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O’Neill Confirms Team Merchants For Oklahoma Derby At Remington Park

West Coast-based trainer Doug O'Neill has confirmed he will enter Team Merchants in the $400,000 Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Sunday, Sept. 26, stakes coordinator Don Thompson has announced.

O'Neill said Team Merchants should arrive in Oklahoma City via a FedEx jet from California on Sept. 22. O'Neill, trained two horses to Kentucky Derby wins – Nyquist in 2015 and I'll Have Another in 2012. Team Merchants is a Kentucky-bred son of Nyquist, out of the Square Eddie mare Edwina E. The colt, bred and owned by Reddam Racing, is lightly raced with five starts, two wins, and $88,940 earned. His regular rider is Mario Gutierrez, who rode both of O'Neill's Kentucky Derby winners in their run for the roses. Team Merchants has yet to win a stakes race in his career.

Keepmeinmind, a 3-year-old that lost by a neck to Essential Quality in the $600,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., this summer, has been nominated to the Oklahoma Derby, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 26 at Remington Park. Keepmeinmind is trained by Robertino Diodoro and owned by Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm.

Others already announcing earlier their expectation to run in the Oklahoma Derby include Arkansas and Ellis Park Derby winner Super Stock out of Steve Asmussen's barn. Asmussen is the all-time winningest trainer in racing history.

Fulsome, a colt by the top sire in the country, Into Mischief, out of the Distorted Humor mare Flourish, could be sent to the Derby by Brad Cox for Juddmonte Farms. Cox is the second-leading trainer in the country behind Asmussen in earnings this year. Fulsome has won four of his last five starts, including the $300,000 Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in Philadelphia. He also won the $150,000 Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Mr. Wireless, a gelding by Dialed In, out of the Arch mare Voussoir, is from trainer Bret Calhoun's barn and runs for owner JIL Stable. He has won four of his last five starts, including two Grade 3 races – the $500,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park and the $300,000 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand.

King Fury, a colt by Curlin, out of the Flatter mare Taris, resides in trainer Kenny McPeek's barn. He is owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables and has a win in the $200,000 Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., in April, before running second in the $500,000 Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio in June.

Remington Park racing concludes this week with a nine-race card Saturday, Sept. 18, the first post is 7:07 p.m. Central.

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Will’s Secret Headlines Probables For Remington Park Oaks

Will's Secret, a Dallas Stewart-trained filly, headlines a field of likely runners in this year's Grade 3, $200,000 Remington Park Oaks, scheduled as a part of a multi-stakes day that includes the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby.

Also on that Sunday, Sept. 26, the all-time winningest horse in Remington Park history, Welder is expected to go for his 28th career win all-time and his 17th victory in Oklahoma City in the $150,000 David M. Vance Stakes.

Will's Secret, a daughter of Will Take Charge, out of the Giant's Causeway mare Girls Secret, began the year by winning the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., for owner Willis Horton Racing. She followed that with a victory in the Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee Stakes, also at Oaklawn. She raced in the biggest race of the year for 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs. Will's Secret finished a respectable third behind the top 3-year-old filly in the country – Malathaat. It was the second third-place finish for her behind that monster, also losing in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes.

Will's Secret was bred in Kentucky by her owner. Her lifetime record is 10 starts, three wins and four thirds for $536,300 in earnings. Her trainer, Stewart, has made a name for himself by finishing second in back-to-back Kentucky Derbies with longshots. He ran second to Orb in 2013 with 34-1 shot Golden Soul and then second to California Chrome in 2014 with Commanding Curve at 37-1.

Stewart also was in charge of a string of D. Wayne Lukas world-class runners that included Horse of the Year Lady's Secret, Kentucky Derby winners Winning Colors (1988) and Thunder Gulch (1995).

Also expected to make the trip to Remington Park for the Oaks is Moon Swag, a filly by Malibu Moon, out of the Put It Back mare Yara, trained by Brendan Walsh. Moon Swag's best race this year came in the Grade 3, $200,000 Indiana Oaks at Indiana Grand racetrack. She lost by only a neck in that race, finishing well ahead of Will's Secret.

