OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 20, 2013—Brace For Bernal extended his winning streak to four consecutive races while recording the biggest victory of his 12- race career in winning the $252,700 Remington Park Derby.

With an emphatic win his trial race, the fastest qualifier was bet down to be the 2-5 favorite. After a sluggish beginning Brace For Bernal needed to make up at least a length to get to the leader Feature Hero.

“I knew I had a horse who was big and strong and could finish. We got to the wire first and won,” said winning jockey, Paul Nieto.

The three-year-old colt by Furyofthewind made a steady advance to not only make the lead, but also then kick clear to win by one length. Trainer Luis Villafranco won the Bob Moore Memorial Stakes earlier in the night (with Wicked Courage) and his win in the Remington Park Derby earned Villafranco his sixth stakes win of the 2013 Quarter Horse racing season.

“He’s always been a little slow leaving the gates. I thought if he got a little room he would win it,” said Villafranco.

Winning owner Noel Prieto said, “The horse has really improved a lot. I want to say thank you to all the boys at Luis’s (Villafranco’s) farm, there’s a lot of people behind this horse.”

Brace For Bernal covered the 400 yards in :19.602 seconds and paid $2.80 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.10 to show. Feature Hero was the second choice at 4-1 and paid $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Eye A Spit Curl Girl finished third at 22-1 to pay $5.40 to show.

Brace For Bernal is from the Shazoom mare Zoom Bracer and was bred in Oklahoma by Joaquin Lopez. The colt won his sixth career race from a dozen starts and his third win at Remington Park, all this season. The derby was worth $102,139 to Brace For Bernal, moving his overall money to $192,730.

This was the first Remington Park Derby win for all of the connections of Brace For Bernal.

Feature Hero races for Reliance Ranches, LLC, also owner of tonight's Remington Park Futurity winner Coronado Cartel. Ridden by Jimmy Brooks and trained by Eddie D. Willis, the Valiant Hero 3-year-old earned $43,460 for his effort. Lana Merrick and Kent Jackson bred Feature Hero from the Feature Mr Jess mare Illegal Feature.

Finishing a neck back in the show position was Stacy Martin's homebred Spit Curl Jess filly, Eye A Spit Curl. Stacy Charette-Hill conditions the brown miss out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Thisdimplesaniopener. Cody Jensen had the riding assignment and picked up $28,035 for the third place finish.

Glory Rider, Hiclass Fly, A Will And Away and Klassy Chick completed the field. Bon Accord, Jazz Wagon and JB James were all scratched.

The Remington Park American Quarter Horse & Mixed-Breed Season continues Sunday afternoon and is headlined by the $100,000 Remington Park Juvenile. The 10-race card begins at 1:30pm.

Open daily at 10:30am for casino gaming and simulcast racing, Remington Park is the home of the $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on June 1. Featuring the Bricktown Brewery on the casino floor, admission, general parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park.

Tracked by over 33,000 fans on Facebook and 3,700 Twitter followers, Remington Park is Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino and 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.