The $101,100 Clever Trevor Stakes challenged seven 2-year-olds at seven furlongs Friday night at Remington Park. Suddenbreakingnews accepted the challenge and more as he rolled from the back, through traffic and on to a half-length victory.
Owned by Samuel Henderson of Odessa, Texas and trained by Donnie Von Hemel, Suddenbreakingnews was making the shortest start of his career. The 2-year-old gelding previously had three races this season, all around two turns, with nothing shorter than his initial attempt at 7-1/2 furlongs over the turf. Suddenbreakingnews followed that with a pair of one-mile races over the main track. The turn back in distance was not the first choice of Von Hemel concerning his charge.
“I didn’t want to do it but decided when an allowance race for him didn’t happen that we could at least get a race,” Von Hemel said. “I knew he would be running late but really didn’t know if he could get there in time. The half-mile split of :44.59 seconds worked to his favor.”
A speed duel developed early between Valid Decision and Bravura, helping set up a rally for the late runners. Valid Decision handled the opening quarter-mile in :22.17 seconds before Bravura posted the half-mile fraction and the six-furlong split of 1:10.53. Cash Bonus and Royal Lion made bids for the lead in the stretch with Suddenbreakingnews coming on under Luis Quinonez, moving between runners and on to victory in 1:24.01 over a fast track. Cash Bonus was second with Royal Lion third, three-quarters of a length behind the winner.
Away at 4-1 odds in the wagering, Suddenbreakingnews paid $10.80 to win, $5.80 to place and $4.60 to show. Cash Bonus returned $15.20 to place and $12 to show. Royal Lion paid $7.60 to show. Bravura, the betting favorite at 7-5 odds, faded to fourth after leading in the stretch, 2-3/4 lengths behind the winner.
A Kentucky-bred son of Mineshaft from the Afleet Alex mare Uchitel, Suddenbreakingnews was bred by Branch Equine, LLC. The Clever Trevor Stakes was his second career victory from four attempts, making him $60,000 in the process to move his overall money to $93,032.
The Clever Trevor Stakes is named in honor of the talented Oklahoma-bred millionaire and first state-bred winner of the Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park in 1989. Clever Trevor brought immediate star-status to a brand new Remington Park and Oklahoma racing. At age 29, he still resides at Robin’s Nest Farm in Piedmont, Okla. the family home of his trainer Donnie Von Hemel.
Courtesy of the American Racehorse
