Racing


Nine-Time Champion Trainer At Remington Park, Eddie Willis, Wins Five On 11-Race Card
EW Train On Fire (#3)), ridden by Jimmy Brooks, gave trainer Eddie Willis his fifth win on the Thursday program at Remington Park. Willis saddled the winner in five of the 11 races on the evening.

© Dustin Orona Photography
Nine-Time Champion Trainer At Remington Park, Eddie Willis, Wins Five On 11-Race Card

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MARCH 21, 2019—It was like old times at Remington Park on Thursday night as nine-time champion trainer Eddie Willis was nearly unbeatable, winning five of 11 races on the card.

The multiple graded-stakes-winning trainer from Caney, Okla., whose horses have earned more than $30 million in his career, packed a few more greenbacks in his pocket with the huge night. He won three races with jockey Jimmy Brooks and two with Justine Klaiber.

Things got rolling in the second when Valliance, by Valiant Hero, got up by a half-length with Brooks in the saddle, followed by winners in the third, fifth, seventh and eighth – Trubador Dan, by Pool (Klaiber), Ritas Back On Track, by Freighttrain B (Brooks), Divisionist, by Separatist (Klaiber), and EW Train On Fire by Freighttrain B (Brooks).

On three other occasions, Willis has won six races in one evening. The record for most wins by a trainer at Remington in a single day was seven by the late Rodney Reed in 2004.

Willis was third with seven wins in the 2019 trainer standings coming into the night, but took the lead moving up the ladder to 12 victories, passing Sammy Valdivia and Dee Keener. Those two had a one-win lead over Willis before his magnificent night.

Willis won five training titles in a row from 2010-2014 at Remington Park and also was crowned champ in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He is only one training title behind Reed, who earned that accolade 10 times.

According to Equibase statistics this year, coming into the night, Willis had won 11-of-48 starts on the track for $207,143 in earnings, including Admiral Sting in the $72,750 Mighty Deck Three Stakes, the first stakes race of the meet on March 8.

Nine-time Remington Park champion trainer Eddie Willis.
© Courtesy OC Register
Before the night started, Willis had made 1,436 trips to the winner’s circle in his career in 9,010 starts for $30,100,536 in earnings. His biggest year was in 2013 when his horses earned $3,401,715. Willis is creeping up on $15 million in graded stakes earnings, standing at $14,901,021.

Some of his top horses included some that ran in million-dollar-plus races, winning the 2013 All American Derby at Ruidoso with Feature Hero, the 2009 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington with Ragazzo, and the 2007 Heritage Place Futurity with Southern Takes All.

Willis finished in the top 10 nationally in wins or earnings 20 times in his career. He was in the top four nationally every year from 2009-2014.

On Thursday night, his five winners earned $56,798 to add to his bankroll.

Racing continues Friday night with 12 races beginning at 6pm. Saturday night racing also starts at 6pm and features the Grade 2, $396,650 Oklahoma Futurity on a program worth total combined purses of $1,271,228.

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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.