2017 Oklahoma Derby Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com – The G3 Oklahoma Derby will be contested this Sunday, September 23 at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Horses three years old will be after the winner’s share of the $400,000 purse when they take to Remington Park’s dirt track and race 1 1/8 miles.

A field of eight will take to the track in the Oklahoma Derby – race 11 on Remington Park’s Sunday schedule. Post time is 7:46 PM. Let’s take a brief glance into the past performances of all eight combatants for this intriguing G3 stakes.

2017 Oklahoma Derby Entries at Remington Park

Girvin

Has placed in six of eight career starts for trainer Joe Sharp – four wins and two runner-up finishes. He enters off an uncharacteristic eleventh in the G1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga August 26 which followed a win against a strong field in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park July 30, an OK second behind Irap in the G3 Ohio Derby at Thistletown June 24 and a bad-trip thirteenth in the Kentucky Derby. Those results followed two straight impressive graded stakes scores – the G2 Louisiana Derby April 1 by 1 1/4 lengths and the G2 Risen Star Stakes by two lengths February 25 – both at Fair Grounds. He had a second in the minor Keith Gee Memorial Overnight Stakes before that February 4 and a maiden score at first asking December 16. Girvin was an early contender on the Triple Crown trail, has looked very good in works leading up to this weekend and shoots strong bounce back off an unflattering result. Robby Albarado rides from the outside gate 8.

Battle Of Midway

Has placed in seven of eight career starts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer – four wins, a second and two third place finishes. Last time out was a nice eye-opening 6 1/4 length win over Gormley and Klimt in the listed Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar August 26 after a very disappointing sixth after fading in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park July 30 and a good 4 1/4 length win in the G3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita June 24. Before that was a respectable third at 40-1 odds in the Kentucky Derby on May 6, a good second in the G1 Santa Anita Derby April 8 and another one of his wins – an Allowance Optional Claiming March 9. He started his career with a third in the G2 San Vicente Stakes February 12 and a win at first asking – January 21. Battle of Midway has been a factor virtually every time out and hopes to get his second straight stakes score – third in four starts with Flavien Prat aboard from post 3.

Bet Remington Park Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Colonelsdarktemper

William Fires trained colt has hit the board in seven of nine career starts – three wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He enters off an OK third in the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx September 4 after his career-best effort – a gate-to-wire win in the $750,000 G3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer August 5 and consecutive runner-up finishes – behind Irap in the G3 Indiana Derby July 15 and behind McCraken in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs June 17. Before that was an Allowance score at Churchill Downs May 29, an eighth in the G3 Pat Day Mile on that track May 6 and a fourth in the minor Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park in April. Colonelsdarktemper has hit the board in his last four starts (all graded stakes) and will chase a second win in three starts with Jon Kenton Court in the saddle from post 7.

B Squared

Has placed in five of seven career starts for trainer Doug O’Neill – two wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He made his graded stakes debut three starts back and finished a respectable second behind heavily-favored Battle of Midway in the G3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita June 24 and followed that with an OK third in the G3 Los Alamitos Derby July 15 and a disappointing eighth last time out in the G3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer August 5. Before those results were a sixth as favorite in the minor Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita May 29, a nice 1 1/4 length win in the minor Silky Sullivan Stakes at Golden Gate April 30, an OK second in the minor Echo Eddie Stakes April 8 and a maiden score at first asking March 4. B Squared has been a tad tough to figure out lately and will be after a strong bounce back and first graded stakes score. Mario Gutierrez will be n the irons from gate 2.

Gato Del Oro

Richard Baltas trained colt has two wins and a second-place finish in his four career starts. He arrives off a decent stakes debut – a runner-up finish behind Battle of Midway in the listed Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar August 20. Before that were two straight wins – an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar July 19 and a MSW at Santa Anita June 10. He was fifth in his debut May 8. Gato Del Oro has looked good in his last three starts overall and tries for his biggest win to date Sunday with Rafael Bejarano guiding him from gate 6.

McCormick

Has placed in five of seven career starts for trainer Ian Wilkes – two wins, a second and two third place finishes. He enters off a disappointing seventh in the G3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer August 5 after a good second in the G3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadow July 7 and a two-race win streak – an Allowance Optional Claiming June 4 and a MSW May 5 – both at Churchill Downs. Before that were consecutive thirds in MSW races to start his 2017 campaign. McCormick had been trending upward before last time out and hopes to prove his result last time out was the exception, not the rule. Julien Leparoux will be in the saddle from gate 4.

Untrapped

Has a win, three seconds and three third-place finishes in nine career starts for trainer Steve Asmussen. He was good this past winter when he broke maiden November 20 and had consecutive runner-up finishes in graded stakes action – the G3 LeComte Stakes January 21 and the G2 Risen Star Stakes February 25 – both at Fair Grounds. He arrives on the heels of consecutive third-place finishes – the G3 Indiana Derby last time out July 15 and the G3 Ohio Derby June 24 at Thistletown. Those results followed a disappointing twelfth in the Kentucky Derby May 6, a sixth in the G1 Arkansas Derby April 15 and a third in the G2 Rebel Stakes March 18 – both at Oaklawn Park. Untrapped has been OK so far but yet to post a graded stakes score. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will try to change all of that from post 5.

Altito

Frederico Villafranco trained gelding has four wins and three third-place finishes in her 15 career starts. He makes his stakes debut Sunday off a fourth in an Allowance here September 9 and three straight wins at Prairie Meadow – an Allowance August 6 and two Claiming races in July. He has been good against lesser company and hopes it translates in his major step up in competition. Ramon Vazquez has the mount from the rail.

2017 Oklahoma Derby Odds & Entries

Race 11 on Remington Park’s Sunday card with a Post Time of 8:46 PM.