U.S. ARMY WINS JEFFREY A. HAWK MEMORIAL STAKES UNDER JOCKEY LUIS QUINONEZ
For the second time in the past three years at Remington Park, the connections of owner George Sharp of Delray Beach, Fla., and trainer Shawn Davis came together like the perfect storm as U. S. Army won the Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial Stakes on Friday night.
Those connections also won this race in 2021 with Popular Kid.
Friday night’s trip to the winner’s circle gave Remington Park’s second-winningest jockey all-time, Luis Quinonez, the 3,998th win of his career.
“We bought this horse in California (at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearlings and Horses of All Ages Sale in 2021) and any time a horse doesn’t work out somewhere else for us, we say, ‘Send him to the Cowboy (Shawn Davis). That’s what we did with him. He just looked like a Shawn Davis type of horse.”
Quinonez, who is second behind Cliff Berry in all-time wins at Remington Park, intimated that U. S. Army was his favorite horse he rode here this meet. Both of those jockeys are in the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
“Yeah, he’s the best on the grounds, a really nice horse,” said Quinonez.
Last time out, “Luis Q” won with U. S. Army, bringing him from off the pace in fourth place to win by four lengths at one mile in the mud against allowance non-winners-of-four, but in the Jeffrey Hawk, he won gate to wire at 1 mile, 70 yards.
“Today, he broke sharp and I said, ‘OK, plan B,’” said Quinonez.
U. S. Army, a 3-year-old gelding by Army Mule (Friesan Fire), out of the War Front mare She Stays Rollin, won by 4-3/4 lengths Friday, winning the first stakes race of his career. Despite it being his first stakes win, he was sent off as the 9-5 wagering favorite and paid $5.60 to win, $3.60 to place and $2.60 to show. He made every pole a winning one, stopping the timer at a quarter-mile in :23.70, a half-mile in :47.54, three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.02 and a mile in 1:37.37. His winning time for the 1 mile-70 was 1:41.53 over the muddy surface.
Longshot Logical Myth (14-1) checked in second, 3-3/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Presidential (2-1 second favorite). The rest of the finish saw Promise Keeper (3-1) running fourth, Late Nite Radio (35-1) fifth, Number One Dude (20-1) sixth, Blue Boon (54-1) seventh, Rowdy Rascal (45-1) eighth and Chrome Baby (5-1) ninth.
U. S. Army earned $45,000 from the $75,000 purse and improved his record to 14 starts, five wins, five seconds and two thirds for a bankroll of $174,704. He was bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stables and has earned almost $150,000 more than Sharp paid for him at sale when he picked him up for a meager $32,000.
The Jeffrey Hawk Memorial is named in honor of prominent Remington Park owner and breeder Bryan Hawk’s brother who passed away in 2017.
Remington Park racing puts a bow on the 2023 Thoroughbred Season with a 12-race program underway on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 2:30pm-Central.
Remington Park has provided more than $340 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. Parking and admission are always free. 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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