For Immediate Release
TRAFFIC WAGON IS TOP QUALIFIER FOR OKLAHOMA FUTURITY, WILLIS WINS FOUR MORE
ON SECOND NIGHT OF SEASON
OKLAHOMA CITY – March 6, 2010 - Remington Park conducted 12 trials on Saturday
evening to determine the finalists for the $312,000 Oklahoma Futurity. Coming
through with the top time of the night was Traffic Wagon in the 10th trial race.
Owned by Don Hill of Oklahoma City and trained by Stacy Charette-Hill, Traffic
Wagon cruised to an impressive 1-1/2 length win in her trial race under G.R.
Carter. A 2-year-old filly by past Remington Park Stakes winner PYC Paint Your
Wagon, Traffic Wagon handled 300 yards over a fast track in 15.527 seconds.
An Oklahoma-bred out of the Dash Thru Traffic mare, Traffic Ten Too, Traffic
Wagon won at first asking and leads nine others to the March 20 Oklahoma
Futurity. The Grade 2 event is the longest running futurity in American Quarter
Horse racing, having started in 1947.
The rest of the field for the Oklahoma Futurity, by time, behind Traffic Wagon
is: Absolut Treasure, :15.565; Knuckles O Toole, :15.599; Gone With Windy,
:15.620; Just Wannabe Postoak, :15.625; First Painted Sign, :15.638; Barackazoom,
:15.66; Ghost Zapper, :15.67; Moon Jump, :15.705 and BV Never Let Go, :15.722.
Leading trainer Eddie Willis saddled four winners over the 12-race trial
program, placing three into the Oklahoma Futurity. Knuckles O Toole ($5 to win)
in the third race, Ghost Zapper ($2.60) in the fourth and Moon Jump ($8.60) in
the fifth, all made the final. The fourth win on the night came in a dead-heat
win in the seventh race with BP Kitas First ($3) finishing on even terms with
Zoomin Risks.
The four wins Saturday pushes the Willis total over two nights of racing this
season to nine and a clear lead in the standings by seven wins over Stacey Capps
and Sleepy Gilbreath.
Leading jockey Jimmy Brooks posted his second consecutive riding-quadruple,
finding the winner’s circle on all four of the Willis winners. Brooks has eight
wins on the season, three ahead of G.R. Carter who posted his own quadruple on
Saturday.
The Grade 2, $50,000 Eastex Handicap is featured Sunday night at Remington Park
as the first stakes event of the young season. The 10-race program gets started
at 6:25pm (central).