Rileytole relishes two turns in Remington Park Oaks
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Rileytole finally got a chance around two turns and bounced back to win the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks on Sunday. The 3-year-old filly finished sixth in her first two starts of 2026, but she easily handled four rivals at 1 1/16 miles for Steve Asmussen.
With a confident ride from Paco Lopez, the 2-1 third choice settled into fifth on the backstretch before advancing wide around the far turn. She easily circled the field and prevailed by 1 3/4 lengths, paying $6.60 to win.
Bank Shot, the 9-5 favorite trained by Ryan Hanson, vied for the early lead between two rivals through an opening quarter-mile in 24.03 seconds and half-mile in 47.81. She and jockey Ramon Vazquez successfully put away outsiders P R Stitch and Justified Gift and managed to hold off Krissys Star for second, but she was largely powerless when Rileytole came calling on the far turn.
Krissys Star, a Bill Morey-trained filly who coaxed Jose Ortiz into the saddle for a last-minute assignment, advanced from fourth but lacked the necessary bid. She came up short by a head for second, though she was 11 lengths clear for third.
In three starts for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. last year, Rileytole most notably finished second by a nose in the Grade 1 Frizette at Aqueduct, her lone start at a route distance. Asmussen tried her twice at 6 1/2 furlongs earlier this year, but she has now made her preference abundantly clear. She completed the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:45.72.
Eakly prevails in Great West Turf Sprint
Local experience made the difference in the $250,000 Great West Turf Sprint Stakes on Sunday at Remington Park, as the Oklahoma-bred gelding Eakly won his second straight race over the course in a three-way blanket finish.
Earlier this month, the 6-year-old gelding returned to Remington and easily handled Oklahoma-bred rivals in the $50,000 Cliff Berry Turf Sprint Handicap. Back under jockey David Cabrera, who won two stakes on the Sunday card, he made the same stalking move in open company and held by a neck.
With a determined bid from third for trainer Donnie Von Hemel, Eakly successfully took over from the pacesetter Jackman’s Ride, who zipped through the opening quarter-mile in 21.28 for trainer J.R. Caldwell. That local rival dug in to stay involved late before fading in the final strides, leaving Eakly to duel with Runnin’ Rocket near the wire.
Trainer Joe Sharp correctly suspected his 5-year-old gelding would take a step forward after finishing second in a Kentucky Downs allowance last month, but despite making a strong move from fifth under John Velazquez, he had to settle for second again. He finished a neck clear of Jackman’s Ride.
Eakly completed the five-furlong distance in 55.16 and paid $10.60 to win.
Grand Yaupon handles business in Clever Trevor
Asmussen said he would be surprised if Grand Yaupon lost the $150,000 Clever Trevor Stakes on Sunday, and though one other rival made a race of it, the 3-5 favorite still took care of business by a half-length. It was the juvenile colt’s first stakes victory.
After finishing second in the $250,000 Juvenile at Ellis Park and sixth in the $750,000 Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs, Grand Yaupon entered Remington with a decided class advantage in the field of seven juveniles. He paid $3.40 to win.
Jockey Erik Asmussen only waited to long to making his move in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, chasing in third behind the 73-1 longshot Stacy’s Dream through an opening quarter-mile in 22.26 seconds. The heavy favorite advanced to take over while completing the half-mile in 45.49.
Iamkirk, a second-time starter and the even-money second choice, rallied from fifth for trainer Robertino Diodoro and proved to be Grand Yaupon’s only challenger. He was turned away, however, as the Asmussen trainee could not be denied. He completed the 6 1/2-furlong distance in 1:17.
Fate of War, a 23-1 shot trained by Danny Pish, finished 2 1/2 lengths back in third.
Hola Joey ships in to take David M. Vance
Hola Joey, a Florida-bred gelding based at Prairie Meadows, shipped to Remington and dug deep between rivals to win the $100,000 David M. Vance Stake on Sunday.
Coming off commanding 5 1/2-length allowance victory at his home track, for which he earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, the Gene Jacquot trainee stayed hot under jockey Alex Birzer for his third stakes victory. He paid $7.60 to win.
Hola Joey gave Birzer his first stakes victory at Remington since 2019.
Heavenville, who set the Remington track record at 6 1/2 furlongs last time out, was quick again in the Vance, taking an uncontested lead through an opening quarter-mile in 22.02 seconds and half-mile in 44.85. He was still ahead by a length at the top of the stretch but gave in to Hola Joey and Yo Banana Boy, a New York-bred shipper trained by Michael Maker.
