2008 OKLAHOMA CLASSICS $100,000 OK THOROUGHBRED ASSOCIATION CLASSIC

Marq French had so much going for him that he went to post as the 4-5 wagering favorite in the richest race on Oklahoma Classics night.

The 6-year-old gelding had Remington Park’s all-time leading rider Cliff Berry up for his rare attempt in a race longer than a sprint distance. He also had Remington Park’s all-time leading trainer Von Hemel conditioning him.

Marq French’s sire Marquetry wasn’t an all-time anything, but he did upset the field at 27-1 odds in 1991 in the $1 million Hollywood Gold Cup in southern California, beating such horses as that year’s Preakness winner Summer Squall and the favorite Farma Way.

Marq French showed just how much he loved just his second attempt at the 1-1/16 mile distance and Remington with a heart as big as all Oklahoma. He battled neck and neck down the stretch with Oklahoma Tradition. You couldn’t have separated the two with a sheet of typing paper for the last sixteenth of a mile.

When they both stretched for the wire, it was Marq French who got his neck up first for the win over Oklahoma Tradition. Aisle Two was another 6-1/2 lengths in back in third.

The big bay owned by Van and Margie French of McAlester, Okla. covered the distance in 1:44.44. He paid $3.80 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.20 to show.

By Marquetry from the Topsider mare Intimate, Marq French added $60,000 to his bankroll, increasing it to $343,606 with 11 wins lifetime from 31 starts. He has won four of his nine tries at Remington Park and is 2-for-2 at Saturday night’s distance, despite normally racing in sprint races under a mile.

The Classic win for Von Hemel was his fifth. He now has 17 overall wins in the Classics series of races, the most of any trainer.

Berry was for his third win in the $100,000 Classic and his 18th win overall in the entire Classics series. He sits second all-time behind Don Pettinger, who has won 21 Classics battles.