Remington Springboard Mile (Remington Park): Giant Mischief Will Look For His First Stakes Win

Check out our predictions and odds for the Remington Springboard Mile at Remington Park!

*Odds provided by author Brian Zipse.

Remington Springboard Mile Predictions and Best Bets

Here are my plays ($60 in total)

$10 Trifecta Part Wheel - Giant Mischief over Echo Again over Campfire Creed, Lil Sweet Thang, and Gunflash = $30

$10 Exacta Part Wheel - Giant Mischief over Campfire Creed, Lil Sweet Thang, and Gunflash = $30

If you're playing only to win, go with my top pick Giant Mischief (5/2).    

Unbeaten in two career starts, Giant Mischief will look for his first stakes win when he tops a field of nine juveniles entered in Saturday’s $400,000 Remington Springboard Mile at Remington Park. 

Trained by Brad Cox, the well-bred son of Into Mischief broke his maiden nicely at Horseshoe Indianapolis going 5 1/2 furlongs in September. 

Next out, he came back over Breeders’ Cup weekend at Keeneland to earn a solid victory over the highly regarded Arabian Lion in a fast 7-furlong race. 

Chief among his opposition in the one-mile feature will be the Steve Asmussen-trained Echo Again. 

A gray son of Gun Runner, he looked like something special in romping home an easy winner of his debut at Saratoga in August, but could not repeat the success and faded home in seventh in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes next out at Churchill Downs.

Of the rest, Campfire Creed has the best credentials. Never worse than second in four career starts, the son of Jimmy Creed won the Kip Deville Stakes before just missing in the Clever Trevor Stakes, both at Remington Park.

As a Kentucky Derby points race, the Remington Springboard Mile will award points on a 10-4-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers on Saturday.

Remington Springboard Mile Predictions and Race Analysis

Giant Mischief

After a facile victory in his career debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis, this Into Mischief colt showed that he was a real deal by edging away from a highly regarded Baffert colt last time at Keeneland. 

Although it was not a stakes race, the top two sure looked the part of graded stakes performers as they finished a pole ahead of the rest in the ten-horse field. Now he comes to Oklahoma for trainer Brad Cox and stretches out one more furlong for his third career race. 

He looks to have the tactical speed to stay in touch early, and the closing kick to run by horses late.  I believe he beat a very talented colt last time at Keeneland and I think he has a big chance to do it again here. He is the top pick.

Echo Again

The first of two for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, this son of Gun Runner exceeded high expectations when he won his debut for fun in fast time four months ago at Saratoga. 

Once again bet down to odds of 3-5 in his second start. he worked hard early from an outside post but came up empty when the real running began in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs. After looking so good in his debut, it was a very disappointing effort. 

Given some time since, I fully expect an improved effort here. Will it be enough to win? The talented colt certainly is a big danger, breaking from the rail with his speed, but I like my top pick just a bit better.

Campfire Creed

Trained by Danny Pish, this son of Jimmy Creed was probably unlucky not to win both of the local preps for the Remington Springboard Mile. After running by his top competition Wildatlanticstorm in the Kip Deville, he fell just a nose short last time in the Clever Trevor. 

With three strong efforts over the track, and the ability to pass horses, he looks like a threat once again. I actually like him better than his recent rival, but he will need to prove that he can run with the top choices from big barns. 

I expect another solid effort on Saturday, but it will probably be in an exotic filling role rather than a victory.

Wildatlanticstorm

With three wins and two seconds in five career starts, it’s hard to knock what this son of Storm Atlantic has done so far. Things only get tougher for the Iowa-bred here, though. 

Since shipping into Remington Park three starts ago, he has two wins and a second, including a victory in the Clever Trevor Stakes last out. He was able to turn the tables on Campfire Creed there, but it was only by a desperate nose and came on a sloppy track. 

With other good speed in the race here, I think it will only be more difficult for him as he tries one mile for the first time.

Lil Sweet Thang

A son of Caleb’s Posse, it appears he has inherited a bit of his sire’s ability to finish strong. He was actually on the early lead in his debut, but I think that was because he outclassed the field, ultimately winning off by eight lengths. 

In his stakes debut, he fell far back early on a sloppy track in the Clever Trevor, and showed late interest, but could do no better than fourth. 

Back on a fast track last time, he rallied to win a nice allowance race at the track and trip. The Texas-bred should be one of those closing in the stretch on Saturday night and is a must-use in the exotics,

American Outlaw

Trained by Todd Fincher, this son of American Pharoah has begun his career with two good efforts at Remington Park. After romping in his debut by five lengths in October while going five furlongs, he stretched out to a mile last time and was a game second behind Lil Sweet Thang. 

He showed good speed in that one and hung around until late. A little improvement can be expected in his second try at the distance, but getting the lead will be tougher with Echo Again in here. He’ll also run with blinkers off, which could relax him a bit early.

 It would not surprise me if he is in with a shot in the stretch, but I am siding with a few others that I like better.

Gunflash

The least experienced colt in the field, this son of Gun Runner made his career debut a winning one when he came from off the pace to win a 6-furlong maiden race at Remington Park 25 days ago. 

It will be a pretty large jump up in class, but I like the performance, especially considering the runner-up finished nearly twelve lengths ahead of the third-place finisher. I also believe the stretch out to a flat mile will suit him. 

With plenty of good workouts locally, and from the winning barn of Karl Broberg, the second-time starter is in with a chance on Saturday. He should have attractive odds. I will use him in the exotics.

Money Run

The second from the Asmussen barn also brings some speed to the table on Saturday. A son of Runhappy, he broke his maiden going six furlongs at Churchill Downs in his second career start. 

In his last two, he has run locally but has failed to make a strong impression in either the sloppy Clever Trevor Stakes or when third in Lil Sweet Thing’s allowance victory. 

While there is the possibility for improvement in his second try at a mile, there is not enough in his past performances to like him as much as several others here.  

Ghost Hero

This Oklahoma-bred will move up into open company for the first time on Saturday. A son of Shaman Ghost, he’s been solid and improving in each of his four career starts to this point. 

He broke his maiden in a restricted sprint stakes race, and made it two in a row last time when stretching out to a mile. 

While the solid record and improvement is enough to at least consider here, the bump up to open the company will likely be a little more than he wants.

How to watch the Remington Springboard Mile

• What: Remington Springboard Mile

• Location: Remington Park

• Time: Saturday, December 17 -- 11:19 pm Eastern time

• How to Watch: FanDuel TV

• Purse: $400,000