TRAINER EDDIE WILLIS DOMINATES OPENING NIGHT OF REMINGTON PARK SEASON
OKLAHOMA CITY – March 5, 2010 - The 2010 Remington Park American Quarter Horse &
Mixed-Breed Season is underway after 12 races on Friday night. Trainer Eddie
Willis had his barn ready to roll on Opening Night, winning five times and
qualifying three into the finals of the $136,000 Oklahoma Quarter Horse Derby.
Remington Park hosted three sets of trials to determine qualifiers for stakes
finals on March 20. Willis placed three of his 3-year-olds into the Oklahoma
Derby with Make It Bentley posting the fastest time over five heats, covering
350 yards in 17.577 seconds over a fast track. Owned by the Cedar Hill, Texas
partnership of James Sills & Gerald Swindell and ridden by Jimmy Brooks, Make It
Bentley crossed the finish a head in front of Shakem Blue in the third of five
trials.
An Oklahoma-bred gelding by Make It Anywhere from the Mr Eye Opener mare Eye
Opener Bentley, Make It Bentley won his fourth career race from 11 attempts
while winning for the first time at Remington Park in three races.
Willis also saddled A Fitting Way and Illegal Fireworks to victories in the
Oklahoma Derby trials. Both established trial times worthy of the top 10 to
reach the final. By order of time, the field for the March 20 Oklahoma Derby
will be: Make It Bentley, :17.577; Shakem Blue, :17.587; SR Takin Chances,
:17.631; JA Golsablazin, :17.711; Illegal Fireworks, :17.711;
Freddysonahotstreak, :17.731; Oklahoma Bandido, :17.74; Thad Matta, :17.799;
Swingin Daddyo, 17.828 and A Fitting Way, :17.829.
Paint horses held the spotlight during the first four races of the night, all
trials for the Grade 1, $80,000 Oklahoma Paint Futurity. Memory Keeper set the
best time for the 300-yard trials in the fourth and final, crossing the finish
in 15.916 seconds.
Owned by James & Linda Jo Whitener of Cleveland, Texas and trained by Sleepy
Gilbreath, Memory Keeper won his career debut by a neck over Valdarama. A colt
by Streakin La Jolla (qh) from the Heza Three Ohs (qh) mare Three Ohs Dondi,
Memory Keeper was handled by Jose Montoya.
The 10-horse field of 2-year-olds for the March 20 Oklahoma Paint Futurity, by
time, is: Memory Keeper, :15.916; Rio Rojo Jessie, :15.920; Valdarama, :15.953;
Rare Guerdon, :15.987; Eyem Showin Off, :16.033; WW Granite Treasure, :16.04; SM
Countrys Lastfling, :16.050; SM Little Maddie Jo, :16.067; Bailout, :16.106 and
Eye Opening Chick, :16.115.
The middle three races on the Opening Night program were trials for the $61,025
Graham Paint & Appaloosa with Hiclass Flash coming through with the 350-yard
time of :17.813 in the second trial. Owned by Larry Spurlock of Inola, Okla. and
trained by Dee Keener, Hiclass Flash pulled an upset at 15-1 odds in defeating
7-5 race favorite San Mateo Chick by a neck. Jockey Cody Jensen was up for the
score.
Hiclass Flash won his second race from 10 attempts and his first Remington Park
race in four tries. He is a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding by Royal Quick
Flash from the Easy Jet (qh) mare Easy Barbarella (qh).
The field of 10 for the March 20 Graham Paint & Appaloosa Derby, by qualifying
time, is: Hiclass Flash, :17.813; Cutrock, :17.865; San Mateo Chick, :17.868;
Sayonara, :17.899; Paint Me A Bono, :17.929; Dog Gatos, :17.938; I Do One Two
Three, :17.985; Sheza Royal Secret, :18.071; Runnin CJ, 18.166 and Rocket Ball,
:18.259.
The five winners for trainer Eddie Willis, giving him a quick and early lead in
the standings were: Rio Rojo Jessie ($5.40 to win) in the third race, Cutrock
($3.40) in the fifth, A Fitting Way ($4.40) in the eighth, Make It Bentley
($7.40) in the 10th and Illegal Fireworks ($4.80) in the 12th. Jockey Jimmy
Brooks rode all of the Willis winners with the exception of Rio Rojo Jessie, who
was handled by Matt Casebolt.
Remington Park features all 2-year-old racing on Saturday with 12 trials for the
Grade 2, $312,000 Oklahoma Futurity; the longest running futurity in Quarter
Horse racing.
Remington Park opens at 10am Saturday for casino gaming and simulcast wagering.
The first race of 12 Oklahoma Futurity trials is at a special time of 5:30pm
(central).