Sep 20, 2018

She hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since her first start here a month ago, but Seventimesavirgin got familiar with that area again after she won the $16,000 Winners-Over Handicap for fillies and mares at Plainridge Park on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 19).

Seventimesavirgin (Shane Taggart) got away fourth as Western Stepp (Drew Campbell) and Shesjustadelight N (Mitchell Cushing) took turns at the lead by the quarter in :27.4. From there Shesjustadelight N led the ladies past the half and to the three-quarters where Taggart had Seventimesavirgin rolling on the outside and took over the race.

Seventimesavirgin went right by the leader in the final turn and when she got back to the pins Taggart popped the plugs, tucked the whip and sat chilly while his mare paced home a wrapped-up winner by three lengths in 1:51.3.

It was the fourth win in 16 starts this year for Seventimesavirgin ($5.20) who now has $57,500 on the card for owner Jesse De Long and trainer Jim Nickerson.

In the co-featured $12,000 fillies and mares non-winners event, Stonebridge Honey (Drew Campbell) tripped-out behind Our Royal Majesty (Wally Watson) until Campbell pulled her coming off the last turn where she blew by the leader and drew off by three to win in 1:54.2.

It was the third win in the last four starts for Stonebridge Honey ($4.60) who is owned by Eric Prevost and trained by Elisha Lafreniere.

Sep 20, 2018

 Rowdy The Warrior at one point last year was considered a possible long shot for the Kentucky Derby.

Rowdy The Warrior raced in the 2016, $300,000 Springboard Mile for his owner, Dr. Robert Zoellner of Tulsa, Okla., and Remington Park’s all-time leading, and Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame, trainerDonnie Von Hemel as a 2-year-old at Remington Park. He then was pointed toward the Oaklawn Park prep races for the Kentucky Derby. The gelded son of Warrior’s Reward is 4-years-old now and on Wednesday night, he showed signs of that early brilliance with a win under jockey Luis Quinonez, taking an Oklahoma-bred allowance race on the turf at the one-mile distance.

As a 3-year-old, Rowdy The Warrior, made some long shot lists for the Kentucky Derby when he ran third in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes in Hot Springs, Ark. He broke poorly in the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes in his next start and ran ninth, never showing any of his closing ability in a race that included Lookin At Lee, the runner-up in the 2017 Kentucky Derby. Instead of going in the Rebel Stakes after that poor start, Rowdy the Warrior was entered in allowance-company on the Rebel undercard. He ran third in that spot, but it didn’t deter his connections as Dr. Zoellner decided to give him a shot in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. After running eighth to winner Classic Empire, Rowdy the Warrior took a drop in class. He picked up a couple of checks for third-place finishes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. earlier this year before rounding back into form at his home base of Remington Park.

The gelding ran second, beaten only a head in his first start at Remington Park among Oklahoma-bred allowance horses on Sept. 6. Wednesday night he went off as the...

Sep 20, 2018

For the third week in a row and the fourth time in the last five outings, Roll With Faith dominated the Downs damsels by winning the $9,500 fillies and mares Open Handicap pace at Batavia on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 19).

Roll With Faith (Kevin Cummings) watched from last while Little Joke (Billy Davis Jr.) took the lead and led the group to the quarter in :28.1. But Cumming’s passive status ended before the three-eighths pole when he pulled Roll With Faith and started the long trek up the outside.

Roll With Faith caught up with Little Joke up the backside in the midst of a speedy :27.4 third panel and the two began to battle from there. The pair went stride for stride around the last turn and into the stretch when both Davis and Cummings really started to work their mounts. They continued to shadow each other until halfway down the stretch when Roll With Faith got stout and pulled away to a length victory in 1:54.1.

Roll With Faith ($7.30) has earned $60,309 this year on the strength of her now 11 wins for owners Finish Line Investors, Lawrence Willer and John Mungillo, who also trains the mare.

In the $8,000 fillies and mares Open II pace, Classy Lane Rose (Drew Monti) also got away last and stayed there until the three-quarters when Monti drove up the middle of the pack and then found room in the last turn where he swung three deep and flew past everyone to win in 1:56.

It was the...