Moon Swag was bred by Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky and is owned by Brad King, Jim Cone, Scott Bryant and Stan and Suzanne Kirby. She has won two of nine starts with one second and three thirds for $163,400 earned.

Another filly confirmed for the Oaks is Crazy Beautiful, a daughter of Liam's Map, out of an Indian Charlie mare, Indian Burn. She is trained by Kenny McPeek and owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III. She was bred in Kentucky by Carolyn Vogel. This filly has won two of her last three starts and would come in from Saratoga where she last raced in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes. She had won the Grade 2, $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita and the Grade 3, Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park. She took the Summertime Oaks by 1-3/4 lengths before blowing away a field at Delaware by six lengths. Among McPeek's superstar trainees have been Take Charge Lady, Swiss Skydiver and Harlan's Holiday. He has trained eight horses that have surpassed the $1 million mark in earnings and has conditioned horses that have won $91 million-plus in his career.

Crazy Beautiful has had 11 starts, five wins and three seconds for a bankroll of $709,865. She would be the top earner in the Remington Park Oaks should she enter.

Another with a graded stakes win on her resume expected for the Oaks is My Girl Red. Owned by Erich Brehm of Weatherford, Texas and trained by Steve Asmussen, My Girl Red won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar as a 2-year-old in 2020.

A daughter of Texas Red from the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Morakami, My Girl Red has been searching for consistency most of 2021. She has just one win, in allowance company at Lone Star Park this summer. She started in a five-furlong sprint over the turf on the opening night of this Remington Park season, finishing last in a field of eight. The Remington Park Oaks would be just the second start on a main track, around two turns, for My Girl Red.

The Oklahoma Derby and Oaks headline a big stakes afternoon on the only Sunday scheduled during the Remington Park season. The total stakes card includes:

Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby
Grade 3, $200,000 Remington Park Oaks
$150,000 David M. Vance Stakes
$100,000 Remington Green Stakes
$75,000 Ricks Memorial Stakes
$75,000 Kip Deville Stakes
$50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes
$50,000 E. L. Gaylord Memorial Stakes

Remington Park Stakes Coordinator Don Thompson says Keepinmind, Team Merchants, King Fury, Warrant and Fulsome are all possible starters for the Oklahoma Derby.

Racing continues this week with an eight-race card Thursday night and a pair of nine-race cards Friday and Saturday. First post time is 7:07 p.m. each night.

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Keepmeinmind Heads List Of Nominees For Oklahoma Derby

Keepmeinmind, a 3-year-old that lost by a neck to Essential Quality in the $600,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., this summer, has been nominated to the $400,000 Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby, scheduled for Sept. 26 at Remington Park.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro nominated Keepmeinmind to the Oklahoma Derby for owners Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm. Leading trainer in the country, Steve Asmussen, has nominated four 3-year-olds to the 1 1/8th-mile race. Among Asmussen's four is Super Stock, winner of the $1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby. Dallas Stewart also nominated four. Stewart made a name for himself with second-place finisher Golden Soul in the Kentucky Derby to Orb. He had already built a reputation coming up under National Racing Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. Lukas put him in charge of such legendary horses as Lady's Secret, Thunder Gulch, Tabasco Cat, Serena's Song, and Timber Country.

Asmussen is currently No. 1 in the country for earnings with his horses pocketing $22,314,211 so far this year. Brad Cox, who is the second-leading trainer on that list with $21,377,903 in earnings, nominated two horses to the Oklahoma Derby.

Here's a closer look at some of the top nominations for the Derby, one of two Remington Park cornerstone races during the thoroughbred meeting (bred in Kentucky unless otherwise noted):

Keepmeinmind, a son of Laoban, out of the Victory Gallop mare Inclination, oddly enough is still eligible for non-winners of two career race allowance events despite nearly beating arguably the top 3-year-old in the country, Essential Quality in the Jim Dandy. Essential Quality has won eight of nine races lifetime, losing only once, as the 5-2 favorite in the Kentucky Derby in May. Keepmeinmind came back after the Jim Dandy and ran a respectable fourth in the top 3-year-old summer race, the Grade 1 Travers Stakes, a $1.25 million race at Saratoga in upstate New York. This colt broke his maiden in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., as a 2-year-old. Record – 11 starts, one win, three seconds, and two thirds for $739,987 in his bankroll.

