OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MARCH 6, 2010—The 2010 Remington Park American Quarter Horse & Mixed-Breed Season is underway after 12 races on Friday night. Trainer Eddie Willis had his barn ready to roll on Opening Night, winning five times and qualifying three into the finals of the $136,000 Oklahoma Quarter Horse Derby.

Remington Park hosted three sets of trials to determine qualifiers for stakes finals on March 20. Willis placed three of his 3-year-olds into the Oklahoma Derby with Make It Bentley posting the fastest time over five heats, covering 350 yards in 17.577 seconds over a fast track. Owned by the Cedar Hill, Texas partnership of James Sills & Gerald Swindell and ridden by Jimmy Brooks, Make It Bentley crossed the finish a head in front of Shakem Blue in the third of five trials.

An Oklahoma-bred gelding by Make It Anywhere from the Mr Eye Opener mare Eye Opener Bentley, Make It Bentley won his fourth career race from 11 attempts while winning for the first time at Remington Park in three races.

Shakem Blue, a Jess Louisiana Blue gelding owned by Dan and Jolene Urschel and saddled by 8-time AQHA Racing champion trainer Paul Jones, finished second in a time of :17.587. Cody Jensen was on board for the second fastest qualifying time.

Willis also saddled A Fitting Way and Illegal Fireworks to victories in the Oklahoma Derby trials. Both established trial times worthy of the top 10 to reach the final.

Click here for a complete list of Oklahoma Derby finalists, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys.

Paint horses held the spotlight during the first four races of the night, all trials for the Grade 1, $80,000 Oklahoma Paint Futurity. Memory Keeper set the best time for the 300-yard trials in the fourth and final, crossing the finish in 15.916 seconds.

Owned by James & Linda Jo Whitener of Cleveland, Texas and trained by Sleepy Gilbreath, Memory Keeper won his career debut by a neck over Valdarama. A colt by Streakin La Jolla (QH) from the Heza Three Ohs (QH) mare Three Ohs Dondi, Memory Keeper was handled by Jose Montoya.

For the top ten qualifiers to the Oklahoma Paint Horse Futurity(G1) click here.

The middle three races on the Opening Night program were trials for the $61,025 Graham Paint & Appaloosa with Hiclass Flash coming through with the 350-yard time of :17.813 in the second trial. Owned by Larry Spurlock of Inola, Okla. and trained by Dee Keener, Hiclass Flash pulled an upset at 15-1 odds in defeating 7-5 race favorite San Mateo Chick by a neck. Jockey Cody Jensen was up for the score.

Hiclass Flash won his second race from 10 attempts and his first Remington Park race in four tries. He is a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding by Royal Quick Flash from the Easy Jet (QH) mare Easy Barbarella (QH).

For the Graham Paint and Appaloosa Derby top ten finalists click here.

The five winners for trainer Eddie Willis, giving him a quick and early lead in the standings were: Rio Rojo Jessie ($5.40 to win) in the third race, Cutrock ($3.40) in the fifth, A Fitting Way ($4.40) in the eighth, Make It Bentley ($7.40) in the 10th and Illegal Fireworks ($4.80) in the 12th. Jockey Jimmy Brooks rode all of the Willis winners with the exception of Rio Rojo Jessie, who was handled by Matt Casebolt.

Remington Park features all 2-year-old racing on Saturday with 12 trials for the Grade 2, $312,000 Oklahoma Futurity; the longest running futurity in Quarter Horse racing.

Remington Park opens at 10am Saturday for casino gaming and simulcast wagering. The first race of 12 Oklahoma Futurity trials is at a special time of 5:30pm (central).