Okie Ride
Career: 2009-2016
Year Inducted: 2017
Okie Ride was a late bloomer who became one of the most dominant and consistent sprinters in the history of Remington Park. Owned by the Richter Family Trust of John & Kris Richter of Perkins, Okla., Okie Ride was an Oklahoma-bred son of the Argentine stallion Candy Ride from the Geiger Counter mare Tic Tic.
Okie Ride’s first win came in a 1 mile-70 yard race in his second Remington Park start as a 3-year-old. After that October 2010 victory, Okie Ride would not win again until he was a 4-year-old in May 2011. His trainer Kenny Nolen gave credit to his wife for getting Okie Ride to realize his potential.
“When ‘Okie’ first came to us he was a shy horse,” Nolen said. “Sally started working with him and caring for him and it changed his personality. He became her horse. He would hear her voice when she came to the barn and you could immediately see him perk up. He had a great personality and confidence because of her and I truly believe she brought the best out of him when he raced.”
Okie Ride started to find his way, winning three races in a row at Remington Park in 2011, including his first $111,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint. He would defend that score against Oklahoma-breds as a 5-year-old in 2012 as well as winning his first Silver Goblin stakes, also for state bred runners.
After a couple of races elsewhere, Okie Ride became strictly a Remington Park horse, racing here exclusively since the fall of 2013. Once the annual Remington Park Thoroughbred Season ended, so was the yearly activity for Okie Ride. The lighter racing schedule, four to six races per Remington Park season, was an advantage for Okie Ride according to Nolen.
“Right after his last race each season at Remington, we would pull his shoes off and he would go home to the Richter’s place where he would have a good, long vacation. I think it was a big part of why he was so successful for so long, because he didn’t have to race year-round. The schedule, and the money, at Remington Park were a perfect spot for him.”
Okie Ride won the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint four times, the $50,000 Remington Park Turf Sprint three times, and the $50,000 Silver Goblin Stakes three times. He raced primarily in Oklahoma-bred races but also had success against open company, including a second-place run to Alsvid in the 2012 David Vance Sprint, and two third-place finishes in the $150,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup.
Okie Ride amassed 14 victories at Remington Park. He was just one win away from tying Highland Ice and Elegant Exxactsy for the most wins in Remington Park history, as each won 15 local races in their careers.
Overall, Okie Ride started 41 times, winning 16 with 10 second-place runs and another six finishes in third. His stats at Remington Park: 33 starts, 14 wins, seven seconds and six thirds. Okie Ride earned $789,714 in his career with $700,642 made at Remington Park. He won what would be his final career race, taking his final Silver Goblin Stakes on Nov. 18, 2016.