For Immediate Release – Oklahoma City, OK – August 14, 2024 – Times have been tough the last couple of years for four-time Remington Park top jockey David Cabrera, but he is excited about trying to win a fifth Pat Steinberg trophy for leading rider here as the meet starts Friday, Aug. 16.
Most jockeys would likely hang it up after suffering a brain bleed from an accident at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., in 2022, and a broken femur at Remington Park in 2023.Not Cabrera, who couldn’t hide his excitement about the upcoming meet.
“The broken femur was the most painful, but the brain bleed at Oaklawn, man,” he said. “After the spill (April 8, 2022), I would wake up every morning and my wife would have to tell me who I was. I didn’t know. I’d say, ‘I have to go to work,’ and she would have to remind me about the accident. One morning, I didn’t even remember who she was. That really messed with her.”
Then on Sept. 21, 2023, he was unseated during a turf race at Remington Park and broke his femur. Doctors say it’s the most pain someone can endure in their lives. Cabrera concurs.
“That was the most pain I’ve ever felt, even with the brain bleed, but the bleed was much more serious,” he said. “So when I broke my femur, even though it was excruciating pain, I was actually happy to feel the pain because I didn’t hit my head.”
For the first time in the last couple of years, he comes into the Remington Park race meet at 100 percent, both mentally and physically. Not a major injury in a while, at least by Cabrera standards. He had an incident this summer at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, that resulted in a concussion and broken nose.
“That seemed like a piece of cake,” Cabrera said with a laugh. “It was just a small injury. I wanted to come back the next day and ride; I could have, but with a concussion, I stayed out a week.”
Cabrera was the leading rider at Remington Park for the 2018-2021 meets, winning 95 races for his first riding title here in 2018, followed by 83 trips to the winner’s circle in 2019, 96 wins in 2020 and 90 victories in 2021. Then the injury bug decided to become a regular guest in his place of residence.
“I was off five months for the Oaklawn injury and six months with the broken femur at Remington Park,” he said. “But I promise you I’m 100 percent now. I’ve already worked 13horses in one morning. You are going to see the David Cabrera that won those four riding titles when this meet starts.”
Cristian Torres broke Cabrera’s streak in 2022 at Remington Park and Stewart Elliott was a runaway winner among the jockeys here last year.
Asked if he was first-call rider for any particular trainer or owner here this upcoming meet, Cabrera went straight to the point.
“I’m first call for anyone and everyone who wants me; not for any particular string,” he said. “I think a lot of stables are happy to see me riding like the old David Cabrera. I have a lot of respect for (trainer) Juan Padilla and C.R. Trout. I have ridden for (all-time winningest owner at Remington Park) Mr. Danny Caldwell. Whoever wants me.”
Remington Park and more specifically Jones, Okla., are the 31-year-old rider’s favorite places in the world. It’s the thing he cherishes most about being back here.
“Remington Park, like Jones, is my home,” said Cabrera, who spends months away riding at Oaklawn, Lone Star Park and Sam Houston Race Park. “You know what I’m going to miss about Remington? Welder (Cabrera rode that gelding to the most wins all-time by any thoroughbred at Remington Park with 17 wins.) I really miss that old man.”
Cabrera said he does have a favorite riding title at Remington Park, but it’s not one of the four trophies he already has.
“It will be this one, if I’m able to come back and win it this year,” he said.
Cabrera’s agent Jose Santos. Jr., has gotten him mounts in all 10 races on opening night at Remington Park, including aboard Paluxy, the defending champion of the first stakes race of the meet on Friday – the $100,000 Governor’s Cup race that goes as the 10th race on a 10-race card.
The first race on Friday is at 6:30pm. The scheduled post the Governor’s Cup is 10:51pm. All times are Central.
WORKOUTS (Wednesday, August 14, 2024)
Krik Tak, a 3-year-old filly owned by Kat Kirk (hence the name of the horse backwards) and Wayne R. Sanders, had the fastest time of the day of 19 horses that got official works at five furlongs. She covered the distance in 1:00.00 flat over the fast track for trainer Bret Calhoun.
Krik Tak, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Liam’s Map, out of the Medaglia D’Oro mare Vino D’Oro, broke her maiden at Remington Park in her third career try on Nov. 10, 2023, winning by a head in a maiden special weight race, going one mile on the turf course. She was the 2-1 second favorite. Since leaving Remington Park last winter, she has won one other time in a $20,000 claiming race for non-winners-of-two lifetime at Lone Star Park on July 7 this year. She won by 1-1/4 lengths as the 3-1 co-second favorite. Her record coming into the race meet is seven starts, two wins, and two thirds for earnings of $39,678. She was an $80,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Kentucky in 2022.
Strikethreeyourout, a 3-year-old filly from the barn of trainer Scott Corderman, had the bullet workout at four furlongs in :47.50 handily, tops of 57 horses that tried that distance. This Oklahoma-bred daughter of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Caleb’s Posse, out the Smart Strike mare Striking Success, is owned by Mike Bailey of Okmulgee, Okla. She has won one and run second in another of four races she has had in her career. Her bankroll is $14,426. Corderman is coming off his second year in a row as leading trainer at Fair Meadows in Tulsa, Okla.
•••••
Remington Park has provided more than $357 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 Thoroughbred Season will begin on August 16. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
