Скачать или смотреть Bracket Buster Makes History for Trainer in Winning Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park

After 37-runnings of the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, Victoria Oliver shattered the glass ceiling, becoming the first female trainer to win the event when her 2-5 favorite Bracket Buster crossed the finish line first Sunday night at Remington Park.

“(Bracket Buster) is a really neat horse,” said Oliver. “We were looking for a race about five weeks out for him and this race fit him perfectly.”

In the Oklahoma Derby, jockey Luis Saez said he knew he had a class horse after Bracket Buster ran second in the $1,250,000 Travers Stakes at Saratoga behind Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner. He lost by 10 lengths to the top 3-year-old in the country, but beat the rest of the field by 10-3/4 lengths.

“He is a pretty talented horse,” Saez said. “Today’s race came up pretty easy and I was very comfortable about his chances.”

It was Saez’s third win on the derby day program as he enjoyed the most successful afternoon of any jockey here.

The victory in the Oklahoma Derby was by a margin of 3-1/4 lengths over Steve Asmussen trainee, Iron Dome, the 4-1 second betting favorite. Iron Dome came into the Oklahoma Derby on a three-race winning streak with the average margin of victory in those races of more than nine lengths. The local horse, Mister Omaha (12-1), with connections of Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famers, trainer Joe Offolter and jockey Luis Quinonez, was good enough for third. He was 4-3/4 lengths ahead of Publisher (5-1), Asmussen’s other entry who finished fourth and who has earned a nearly a half-million dollars without winning a race yet in his career.

The rest of the order of finish was Hot Gunner (179-1) fifth, Colonel Yorke (55-1) sixth, and Take Charge Tom (11-1) who did not finish the race and was pulled up at the top of the stretch.

Bracket Buster paid $2.80 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. He earned $240,000 for owners BBN Racing of Paris, Ky.

Bracket Buster’s winning time for the 1-1/8 miles derby over the fast main track was 1:49.99. Saez positioned him second for a mile of the race, just off the front-running Mister Omaha. Saez pounced turning for home and had a four-length lead at the top of the stretch. He ran just behind fractions of :23.81 for the first quarter-mile, :48.04 for the half-mile, 1:12.41 for three quarters of a mile. He had the mile in 1:36.81.

Bracket Buster’s record improved to 10 starts, three wins, two seconds and one third for a bankroll of $776,318. He was bred by David Baxter. He was purchased at auction twice, going for $160,000 at the Keeneland Association November Breeding Stock Sale of 2022. BBN Racing picked him up for $125,000 in the Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale of 2023.

Oliver and her husband Phil started a stable of horses in 1999 and have gradually moved up in the business. Victoria has started 3,638 horses in her career, winning 382 races, running second 412 times and third another 461. Her horses have earned $25,284,434.

Remington Park racing moves into October with a four-date race week, Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 2-5. The first race nightly is at 6pm. Sunday racing on Oct. 5 begins at 2pm. All times are Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $390 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. The 2025 Oklahoma Classics Night of stakes racing for top Oklahoma-breds is Friday, Oct. 17. The Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 20. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.