Got Country Grip rallies to win another Remington Park Stakes Event

OKLAHOMA CITY - After a year of ups and downs in 2008, despite never finishing worse than second, Got Country Grip has returned to stakes winning form at Remington Park. Saturday night he scored in the Grade 1, $35,000 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Stakes, winning by a neck and showing great heart in coming from the back of the field.

Got Country Grip has returned to stakes winning form at Remington Park. Photography by Dustin Orona Photography. Hirez JPEG (2.2 mb)

Got Country Grip		Country Quick Dash		Royal Quick Dash		First Down Dash
						Harems Choice
				Country Zevi		Zevi
						That Country Charm
		Got A Grip		Super De Kas		Coup De Kas
						Super Star Lady
				My Mystic Moon		Sky Jet
						My Mystic Moon

Owned by Jimmy Maddux of Weatherford, Texas and trained by Brandon Parum of Jones, Okla., Got Country Grip had an even start in the 440-yard event for Paints and Appaloosas under jockey Stormy Smith. SM Country Snowman, the defending champion in the National Cowboy, used a tremendous start to put over a length on the field in the first 100 yards. At that point Got Country Grip had a good view of his rivals.

"I was worried a little early in the race, I thought he was going to get outrun," Parum said. "He's gotten so thick and massive that I think he doesn't have as much explosiveness in getting away from the gate as he used to and it takes him a while to get going. He got rolling on the end. I was glad we had every bit of 440 yards."

Midway through the race, the 6-year-old Got Country Grip found another gear and moved to the lead before pulling clear of SM Country Snowman. Awesome Fling, winner of the American Paint Derby last month, took up the battle to finish a solid second.

The official margin of victory was a neck with Awesome Fling second and SM Country Snowman another length behind in third. Got Country Grip crossed the finish in 21.476 seconds over the fast track, earning a speed index of 101.

The heavy wagering favorite at 4-5 odds, Got Country Grip returned $3.60 to win, $3.40 to place and $2.10 to show. Awesome Fling paid $3.40 to place and $2.10 to show. SM Country Snowman paid $2.20 to show.

The win was the 19th from 23 career starts for Got Country Grip, a gelded son by Country Quick Dash (qh) from the Super de Kas (qh) mare Got A Grip, Got Country Grip was bred in Oklahoma by Linda Fox.

 Got Country Grip has now won nine races from 11 attempts at Remington Park with five stakes victories locally. This was his second career win in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Stakes. In the four career races that he did not win, Got Country Grip ran second.

The winner's check of $20,500 pushes the career mark to $333,028 for Got Country Grip as he continues to build on his all-time record for earnings by a Paint racer.

Remington Park's holiday weekend continues Sunday night with 11 races beginning at 6:25pm.