Trainer Victoria Oliver’s first trip to Remington Park proved to be a memorable one on Sunday night, when she saddled the Kentucky-based Bracket Buster to victory in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby. He won by 3 1/4 lengths over Iron Dome, while it was another half-length back in third to Mister Omaha.
The Oklahoma Derby was the richest race of the meet and was showcased on a 10-race card. There were eight stakes on the program, including the new $250,000 Great West that was won by Jackman’s Ride and the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks won by So There She Was.
The Oklahoma Derby went with a field of seven after the scratch of Coal Battle, who was declared from the race by trainer Lonnie Briley.
Bracket Buster ($2.80) settled just off pacesetter Mister Omaha, who broke from the rail and proceeded to set fractions of 23.89 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.04 for the half-mile and 1:12.41 for six furlongs. Bracket Buster moved to the lead at the quarter pole and went on to cover the 1 1/8-mile distance on a fast track in 1:49.99.
“He’s a pretty talented horse,” jockey Luis Saez said in an interview broadcast by Remington. “When he went to the lead I was confident. I had a lot of horse.”
Iron Dome, who weighed in at 1,303 pounds, put in a determined bid for second after winning his three prior starts at Saratoga. Mister Omaha held third at his home track of Remington.
Publisher finished fourth, while Hot Gunner was fifth, Colonel Yorke was sixth, and Take Charge Tom dropped out of the race on the final turn and was pulled up.
Bracket Buster came into the Oklahoma Derby off a runner-up finish to Sovereignty in the Travers on Aug. 23. He contested the pace and was beaten 10 lengths by the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner while earning a career-high Beyer of 102.
Oliver said Bracket Buster, a May foal by Vekoma, has been maturing and is improving with every start. He was winning his second stakes race in the Oklahoma Derby, behind the Pegasus at Monmouth Park in June.
Bracket Buster is owned by BBN Racing LLC. The horse has now won 3 of 10 starts and the $240,000 first-place check pushed his earnings to $776,318.
Oliver was making a rare appearance in the Southwest market. She’s won such races as the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks with Personal Diary and the Grade 2 Clark at Churchill Downs with Trademark.
Saez was winning his third stakes on the card in the Oklahoma Derby.
He guided Woodstock ($6) to a 10 1/2-length win in the $50,000 E. L. Gaylord Memorial for 2-year-old fillies. She tracked fractions of 21.92 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.09 for the half-mile before separating herself from her rivals through the stretch. Woodstock covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.49. Saez was aboard the daughter of Yaupon for trainer Mike Maker.
Saez was back in the winner’s circle one race later with Sabalenka ($9), who bellied down in the stretch to take the $75,000 Ricks Memorial for fillies and mares on turf by 2 3/4 lengths over Neom Beach. The winner covered the 1 1/16 miles on firm ground in 1:142.12. Saez was aboard for trainer Joe Sharp.
Racing resumes Thursday at Remington, which will have a four-day race week after adding a makeup Sunday card for Oct. 5.
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