FRANCISCO CALDERON, DUNN RANCH MOVE TO TOP OF STANDINGS, EDDIE WILLIS CLOSING IN ON TRAINER SANTOS CARRIZALES, Jr.

The injury bug has hurt jockey Juan Pulido’s chances of a second riding title in a row at Remington Park. Francisco Calderon passed him this week as Pulido nurses an injured hand.

Calderon won two races Sunday night to give him a solid five-win lead over Pulido after he had passed him on Thursday night for the lead. Calderon’s total sits at 34 for the meet while Pulido is in second at 29. He also has Justine Klaiber, the leading female American Quarter Horse rider in the country, breathing down his neck with 28 wins. Klaiber won a race Sunday to close the gap.

The top five jockeys with seven race dates remaining are: 1) Calderon, 34 wins; 2) Pulido, 29; 3) Klaiber, 28; 4) Cody Smith, 24, and 5) tied, Jorge Torres and James Flores, 23 each.
Flores has won the riding title three of the past four years. Smith might have been right there at the top with Calderon, but he missed a couple of weeks after breaking a bone in his left ankle in a gate incident and then having surgery to have screws inserted. Amazingly, he was back riding two weeks later.

Calderon’s two winners Sunday came in the eighth and 10th races on the card, winning with Gettingafterit for owner-trainer Dean Frey and Delight Interest for trainer Jacobo Mejia, respectively.

Meanwhile, in the owners standings, Dunn Ranch (Matt Dunn) of Wynnewood, Okla., made its move also, passing Josefina Guzman of Dallas, Texas, a week ago and holds a narrow margin in that battle that figures to go to the wire. Dunn Ranch leads Guzman 11-10 in wins this meet.

The top five owners are: 1) Dunn Ranch, 11; 2) Guzman, 10; 3) four-way tie – Bella Vista Farms (Fred Helmuth), Bryan Hawk, Reliance Ranches (Micah McKinney), and Elizabeth Logan of Haskell, Okla., each with seven wins.

The trainers’ race is beginning to heat up as well with 12-time trophy winner at Remington Park, Eddie Willis, sneaking up on the leader, Santos Carrizales, Jr. Willis won one race Sunday night to pull within four of Carrizales. The margin is 33-29 in that race.

The top five trainers are: 1) Carrizales, 33; 2) Willis, 29; 3) Dee Keener, 26; 4) Clinton Crawford, 19, and 5) Ty Blackwell, 18.

Remington Park racing continues May 19-22, Thursday through Sunday. Action begins at 6pm on Thursday and Friday. Saturday is Preakness Stakes simulcast day with the first Remington Park race that day at Noon. Sunday racing starts at 4pm. All times are Central.

Tracked by more than 170,000 fans on Facebook and 10,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $290 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 will feature the $1,102,440 Heritage Place Futurity and the $250,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship on May 28. Simulcast horse racing is featured daily at Remington Park where the casino is always open! Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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