Remington Park will host if first two days of training races next Wednesday and Thursday in anticipation of opening day March 7.

© Dustin Orona Photography

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—FEBRUARY 9, 2024—Remington Park begins training races Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 14 & 15, with 203 horses entered in 13 races each day.

The schooling races help to prepare 2-year-old horses for the upcoming American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa race meeting that begins Thursday, March 7.

The training races will begin at 11 a.m. (CST) each day.

Two of the top three trainers from last year’s spring race meet at Remington Park – Dee Keener and Eddie Willis - are wanting to get out of the gate in a hurry, metaphorically speaking and with their 2-year-olds.

Over the two days of training races, last year’s champion trainer Dee Keener (37 wins), has entered 16 horses and third-place finisher Eddie Willis (27 wins last year) will be sending 11 horses to the gate. Willis holds the record at Remington Park with 12 Jack Brooks training titles here, two more than the late Rodney Reed.

Keener has nine horses in on Wednesday and seven on Thursday. Willis has entered three on Wednesday and eight on Thursday.

Last year’s second-place finisher, trainer Jason Olmstead, has no horses entered. There are trainers on the grounds who prefer to work their horses from the gate in simple workouts to prep them for their first race.

One of the more interesting entries for the two days comes on Thursday in the eighth race when Rich Strike will break from the 1-hole. Make no mistake. This is not the Kentucky Derby winner from 2022. He was a Thoroughbred and this is a Quarter Horse.

For some reason, Quarter Horse owners have gotten on a kick of naming their breed’s youngsters after famous thoroughbreds. In the past, Quarter Horses named War Admiral, Man O War, Seabiscuit, Citation, Secretariat, Northern Dancer, Phar Lap, Ruffian, Affirmed, and Sunday Sylence have graced the racetrack, many of them at Remington Park. One owner names a filly after a male Kentucky Derby winner.

The first three races of the day on Wednesday have been reserved for Paints and Appaloosas while the final 10 races both dates are all Quarter Horses. On Thursday, it’s the same schedule for breeds.

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Remington Park has provided more than $344 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The 2024 racing schedule begins Thursday, March 7, as the American Quarter HorseThe 2024 racing schedule begins Thursday, March 7, as the American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season starts its 50-date season. Parking and admission are always free. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.