Super Stock, winner of Arkansas Derby and Ellis Park Derby this year, is a son of Dialed In, out of the Closing Argument mare Super Girlie, is the top prospect from Asmussen for owners Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen. He won at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., in its top race on April 10 and then went off form before getting back to the winner's circle in the Ellis Park Derby at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., on Aug. 15. Record – 12 starts, three wins, two seconds, and two thirds for $957,677.

Fulsome, a colt by the top sire in the country, Into Mischief, out of the Distorted Humor mare Flourish, could be sent to the Derby by Cox for Juddmonte Farms. He has won four of his last five starts, including the $300,000 Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in Philadelphia. He also won the $150,000 Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. Record – nine starts, five wins, one second, and one third for $582,024 in earnings.

King Fury, a colt by Curlin, out of the Flatter mare Taris, resides in trainer Kenny McPeek's barn. He is owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables. He has a win in the $200,000 Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., in April and then ran second in the $500,000 Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio in June. Record – nine starts, three wins, and one second for $412,739 in earnings.

Will's Secret, a Stewart filly that has earned some big bucks in 2021. This daughter of Will Take Charge, out of the Giant's Causeway mare Girls Secret, began the year by winning the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn for owner Willis Horton Racing. She followed that with a victory in the $300,000 Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes, also at Oaklawn. She also has run in the biggest race of the year for 3-year-old fillies in the $1.25 million Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. She finished third behind the top 3-year-old filly in the country, Malathaat. It was the second third-place finish for her behind that monster, also losing in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes. Record – 10 starts, three wins, and four thirds for $536,300 in earnings.

The Oklahoma Derby headlines a big stakes afternoon on the only Sunday scheduled during the Remington Park season. Also on the agenda:

$200,000 Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks
$150,000 David M. Vance Stakes
$100,000 Remington Green Stakes
$75,000 Ricks Memorial Stakes
$75,000 Kip Deville Stakes
$50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes
$50,000 E. L. Gaylord Memorial Stakes

Racing continues Wednesday-Saturday, Sept. 15-18, with the first race nightly at 7:07pm Central.

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Remington’s 2021 Stakes Schedule Highlighted By Oklahoma Derby, Springboard Mile

Remington Park's 2021 Thoroughbred Season stakes schedule is punctuated by the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday, Sept. 26, and the $400,000 Springboard Mile on Sunday, Dec. 19, the final day of the meet. The season is set to begin on Aug. 20.

The Oklahoma Derby will headline a massive program of stakes races on the final Sunday of September. Among the eight stakes events on that date is the Grade 3, $200,000 Remington Park Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1-1/16 miles. The derby and the oaks are the only graded stakes races on the schedule.

The top 2-year-old race of the season, the Springboard Mile, is the main event as the season ends Dec. 19. The $100,000 Trapeze Stakes, for 2-year-old fillies, also at a mile, shares the final program that includes six stakes races.

The stakes schedule has 34 races with purses reaching beyond $3.8 million. The first stakes race takes place on the season's opening night when the $175,000 Governor's Cup Stakes for 3-year-olds-and-up going 1-1/8th miles, is the main event.

The schedule also includes the annual Oklahoma Classics Night on Friday, Oct. 15, featuring races in divisional categories for the top Oklahoma-bred horses. Purses for that night of state-bred competition soar past $1 million.

It is likely that fans will get to see Welder, the three-time Champion Horse of the Meeting, on Oklahoma Classics Night. Welder, a millionaire 8-year-old gray gelding, owned by Ra-Max Farms (Clayton and Toni Rash of Claremore, Okla.) and trained by Teri Luneack, is expected to try to break an all-time record at Remington Park when he races this meet. Only three horses of more than 25,000 thoroughbreds that have raced here since the track opened in 1988 have won as many as 15 races here. Highland Ice and Elegant Exxactsy were joined by Welder when he tied them with his last win here on Dec. 19, 2020.

