Oklahoma Derby moved to a Friday night slot
The $150,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park will be run at night for the first time this year. The race has been moved to Friday, Oct. 21, for the upcoming meet, and will highlight a 25-race stakes schedule that is a little richer and a little larger than last year in anticipation of the gaming casino that is set to open at the track in October.
Stakes purses total $1,275,000, up from last year's total of $1 million for 20 stakes. Daily purses have also increased, from about $75,000 last year to $100,000 a card for the meet that opens Aug. 5. The 66-date meet runs through Nov. 28.
The Oklahoma Derby was moved to a Friday from its normal weekend spot because there are fewer major stakes to compete with on that day of the week, and the race will not have to go head to head with college football. The card will include three other stakes, including the $75,000 MEC Mile.
"We wanted to concentrate on a Friday, because most tracks don't have a big [program] on a Friday evening," said Mike Shamburg, racing secretary at Remington.
The Oklahoma Derby will be run over a mile and an eighth, like last year, but it has lost its graded status for 2005, after being run as a Grade 3 from 1999-2004. In other changes, the race has been moved up a month in order to fall three weeks after the Grade 2 Super Derby.
'The main reason is to try and glean a couple of horses out of the Super Derby," said Shamburg.
2005 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Fri., Aug. 5 | Adena Springs Matchmaker | F&M, 3YO & Up | 5 furlongs (T) | $40,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 6 | Brother Brown Stakes | 3YO & Up | 5 furlongs (T) | 40,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 20 | Silver Goblin Stakes | 3YO & Up* | 6 1/2 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 27 | Black Mesa Stakes | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Mon., Sept. 5 | Ricks Memorial Stakes | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 40,000 |
| Mon., Sept. 5 | DeBartolo Memorial BC | 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 125,000 |
| Mon., Sept. 5 | Clever Trevor Stakes | 2YO | 6 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 10 | Chuck Taliaferro Memorial | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 24 | Oklahoma Classics Juvenile | 2YO c&g* | 6 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 24 | Oklahoma Classics Lassie | 2YO F* | 6 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 24 | Oklahoma Classics Sprint | 3YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 24 | Oklahoma Classics Distaff | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 1 mile, 70 yards | 40,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 24 | Oklahoma Classics Turf | 3YO & Up* | 1 mile (T) | 40,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 24 | Oklahoma Classics | F&M TurfF&M, 3YO & Up* | 7 1/2 furlongs (T) | 40,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 24 | Oklahoma Classics Classic | 3YO & Up* | 1 1/16 miles | 75,000 |
| Sat., Oct. 15 | Gaylord Memorial Stakes | 2YO F | 6 1/2 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Fri., Oct. 21 | Remington Park Oaks | 3YO F | 1 mile (T) | 40,000 |
| Fri., Oct. 21 | Remington Green Stakes | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 50,000 |
| Fri., Oct. 21 | Oklahoma Derby | 3YO | 1 1/8 miles | 150,000 |
| Fri., Oct. 21 | Remington MEC Mile | 2YO | 1 mile | 75,000 |
| Sat., Oct. 29 | Osage Hills Stakes | 3YO & Up* | 5 furlongs (T) | 40,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 12 | Lady's Secret Stakes | F&M, 3YO & Up | 7 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Cimarron Stakes | 2YO F | 7 1/2 furlongs (T) | 40,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 26 | Governor's Cup | 3YO & Up | 1 mile, 70 yards | 40,000 |
| Mon., Nov. 28 | Centennial Stakes | 2YO c&g | 1 mile (T) | 40,000 |
* Oklahoma-breds