

Top Speed Rating: (60) when winning a Remington Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $20,298

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Sky America
Color: Bay

Blue Angel fought gamely to win his debut sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Remington Park, but the 60 Brisnet Speed rating he received looks a little light against the Springboard Mile field.

Speed King

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Triton Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Nancy C. Shuford
Trainer: Ron Moquett
Jockey: Rafael Bejarano

Top Speed Rating: (87) when winning a Churchill Downs maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $69,000

Sire: Volatile
Dam: Athenian Beauty
Color: Gray/roan

Speed King looms as a formidable win contender after wiring his debut dashing six furlongs at Churchill Downs by 2 1/4 lengths, earning a strong 87 Brisnet Speed rating. Trainer Ron Moquett has won with 26% of his starters at Remington Park this meet, so expect Speed King to bring his A game to the Springboard Mile.

Dominant Spirit

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Martin Racing Stable, Bob Gorsky, Circustown Racing Stables, D and B Racing, and Luke Brown
Breeder: Clark O. Brewster
Trainer: Bret Calhoun
Jockey: Jose Alvarez

Top Speed Rating: (85) when winning a Remington Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $35,298

Sire: Mohaymen
Dam: Town Belle
Color: Chestnut

Dominant Spirit trounced his debut sprinting five furlongs at Remington Park, earning an 85 Brisnet Speed rating. But he regressed to a 79 when finishing second in the seven-furlong Clever Trevor S. over the same track. It’s possible Dominant Spirit wants to run a bit shorter than the one-mile distance of the Springboard Mile.

Brooklyn Alley Cat

Start(s): 6
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Jay Hester and Danny Pish
Breeder: Southern Comfort Farm
Trainer: Danny Pish
Jockey: Iram Diego

Top Speed Rating: (77) when winning a Remington Park allowance.
Total Earnings: $46,917

Sire: Ministers Wild Cat
Dam: Dream On Kayla
Color: Dark bay/brown

Brooklyn Alley Cat launched a big rally to win a one-mile allowance at Remington Park last time out, but he’ll need to improve upon his career-best 77 Brisnet Speed rating to beat tougher competition in the Springboard Mile.

Essay

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Collinsworth Thoroughbred Racing
Breeder: Lori and Coy Mark Collinsworth
Trainer: Bret Calhoun
Jockey: Richard Eramia

Top Speed Rating: (82) when winning a Lone Star Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $49,598

Sire: Thousand Words
Dam: Annihilation
Color: Bay

Essay exits victory in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance at Remington Park, but two starts back he finished eighth in Remington’s Kip Deville S., a race won by Springboard Mile entrant Jolly Samurai. Essay will need a better effort to turn the tables.

Jolly Samurai

Start(s): 3
Wins: 3
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Jake Brown
Breeder: David Cobb
Trainer: Danny Pish
Jockey: Rene Diaz

Top Speed Rating: (83) when winning the Kip Deville S. at Remington Park.
Total Earnings: $110,196

Sire: First Samurai
Dam: Jolly Good
Color: Chestnut

Jolly Samurai looms as the best of the local runners after going 3-for-3 at Remington Park. Late rallies have carried him to victory in both the Kip Deville S. and Clever Trevor S., and a top-three finish in the Springboard Mile appears well within reach.

Complex Music

Start(s): 6
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Mike McCarty
Breeder: Haymarket Farm
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Stewart Elliott

Top Speed Rating: (83) when winning a Horseshoe Indianapolis allowance.
Total Earnings: $75,630

Sire: Complexity
Dam: Auspiciously
Color: Bay

Complex Music recently dominated a six-furlong allowance at Horseshoe Indianapolis by eight lengths, earning a career-best 83 Brisnet Speed rating. But he finished out of the top five in his two previous stakes appearances, so stepping back up in class for the Springboard Mile is a question mark.

Dr Ruben M

Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: The Del Mar Group
Breeder: Malibu Farm
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Edwin Maldonado

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning a Santa Anita maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $59,700

Sire: Vino Rosso
Dam: Xoxo
Color: Chestnut

The fastest of the Springboard Mile entrants from a Brisnet Speed rating standpoint is Dr Ruben M, who posted a 92 when wiring a one-mile maiden special weight at Santa Anita. He’d previously knocked heads with Road to the Kentucky Derby points earners Emerald Bay and Getaway Car, so Dr Ruben M’s combination of strong Speed ratings and classy past performances stamp him as the horse to beat at Remington.

Medicine Dog

Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Henry S. Witt Jr.
Breeder: WinStar Farm
Trainer: Sarah Davidson
Jockey: Floyd Wethey Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (82) when winning a Remington Park $30,000 maiden claimer.
Total Earnings: $24,091

Sire: Constitution
Dam: Royal Charlotte
Color: Bay

Medicine Dog dominated his debut in a $30,000 maiden claimer by nine lengths, but he’s subsequently finished behind Springboard Mile rivals Jolly Samurai, Dominant Spirit, and Essay in the Clever Trevor S. and an allowance. Medicine Dog will need improvement to reverse those outcomes.

Mister Omaha

Start(s): 4
Wins: 3
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Bryan L. Hawk
Breeder: Bryan L. Hawk
Trainer: Joe Offolter
Jockey: Luis Quinonez

Top Speed Rating: (83) when winning the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile S. at Remington Park.
Total Earnings: $102,409

Sire: Omaha Beach
Dam: Cosmic Code
Color: Bay

Mister Omaha has dominated fellow Oklahoma-breds in three straight state-restricted races at Remington Park, most recently winning the one-mile Don C. McNeill S. by five lengths. His Brisnet Speed ratings are strong enough to suggest a top-four finish is within reach, even while stepping outside the Oklahoma-bred ranks.

Keeno

Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: Calumet Farm
Breeder: Calumet Farm
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Jermaine Bridgmohan

Top Speed Rating: (75) when finishing second in a Remington Park allowance.
Total Earnings: $31,064

Sire: Keen Ice
Dam: Siesta Time
Color: Bay

Keeno ran well when overcoming a slow pace to win a maiden special weight racing about 7 1/2 furlongs over the Remington Park turf course. But his 0-for-3 record on dirt includes an eighth-place finish in the Clever Trevor, so sticking to dirt for the Springboard Mile is an obstacle to overcome.

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