Oklahoma Classics Night is Friday, Oct. 15, and will feature the following races for Oklahoma-breds:

$175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup, 3-year-olds-and-up, 1-1/16th miles
$145,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff, 3-year-olds-and-up, fillies & mares, 1 mile-70 yards
$130,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint, 3-year-olds-and-up, 6 furlongs
$130,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Sprint, 3-year-olds-and-up, fillies & mares, 6 furlongs
$130,000 Oklahoma Classics Turf, 3-year-olds-and-up, 1-1/16th miles, turf
$130,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf, 3-year-olds-and-up, fillies & mares, 1-1/16th miles, turf
$100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile, 2-year-olds, colts & geldings, 6 furlongs
$100,000 Oklahoma Classics Lassie, 2-year-olds, fillies, 6 furlongs
$40,000 Oklahoma Classics Starter Stakes, 3-year-olds-and-up, 7 furlongs
$40,000 Oklahoma Classics Filly & Mare Starter Stakes, 3-year-olds-and-up, fillies & mares, 7 furlongs

For the entirety of the meet, there are 18 stakes races worth $100,000 or more. There are seven stakes races set for the turf, and 18 stakes races restricted to accredited Oklahoma breds. The remainder of the stakes schedule includes:

Friday, Sept. 10 – $50,000 Oklahoma Stallion Stakes, 3-year-olds, colts & geldings, 7 furlongs
Friday, Sept. 10 – $50,000 Oklahoma Stallion Stakes, 3-year-olds, fillies, 7 furlongs
Friday, Sept. 24 – $70,000 Red Earth Stakes, 3-year-olds-and-up, 7-1/2 furlongs, turf (OK)
Friday, Sept. 24 – $70,000 Bob Barry Memorial, 3-year-olds-and-up, fillies & mares, 7-1/2 furlongs, turf (OK)
Friday, Sept. 24 – $70,000 Remington Park Turf Sprint, 3-year-olds-and-up, 5 furlongs, turf (OK)
Sunday, Sept. 26 – $150,000 David M. Vance Stakes, 3-year-olds-and-up, 6 furlongs
Sunday, Sept. 26 – $100,000 Remington Green Stakes, 3-year-olds-and-up, 1-1/8th miles, turf
Sunday, Sept. 26 – $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes, 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs
Sunday, Sept. 26 – $75,000 Ricks Memorial, 3-year-olds-and-up, fillies & mares, 1-1/16th miles, turf
Sunday, Sept. 26 – $50,000 Flashy Lady Stakes, 3-year-olds-and-up, fillies & mares, 6 furlongs
Sunday, Sept. 26 – $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial, 2-year-olds, fillies, 6-1/2 furlongs
Friday, Oct. 29 – $100,000 Clever Trevor Stakes, 2-year-olds, 7 furlongs
Friday, Nov. 12 – $75,000 Don McNeill Stakes, 2-year-olds, 1 mile (OK)
Friday, Nov. 12 – $75,000 Slide Show Stakes, 2-year-olds, fillies, 1 mile (OK)
Friday, Nov. 12 – $70,000 Silver Goblin Stakes, 3-year-olds-and-up, 6-1/2 furlongs (OK)
Sunday, Dec. 19 – $100,000 She's All In Stakes, 3-year-olds-and-up, fillies & mares, 1 mile-70 yards
Sunday, Dec. 19 – $100,000 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial, 3-year-olds-and-up, 1 mile-70 yards
Sunday, Dec. 19 – $70,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile (OK)
Sunday, Dec. 19 – $70,000 Useeit Stakes, 3-year-olds, fillies, 1 mile (OK)
(OK) denotes Oklahoma-breds

The Remington Park Thoroughbred runs for 67 dates, Aug. 20 to Dec. 19.

Tracked by more than 167,000 fans on Facebook and 10,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $264 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 features live and simulcast horse racing, and the casino is always open! The 2021 Thoroughbred Season begins Aug. 20. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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