Multiple graded stakes-winning jockey Drayden Van Dyke gave trainer Saffie Joseph Jr all the credit as he rode Lorenz to victory in the USD 75,000 Remington Green Stakes on Sunday in Oklahoma City.
Lorenz, a six-year-old gelding, came out before the post parade and was a horse that did not look happy. Van Dyke got him to calm down enough to join the post parade and was loaded first into the gate in the field of older grass horses. Van Dyke said he was much more collected during the running of the race, which he won on turf with a late kick.
“He’s a cool horse,” Van Dyke said. “He’ll just sit back for you and doesn’t pull on you to go. When I did ask him, he gave me a good punch.”
Lorenz, by Forestry, out of the Amigoni (IRE) mare Baez (BRZ), was nearly dead last coming down the backstretch in the field of eight. He didn’t take over in the race until late stretch before pulling away by 1-1/2 lengths as a 5-1 outsider.
Lorenz covered the 1-1/8 miles in 1:51.94 over the firm going. It was the first win in the Remington Green for all the connections of the horse.
The top three front-runners early in the race all faded to the last three spots in the race as Lorenz made his run, passing nearly everyone in the race to win. He cut into interior fractions of :23.57 for the first quarter-mile, :48.10 for the half-mile, 1:13.59 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:39.36 for the mile.
Asked afterwards if he had any doubts whether Lorenz could get the distance, Van Dyke said simply: “No, Saffie knows what he’s doing; I’m just the pilot. I know I enjoy riding his horses.”
It was the first stakes win for Van Dyke in Oklahoma City since he won aboard Include Betty in the 2015 Remington Park Oaks for trainer Thomas Proctor and owners Brereton C Jones and Timothy Thornton.
Fuerteventura (3-1) was the Green runner-up with Spoiler (16-1) another 1-1/2 lengths back in third. The remaining order of finish was Red Run (4-1) fourth, Ocelot (8-5) fifth, Unload (7-1) sixth, Without a Trace (36-1) seventh and Mor Victory (17-1) eighth and last.
Lorenz paid $13.20 to win, $7 to place and $4.20 to show. He earned $45,000 for owner Daniel Alonso of Miami, Fla., moving him past the $100,000 mark in earnings lifetime. He improved his running line to 16 starts, six wins, four seconds and three thirds with earnings of $124,771. He was bred in Brazil by Haras Cifra.
Remington Park racing continues Wednesday through Saturday, October 2-5 with first post time of 6:30 pm CDT nightly.
Meanwhile, Joseph picked up his 12th and 13th victories at Gulfstream for the Sunshine Meet. Barbadian compatriot Micah Husbands rode Edith to victory in the USD 50,000 stakes, and Edgard Zayas piloted Concrete Glory to a USD 25,000 win.
(PR/TF)
