For Immediate Release
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
BERRY RIDES 5 WINNERS, VON HEMEL BARN SENDS 4 TO WINNER’S CIRCLE
OKLAHOMA CITY – The final Thursday night of the 2010 Remington Park Thoroughbred Season was richly rewarding for a pair of horsemen. Leading jockey Cliff Berry opened up his lead at the top of the jockey standings with five winners while Remington Park’s all-time leading trainer Donnie Von Hemel had four athletes from his talented barn post victories.
Berry, a Jones, Okla. resident, came into Thursday night’s 11-race card with a four-win advantage at the top of the jockey standings over Ramsey Zimmerman, 61-57. The Berry quintuple coupled with no wins by Zimmerman, opened his lead to nine at 66-57.
Berry’s five winners came aboard Oakie Flash ($3.60 to win) in the first race followed by Rigali Nation ($5) in race four, Evil Magic ($12.40) in race eight, Groom ($7.20) in race nine and Stephen’s Quest ($13.20) in race 10.
The five-win night by Berry is the second posted by a jockey this season. Zimmerman won five on the Nov. 13 program. There are two nights left in the season with 22 races still to be contested so Berry has not yet clinched his 13th Remington Park riding title. However, it will take a sudden drought on his part and a serious winning run for Zimmerman for the order to change over the final two cards.
Von Hemel, a Piedmont, Okla. resident, sent Berry to the track on three winners and had another from his barn score to make it a four-win evening, the first by any trainer during the season.
Von Hemel and Berry teamed with Oakie Flash, Groom and Stephen’s Quest. Alternation ($2.20) was an impressive seven-length winner in race two for Von Hemel, ridden by Luis Quinonez.
The training quadruple gives Von Hemel 23 wins for the season, moving him into a tie for fourth in the standings. Trainer Steve Asmussen is poised to win his fourth consecutive Remington Park title, leading the standings with 46 wins.
Friday and Saturday represent the final two nights of the season with the first race both evenings at 5:30pm. The $250,000 Springboard Mile, the top 2-year-old race of the season, is the main event on Saturday.
Remington Park is Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino, located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.
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Photo Credit: Dustin Orona Photography
