BIG BRAVE OKIE PERSEVERES AND PROVIDES LONGSHOT PRICE TUESDAY AT REMINGTON PARK

No one has been more patient with a racehorse than owners WTFat Boys Racing of Wynnewood, Okla. It paid off Tuesday at Remington Park when their 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding Big Brave Okie won for the second time this meet in four starts.

In Big Brave Okie’s first nine starts of his career, he didn’t run in the money once; never third or better. His best finish was a fourth-place try, losing by four lengths against bottom-level claimers, maiden $7,500 horses, at Remington Park in November 2023 over a muddy track. In other losses in those first nine tries, he was beaten by 13-3/4 lengths, 7-1/4 lengths, 19-1/4 lengths, nine lengths…well, you get the idea.

On Tuesday afternoon, he went off as the longest shot in a short field, at 19-1 odds in a five-horse bunch. He dug in like a champion, fending off Leviathan Axe for the length of the homestretch under jockey Isaiah Wiseman. He then had to hold off the furious charge of the 4-5 heavy wagering favorite Code Jorgie in the final yards, to win by a neck for trainer Martin Villafranco.

The son of Home of the Brave, out of the Line of David mare Sweet Davida was bred in Oklahoma by his owners. He went straight to the front out of the gate in the 1 mile-70 yard race. Despite constant pressure from Leviathan Axe and then the last second move by Code Jorgie, Big Brave Okie refused to lose, was as stubborn as a mule, and held on for the win.

Every pole was a winning one for Big Brave Okie as he went :24.74 for the first quarter-mile, :49.45 for the half-mile, 1:14.94 for three-quarters of a mile, 1:42.33 for the mile and then completed the win in a time of 1:46.91 over the fast track.

Big Brave Okie paid a generous $40.60 to win, $12.80 to place and $5.20 to show. It was his second trip to the winner’s circle this meet, breaking his maiden on Sept. 27 at 5-1 odds. That came against Oklahoma-bred maiden $20,000 horses at 5-1/2 furlongs. Tuesday’s race was the first time Big Brave Okie had stretched out to two turns and more than a mile.

Big Brave Okie earned $16,200 from the $27,000 purse and improved to 13 starts, two wins, one second and one third for earnings of $34,793.

Remington Park racing continues Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29 & 30 at 6:30pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $363 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 simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The 2024 Thoroughbred Season continues through Dec. 13 when the $300,000 Springboard Mile tops the final night of the season. The major 2-year-old stakes race of the season, the Springboard awards valuable 2025 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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