Trident Hit teams with hot jock

Trident Hit and his jockey David Cabrera are both in top form coming into Friday night’s $100,000 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial at Remington Park.

The race, which is for 3-yearolds and up, will be run over a mile and 70 yards. A field of six has signed on, including Absaroka, who is looking for his fourth consecutive win.

Trident Hit popped a careerhigh Beyer Speed Figure of 96 in his most recent start, while Cabrera won five races on the Nov. 13 card at Remington.

Trident Hit’s win came in a three-other-than allowance Sept. 26 at Churchill Downs. He closed from next to last to capture the 1 1/16-mile race by a head in 1:42.46. Trident Hit was a private purchase last winter and was winning his third race for new owners by Floyd Sagely Properties and Keith Johnston.

“I’ve been very pleased with his progress since we’ve gotten him,” said trainer Ron Moquett. “The owners’ agent that helped picked him out when we bought him thought he would do well, thought he was maturing. I’m very happy to see that come to fruition.

“He was in good shape when we got him. All we had to do was let him naturally mature.”

Trident Hit ran third under Cabrera in the $175,000 Governor’s Cup in August at Remington. The runner-up in the Governor’s Cup, Plainsman, came back to win the Grade 3 Ack Ack at Churchill.

As for Cabrera, he’s won nine races over the last three race dates to pad his commanding lead in the standings at Remington.

Cabrera and Trident Hit will break from the rail in the Hawk Memorial.

“He’s pretty versatile,” Moquett said of Trident Hit. “I think he’s better whenever there’s a huge pace in front of him and he can settle six or eight lengths off of it. But he’s very versatile and that’s one of the things that makes him a good horse.

“He’s doing well. I’m hoping that he gets a good trip and we can get a win with him.”

Popular Kid returns after capturing the local prep for the Hawk Memorial, a mile allowance Oct. 27 at Remington. It was his second win at the meet. Popular Kid won a Sept. 11 allowance over Rated R Superstar, the winner of the Governor’s Cup.

Popular Kid has had success from both on and just off the pace. Jose Alvarez has the mount from post 3 for owner George A. Sharp and trainer Shawn Davis.

The front-running Absaroka began his streak Sept. 8 in a $30,000 conditioned claiming race at Remington. He proceeded to win an Oklahoma-bred allowance at the track Sept. 23, then the $153,000 Oklahoma Classics Night Classic in his most recent start Oct. 15.