Racing


Let There Be Sound Wins Grade 2 Remington Park Distance Championship
Let There Be Sound (#2) wins the Remington Park Distance Championship over Jess A Hilbily Bone (#7, blue blinkers and shadow roll) by one length on Saturday.

© Dustin Orona Photography
Let There Be Sound Wins Grade 2 Remington Park Distance Championship

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 30, 2020—Let There Be Sound just refuses to lose. He ran his winning streak to six in a row, winning the Grade 2, $41,120 Remington Park Distance Championship, just like his odds predicted.

The public pounded him at the betting windows down to 3-5 odds and he ran away with this 870-yard turn race by a full length over runner-up Jess a Hilbily Bone (31-1 odds). That longest shot on the board was closing strongly, but like champions usually do, Let There Be Sound found another gear and held off the charging longshot for the victory.

Stormy Smith got his 6-year-old gelding out of the gate second to the front-running JB Gray Dawn, but eventually took over the lead halfway through the race. From there, Smith urged his steed on to the wire for the win.

This son of One Famous Eagle, out of the Rossini (TB) mare Sakakawea (TB), began his winning streak for trainer John Stinebaugh in the $20,000 Bill Reed Stakes at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico on Sept. 2, 2018.

Let There Be Sound was laid up until the next summer and came off the bench firing his best. He won the $54,000 Distance Challenge of the Downs at Albuquerque July 28, 2019. The champ then moved to Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M. and won an open allowance race on Sept. 21 and then back to the Downs at Albuquerque for the $104,000 AQHA Challenge Distance Championship on Oct. 26 before taking another vacation.

When Let There Be Sound came to Remington Park this year, he started with a bang, winning the $43,000 Pauls Valley Stakes for his fifth win in a row, all of them at 870 yards. So it was no surprise when this gelding, sporting an inside post was heavily bet.

He did it again for owners Louis and Corrine Howard of Kerrville, Texas. This win was worth $23,838 for the Howards. Their distance specialist was bred in Iowa by Black Oak Farm. He is now 9-for-12 at 870 yards. His overall record is 24 starts, nine wins, eight seconds, and no thirds for a total of $222,117 in the bank. He has won four of six at Remington Park for $81,398 here.

Let There Be Sound stopped the clock in 44.922 seconds, on a fast track, for a speed index of 101, just a little less than half a second off the stakes record of 44.433 set by De Passem Okey in 2011. It was the first win in this stakes for Smith and the second for Stinebaugh. He also won with Jessa Little Rusty in 2016. Louis Howard owned that horse by himself.

Let There Be Sound paid $3.20, $2.60 and $2.20 across the board to his backers.

Ms Esther, who ran third in this race last year, also got third this year, three-quarters of a length behind Jess a Hilbily Bone. Ms Esther, last year’s distance champion at Remington Park, was sent off at 8-1 odds.

Distance veteran Jess A Hilbily Bone earned $15,874 for second. Trainer Tammy Kay Johnson conditions the 9-year-old son of Rock Solid Jess for owner-breeder Rockin J Running Horses. Josh Romero had the riding call aboard the multiple graded stakes winner out of Imaginiff by Game Patriot. Jess A Hilbily Bone earned $7,946 to boost his lifetime mark to $236,218.

Also a multiple graded stakes winner Ms Esther earned $5,250 for owner-trainer Jordan Baumann. Andrew Samaniego rode the daughter of Thoroughbred sire Afrashad rom the Tres Seis mare Tres Down The Cash. Bred by Duwyne and Janice Pfeifle. She has banked $172,927.

Illtakeyouforaride, Madewell, Jb Gray Dawn, Holy Storm and J Boy A completed the field.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tracked by more than 163,000 fans on Facebook and more than 10,100 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $242 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park will host the 2020 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season from March 6 through May 30. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.