Jockey John Velazquez traveled wider around the turn aboard Yo Banana Boy and had the momentum down the center, but with a stubborn move between horses, Hola Joey managed to assert himself in a game stretch run. Neither stalking contender gave anything away near the wire, but Hola Joey outfinished his New York-based rival to win, completing the six-furlong distance in 1:09.65.
Heavenville, flagging late for Caldwell, finished 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
Velazquez breaks through with Gallant Greta in Ricks Memorial
John Velazquez was denied by less than a length in three stakes at Remington on Sunday, but the Hall of Fame jockey got his aboard Gallant Greta in the $75,000 Ricks Memorial Stakes. The Maker trainee outkicked a slew of closers to win by a length, paying $10.20 to win.
In her first start since finishing fifth in the Grade 3 The Very One at Gulfstream in February, the New York-bred found a softer spot in Oklahoma and fired fresh off the bench. It was her first stakes victory, as well as her first win since taking a statebred allowance at Aqueduct last November.
The longshots Fine Finish and Lucky Speech dueled for much of the 1 1/16-mile turf race, running alongside one another through an opening quarter-mile in 23.95 seconds and half-mile in 49.54. They both carried their duel into the stretch before fading behind several late runners.
Gallant Greta, who sat in fifth on the backstretch, overtook the somewhat flat-footed Long Ago and got the jump on Awesomesauce and Tizawiz, who were closing from farther back. Velazquez was not afraid to split rivals in the stretch and was rewarded with a comfortable advantage.
Awesomesauce, the 5-1 fourth choice trained by Joe Sharp, had to wait for room at the top of the stretch and closed fast near the wire, but he and Paco Lopez simply ran out of room. Gallant Greta completed the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:42.81.
Tizawiz, who hung alongside Long Ago in deep stretch, finished a half-length behind Awesome Sauce but took third by a nose for trainer Williams Bret Calhoun.
Sorcha takes stakes debut in Scissortail
Sorcha a third-time starter trained by Todd Fincher, won her stakes debut in the $50,000 Scissortail on Sunday. The juvenile filly took a nice step forward under David Cabrera to win by two lengths.
In the first of two stakes wins on the card for Cabrera, Sorcha steadily advanced from sixth in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint. A similar move in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance didn’t do the trick last time out, but the added ground made all the difference.
Angelforblueskies, the 2-1 second choice, took over from the front-runner Specialcharlatan through a half-mile in 45.77 seconds, but she didn’t last much longer and faded to ninth.
Dont Worry Bout It, the even-money favorite trained by Austin Gustafson, made the first move for command on the far turn and took a short lead at the top of the stretch. She and Sorcha pulled well clear of the rest of the field, and with a final surge at the end, Sorcha and Cabrera powered away to clinch a sharp victory. She completed the 6 1/2-furlong distance in 1:18.05 and paid $9.20 to win.
Dont Worry Bout It, a last-out maiden winner, finished 7 1/2 lengths clear of the Ronnie Cravens III trainee Gun Magic.
Truly Quality rallies to take Remington Green
Before the $75,000 Remington Green Stakes, trainer Jonathan Thomas referred to Truly Quality as “savvy” in his old age, referring to a horse who is smart enough to know when his best effort isn’t necessary. The 6-year-old gelding turned it up on Sunday, however, pulling clear by 1 1/2 lengths.
In a short but competitive field of five older males, the 4-5 favorite Seminole Chief seemed to have every advantage when he ambled along on the lead through an opening quarter-mile in 25.51 seconds and half-mile in 52.86.
But with a determined bid from fourth under Emmanuel Esquivel, Truly Quality gradually cut into the leader’s advantage, passing him and the stalking longshot E Lion to take a one-length lead at the top of the stretch. He edged clear from there, completing the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:53.69 and paying $14.40 to win.
Seminole Chief prevailed by a nose to take second for Joe Sharp over E Lion, who arguably ran one of the best races of his career in third for Shane Wilson.
The Remington Green was Truly Quality’s first victory since the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar in November 2025.
Thomas, while fond of the gelding, also said he was more of a traveling partner for Zihnal, who finished second in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby. The late closer has developed a reputation of giving himself too much to do more often than not, but he took advantage of the class relief in style.
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