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Going Ballistic Much the Best in Oklahoma Derby
by Jason Shandler
Kindred Thoughbreds' Going Ballistic continued his terrific 3-year-old campaign Oct. 21, taking the $300,000 Centennial Oklahoma Derby by 3 1/4-convincing lengths at Remington Park.
The victory was the Lite the Fuse colt’s third stakes triumph of 2007 and seventh consecutive time he has placed in a stakes race. By winning, Going Ballistic also became the first horse to capture both the Remington-MEC Mile and the Oklahoma Derby, the racetrack’s premier events for 2- and 3-year-olds, respectively.
Trained by Donnie Von Hemel, Going Ballistic entered the race off of a thrilling win in the Sept. 22 Super Derby (gr. II) at Louisiana Downs, a race in which he rallied from way back to defeat heavy favorite Grasshopper at odds of nearly 9-1. In the Oklahoma Derby, Going Ballistic’s odds were not nearly as generous, as he went off as the even-money favorite.
In the 1 1/8-mile Oklahoma Derby, Going Ballistic settled under jockey Timothy Doocy throughout the backstretch and was willing to let pacesetter Forty Acres have the lead. Forty Acres set fractions of :22.92, :46.14 and 1:10.59 in the early going.
As the field of 11 reached the turn, Going Ballistic was sixth, but began to angle wide and pick off rivals. He swung five-wide and took over in mid-stretch. With mild urging from Doocy, he pulled away from the field with ease.
Reporting for Duty was clearly the best for second, another 2 1/4 lengths in front of 37-1 longshot Sumac.
Out of Holy Bull mare Holy Lightning, Going Ballistic returned $4 to win. The exacta (2-1) with Reporting for Duty returned a modest $8. The trifecta (2-1-3) was worth $68.
Going Ballistic, who was bred in Florida by Adena Springs, has won six of 17 career starts and has been on the board 11 times. He now has five stakes victories to his credit and has earned more than $850,000.
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