Come Saturday it was more than all right for Parrot Head winning feature race on turf

OKLAHOMA CITY — Parrot Head gave his connections plenty of reasons to celebrate in Margaritaville if they wanted to after winning the featured allowance race at Remington Park on Saturday night.

The 5-year-old horse by Tourist, out of the Mizzen Mast mare Birkenhead, is named for the moniker Jimmy Buffett fans proudly carry with them to every concert. Come Saturday, he outlasted runner-up Logical Myth by a head as they fought tooth and nail to the finish in the 7.5 furlongs race on the firm turf.

Karl Broberg, last year’s top trainer at Remington Park, has shown a lot of loyalty with Parrot Head, claiming him for $30,000 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, on June 15 and then claiming him again on July 14 at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana for $25,000. Broberg had originally claimed him from owner L&G Racing and that outfit claimed him right back from Broberg for $25,000 on June 23 at Lone Star Park eight days later.

Broberg had Parrot Head in an allowance optional claiming race on Saturday and had him in under the conditions for $50,000 claimers. That exorbitant price tag didn’t deter someone from buying him out of this race. He is a popular find at the claiming box. This time it was a case of trainer Shane Wilson using the tactics of “if you can’t beat him, join him,” or have him join your barn. Wilson claimed Parrot Head for owner Wayne Davis for the $50,000 price after losing to Parrot Head the race before.

Parrot Head had won an allowance optional $35,000 race at Evangeline Downs last time out at one mile on the grass, beating Wilson’s horse Deccan Prince by a half-length in the process. Now Wilson will have both horses in his barn for Davis.

“I was surprised (he was claimed), but since Shane Wilson loves the horse of his that Parrot Head beat last out, it makes sense,” Brober said. “It’s unfortunate to lose him tonight but two wins in a month and double the claiming price pays some feed bills.”

Saturday night’s victory was Parrot Head’s second in a row and third in his last five starts. He earned $21,447 from the $36,000 purse for allowance horses that had never won two races other than maiden, claiming, optional, starter or state bred races or had not won three races lifetime. One could also enter horses for a $50,000 claiming price and that’s what Broberg’s End Zone Athletics ownership did.

Jockey Harry Hernandez took Parrot Head straight to the lead in the mid-range route race greensward and was collared by Logical Myth in the stretch. Jockey Alfredo Triana, Jr., did his best to get past the winner, but had to settle for second in the end. Bobby Brinkley (27-1) checked in for third another 4.25-lengths back of those two.

Parrot Head was the prohibitive favorite at 4-5 odds and Logical Myth was the second choice for the public at 5-2 odds. The winner paid $3.80 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.10 to show. His earnings pushed his record to 24 starts, six wins, six seconds and three thirds for $162,128 earned.

He stopped the timer in 1:30.84 and set early fractions of 25:12 seconds for the first quarter-mile, 49:22 seconds for the half-mile and 1:13.47 for threequarters of a mile.

Parrot Head was bred in Kentucky by Brownwood Farm.

End Zone Athletics and Broberg also won the nightcap, taking the race 10 with Whitaker who had the riding services of jockey Floyd Wethey, Jr., giving him a riding triple.