For Immediate Release – Oklahoma City, OK, September 30, 2023 – Three jockeys and two trainers made trips to the winner’s circle twice each on Friday night. Floyd Wethey, Jr., Stewart Elliott and Harry Hernandez won two apiece and they were joined by two trainers, J.R. Caldwell and Ronnie Cravens III in the winning doubles column.
Wethey got things rolling in the first race of the night with Rare Stripe, the 7-5 wagering favorite, winning by one length in a six furlongs sprint on the main track against $5,000 claimers that had not won a race since March 29. He got his second win in the ninth race aboard the favorite, Classic Power, on the turf at about five furlongs, winning by three-quarters of a length. This race was for maiden special weight horses. Wethey’s first victory came for owner Gaylon McGee of Lamesa, Texas and trainer Ray Ashford. The win in the ninth race was for owner Norman Stables of Thomasville, Ala., and trainer Jayde Gelner.
Leading rider Stewart Elliott’s riding double came in the third race in the saddle of heavy favorite Vino Bianco at even-money, and in the seventh with Star Sailor (4-1). Star Sailor beat $30,000 claiming non-winners of two company traveling six furlongs on the dirt by one length. He won for Black Fence Racing Stables and J.R. Caldwell of Valley View, Texas. Caldwell also trained Star Sailor and Vino Bianco, both of Elliott’s winners. Vino Bianco won by 6-1/4 lengths against maiden special weight 2-year-olds, going 5-1/2 furlongs on the main track. He rode for owner Richard L. Davis of Irving, Texas. Elliott extended his margin in the leading jockeys’ standings to 38-18 over the second-place and injured David Cabrera. Wethey moved into third place in the standings with 16 wins, one more than fourth-place Richard Eramia with 15. Rounding out the top five is Iram Diego at 13 wins.
Harry Hernandez was the final jock with two victories on the card and his came in back-to-back races – the fourth and fifth. Both of his winners were horses of value. He brought in Nubility at 6-1 odds in the fourth by three-quarters of a length against fillies and mares in the maiden special weights class. The next trip to the winner’s circle was with 14-1 longshot Behind the Curtain in the fifth. Hernandez went gate-to-wire on Behind the Curtain, racing six furlongs on the main track. His wins came for Nubility’s owner George A. Sharp of Delray Beach, Fla., and Behind the Curtain’s owner L and G Racing Stables of Houston, Texas. Behind the Curtain won against first-level allowance horses that were 3 years old and older, going six furlongs on the dirt. Shawn H. Davis trains Nubility and Ronnie Cravens III conditions Behind the Curtain, one of his two wins on the evening.
Cravens has made a strong push in the leading trainers’ standings as of late and two victories Friday night didn’t hurt that cause. Behind the Curtain gave him his first win of the night, followed by a victory in the eighth race with Roya (3-1), beating allowance fillies and mares that had not won a race other than maiden, claiming, starter or state-bred races or had never won two races in their careers. These were 3 year olds and older trying 1-mile, 70 yards, on the main track. She won by four lengths and pushed Cravens into a tie for second place in the standings with Mindy Willis, each with 12 wins. Cravens he passed last year’s top trainer here, Karl Broberg, now tied for fourth place with Caldwell, each with 11. Horse racing’s top trainer in history and 17-time training title winner at Remington Park, Steve Asmussen, sits atop the standings with 16 victories.
••••••
Remington Park has provided more than $331 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 is home to the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby and the Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. 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.