Texas-bred colt Texas Chrome favored to win Oklahoma Derby
A victory in the Oklahoma Derby would mean a lot for Texas trainer J. R. Caldwell, who considers Remington Park his home.
“I live closer to Lone Star in Dallas, but I’m here the most,” the Valley View, Texas, resident said of the Oklahoma City racetrack. “I really like the people around here. They’ve always treated me well. I would really like to win the Oklahoma Derby because it’s more my home track.”
Caldwell, who has been training at Remington Park for the past five years, has the favorite in Sunday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, a 1 1/8th-mile race for 3-year-olds. Texas Chrome is looking to become the first Texas-bred horse to win the Oklahoma Derby.
Owned by Keen Thoroughbreds of Greenville, Texas, Texas Chrome is coming off a win in the Grade 3 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in his last start. He has won seven of 12 starts, finishing worse than third only once.
He will be ridden by jockey C.J. McMahon, who rode Texas Chrome to the win in the Super Derby. Texas Chrome has drawn post number one.
Texas Chrome, owned by Keene Thoroughbreds of Greenville, Texas, has been training at Remington Park since July.
“He is in really good form,” Caldwell said. “He just got better and better this summer.”
The Oklahoma Derby, the richest thoroughbred race at Remington Park, is the headline event of Sunday’s race card. The overall purses for the 12-race Oklahoma Derby Day card, including 10 stakes races, will exceed $1.4 million. Racing begins at 3 p.m.
Texas Chrome’s chief adversary Sunday is expected to be Fish Trappe Road, owned by Martin Racing Stable of Grand Prairie, Texas.
Fish Trappe Road won the Grade 3, $500,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park in July, but the Oklahoma Derby will be his longest racing attempt. He has never gone more than one mile.
Caldwell hopes the Oklahoma Derby distance will give Texas Chrome an edge on what likely will be a muddy track.
A wet track always is a concern “because it’s not the conditions that anyone wants to run on, but a runner is a runner,” Caldwell said.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. I think (Texas Chrome) is going to go out there and run and give us his best effort. He’s going to go out there and give you all he has.”
Donnie K. Von Hemel, the trainer with the most wins ever at Remington Park, will attempt to capture his fourth Oklahoma Derby with Secret Passage, owned by Pin Oak Stable of Versailles, Ken.
Von Hemel previously won the Oklahoma Derby with Clevor Trevor in 1989, Queen’s Gray Bee in 1991 and Going Ballistic in 2007.
Overall, the 11 horses in the Oklahoma Derby have earned $2,062,198 with 32 victories between them.
“You worry about them all because you never know who is going to step up and show up,” Caldwell said.