Racing


Trainer Willis, Jockey Brooks Solidly On Top; Seven Stakes Races Worth $1.2 Million Saturday
Descent (#1) comes home in front to win the eighth race on Friday at Remington Park. Descent is trained by Eddie Willis and ridden by Jimmy Brooks, both leading their respective standings at Remington Park.

© Dustin Orona Photography
Trainer Willis, Jockey Brooks Solidly On Top; Seven Stakes Races Worth $1.2 Million Saturday

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MARCH 22, 2019—Coming into weekend three of the American Quarter Horse, Paints & Appaloosa meet at Remington Park, the jockeys and trainers races in the standings had been wide open, but after two nights of racing, nine-time champion conditioner Eddie Willis and jockey Jimmy Brooks have had, they are solidly on top.

Willis has had six winners the past two nights and Brooks rode for him on four of those. Willis was behind Dee Keener and Sammy Valdivia until Thursday night, but passed them like a Quarter Horse in full stride going into the weekend. Willis is in front with 13 wins on the season while Keener and Valdivia have nine each.

As for the riders, Brooks trailed Juan Pulido and James Flores before Thursday night. Those two riders shared the lead with seven wins apiece. Now Brooks is on top with 10 victories and Pulido is in second with eight. Flores, last year’s leading rider here, was shut out on Friday night and is tied for third with Jose Vega at seven wins apiece.

Willis won the eighth race Friday with Descent, a former $1,155,000 Heritage Place Futurity qualifier in 2017 here. The 4-year-old gelded son of FDD Dynasty, out of the Corona Cartel mare Coronaville, showed that back class that put him fifth in the Heritage Place Futurity as he won by a half-length in this race for $15,000 claiming non-winners of two lifetime. Brooks was aboard the 2-1 second favorite.

Big Stakes Program of Racing on Saturday

A huge card awaits fans on Saturday night at Remington Park as the lineup features the 78th renewal of the historic Oklahoma Futurity and seven total stakes races with combined purses of $1,271,228.

The Grade 2, $396,650 Oklahoma Futurity features 2-year-olds who qualified for the 300-yard event on Saturday, March 9. Always Charging has been tabbed as the morning-line favorite by odds-maker Jerry Shottenkirk. Owned by Reliance Ranches of Guthrie, Okla., and trained by Mike Robbins, Always Charging is at 5-2 odds and will be ridden by Stormy Smith.

This 2-year-old is a gelded son of Coronado Cartel, out of the First Down Dash mare Charm Dance. He has never had a horse in front of him at the finish line, winning his training race at Remington Park on Feb. 14 in a time of 13.84 seconds, beating six other horses that day. He followed that with a win in these trials as the 4-5 favorite.

The Oklahoma Futurity, started in 1947, is the longest-running futurity in the sport of American Quarter Horse Racing. The race moved to Remington Park in 2006. It will be the 11th race on a 12-race card Saturday with an approximate post time of 10:29pm (CDT).

Always Charging received slight morning-line favoritism ahead of the top qualifier EC Revenge who is the second-choice at 3-1 in the morning line. EC Revenge is owned by Elizabeth Logan of Haskell, Okla., and is trained by Dee Keener. Jockey James Flores has the mount on EC Revenge.

The field for the Oklahoma Futurity, by post position and program order, with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:

  1. Rrelentless: Gregg Sanders, Jesus Olivas, 20-1
  2. Always Charging: Mike Robbins, Stormy Smith, 5-2 (M-L favorite)
  3. TF Kates TLC: Roberto Treto, Ramiro Garcia, 8-1
  4. Separate Party: Sammy Valdivia, Juan Pulido, 12-1
  5. Pepper Ryan: Heath Taylor, Randy Edison, 5-1
  6. DF Zookie Cookie: James Padgett, Rodrigo Vallejo, 20-1
  7. Clean Brew: Guillermo Valdivia, Manuel Gutierrez, 20-1
  8. EC Revenge: Dee Keener, James Flores, 3-1
  9. Sizzling Fajita: Clint Crawford, Esgar Ramirez, 12-1
  10. Southern Fast Succes: Trey Wood, Ricky Ramirez, 6-1

The other stakes races on Saturday night include:

  • Race 6: $157,578 Oklahoma Paint/Appaloosa Futurity, 300 yards, 8:15pm
  • Race 7: $50,000 Oklahoma Juvenile, 300 yards, 8:42pm
  • Race 8: $50,000 Eastex Stakes, 350 yards, 9:09pm
  • Race 9: $50,000 Decketta Stakes, 350 yards, 9:35pm
  • Race 10: $255,750 Oklahoma Derby, 350 yards, 10:01pm
  • Race 12: $223,250 Speedhorse Graham Paint/Appaloosa Derby, 350 yards, 10:57pm

Remington Park racing continues with the Oklahoma Futurity program starting at 6pm on Saturday, March 23. Sunday afternoon racing on March 24 is underway at 1:30pm. All times Central.

Remington Park is always open for casino gaming. Simulcast horse racing is offered daily. Admission, parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park. Guests must be 18 or older in order to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino.

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Remington Park is always open for casino gaming. Simulcast horse racing is offered daily. Admission, parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park. Guests must be 18 or older in order to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino.

Tracked by more than 150,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,800 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $215 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Home to the historic Grade 2 Oklahoma Futurity, to be run for the 78th time on March 23, 2019, Remington Park 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.