OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MARCH 19, 2017—Normally a stakes competitor, Big Lew used a $19,900 allowance race on Sunday at Remington Park to start his 2017 campaign. The effort was close to perfection as the 4-year-old horse rolled to an easy 1-¼ length victory.

Owned by Reliance Ranches of Guthrie, Okla. and trained by Mike Robbins, Big Lew was handled by Stormy Smith who let the Utah-bred roll at his leisure. Never using the whip, Smith simply guided Big Lew over the 330 yards to cross the finish in 16.76 seconds over a fast track.

I Cant Help It finished second but was disqualified for causing interference to multiple runners at the start when he broke in sharply from his outside post, compromising the chances of many rivals. Because of the infraction, the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission stewards removed I Cant Help It from second and placed him last.

Big Lew was the heavy wagering favorite at 1-2 odds and paid $3 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. V Power was elevated to the second position and paid $6.60 to place and $4 to show. Aventador was awarded third place and paid $3.40 to show.

A winner in the 2016 Los Alamitos Super Derby and third-place finisher in the Champion of Champions in southern California, Big Lew also started in the Ruidoso and Rainbow derbies over the summer at Ruidoso Downs, N.M. Now a winner of eight career races, three at Remington Park, Big Lew made $11,238 to start his season, increasing his lifetime earnings to $596,427.

Big Lew is a horse by Corona Cartel from the Executive Menace mare Executive Looks, bred in Utah by McColee Land & Livestock.

The 2017 American Quarter Horse Season at Remington Park continues Thursday thru Sunday, March 23-26. Racing is underway at 6pm on all dates except Sunday afternoon, starting at 1:30pm.

The Grade 3, $525,050 Oklahoma Futurity headlines a stakes-laden program on Saturday night. The rich undercard includes: the Grade 3, $251,000 Oklahoma Derby; the Grade 1, $112,305 Oklahoma Paint & Appaloosa Futurity, the $50,000 Oklahoma Juvenile and the Grade 1, $46,900 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Derby.

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Tracked by over 119,000 fans on Facebook and 8,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park is the home of the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Futurity on Saturday, March 25. Remington Park has provided over $165 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Open daily at 10:30am with free parking and admission, Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino is located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.