Go Otto favorite in tonight’s Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park

OKLAHOMA CITY — Go Otto Go, a Steve Asmussen shipper, has been made the 5-2 morning line favorite for tonight’s $75,000 Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park. The race for 2-year-olds drew a fairly wide-open field of 10 to go seven furlongs.

The race is named for the first winner ever of the Oklahoma Derby in 1989 (then called the Remington Park Derby). Clever Trevor was trained by Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer Donnie Von Hemel and the popular gelding raced in the Kentucky Derby, the Travers Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint during his long career. He is currently No. 4 on the all-time Oklahoma-bred list of earners, behind only Kip Deville, Lady’s Secret and Shotgun Kowboy.

Go Otto Go, a 2-year-old colt by Bolt d’Oro, out of the War Chant mare Court Dancer, was a $180,000 purchase in the Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale in 2022. Go Otto Go immediately showed promise, raising eyebrows with a four-length victory in his first career start at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

Go Otto Go was sent off at 9-5 odds that day on May 25 when jockey Florent Geroux guided this colt to the easy win over five furlongs. He has yet to repeat that effort, however, after being shipped to Ellis Park in Kentucky, Saratoga in upstate New York and Kentucky Downs for a turf race. He has raced in nothing but stakes races since breaking his maiden. Remington Park leading rider Stewart Elliott gets aboard for the first time in the Clever Trevor. Go Otto Go’s best finish since his career debut was a fourth at Ellis Park in the $225,000 Bashford Manor Stakes on July 2. He has earned $90,150 for owner Three Chimney Farms. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Sun Valley Farms.

General Shipman has been named the second favorite at 4-1 odds by oddsmaker Jerry Shottenkirk and is undefeated after two starts at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa. This 2-year-old colt by Midshipman, out of the Into Mischief mare Impish, broke his maiden going five furlongs on July 17 by one length. He followed up with a three-quarters length victory in the $100,000 Prairie Meadows Freshman Stakes on Aug. 26 at six furlongs.

Casey Schleis, in his first full year as an official trainer, sends out General Shipman for owner Jason Cline. Cline also is the breeder for this Nebraska-bred. General Shipman has earned $78,300 in two starts. Ken Tohill, who was aboard for this colt’s two trips to the winner’s circle will ship into town for the mount. Schleis is a former clocker-turned-trainer. He was a longtime clocker at Prairie Meadows, but didn’t start training full-time until this year at 47 years old. He has primarily trained at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., and Prairie Meadows. His record overall is 27 starts, six wins, three seconds and six thirds for horses’ earnings of $158,485. Schleis’ late father, Jim, was a trainer and Casey started his career as an assistant to the late Jim Arnett, a longtime trainer at Remington Park. Arnett retired after 2006.

The third choice in the morning line is Vino Bianco, a 2-year-old colt by Vino Rosso out of the Forest Wildcat mare Painted Woman. He was made 5-1 in the morning line after breaking his maiden last time out for owner Richard Davis by 6.25 lengths in his second start at Remington Park, his fourth try lifetime. Elliott was in the irons for the impressive win, but he will get a new rider, Nik Juarez, for the Clever Trevor. He is trained by J.R. Caldwell. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Jim and Janie Wells. He was purchased for $40,000 at the Keeneland January Mixed Sale in Kentucky. Prior to breaking his maiden, he had run second at Lone Star Park and second at Remington Park against maidens.

The field for the Clever Trevor by program and postposition order with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds is: 1. 1. Devil’s Mischief, Terry Eoff, Sofia Barandela, 20-1. 2. 2. Go Otto Go, Steve Asmussen, Stewart Elliott, 5-2. 3. 3. Third Street, Shawn Davis, Jose Alvarez, 8-1. 4. 4. My Buddy Mel, Danny Pish, Jermaine Bridgmohan, 12-1. 5. 5. Vino Bianco, J.R. Caldwell, Nik Juarez, 5-1. 6. 6. General Shipman, Casey Schleis, Ken Tohill, 4-1. 7. 7. Wish Man, Brent Davidson, Harry Hernandez, 10-1. 8. 8. Sweet Soddy J, Raymond Ginter, Floyd Wethey, Jr., 6-1. 9. 9. Magic Grant, Eddie Milligan Jr., Richard Eramia, 20-1. 10. 10. Specialsortastorm, Ray Ashford, Jr., Elvin Gonzalez, 8-1. 11. Remington Park racing continues this week with racing tonight and Saturday night. First post time nightly is 7:07 p.m.