VETERAN JOCKEY LUIS QUINONEZ GETS RIDING DOUBLE, MOVES WITHIN NINE OF SECOND-ALLTIME LEADING RIDER DON PETTINGER AT REMINGTON
Jockey Luis Quinonez won his first race at Remington Park on Oct. 5, 1989; he won his 1,409th and 1,410th on Thursday night, to move within nine of Don Pettinger, who retired with 1,419 victories and is second all-time in Oklahoma City.
Only Cliff Berry had more wins as a jockey with 2,125. Quinonez, who makes his home in Jones, Okla., just outside Oklahoma City, was magic with 2-year-old fillies Thursday, winning the fourth with Long Gone Okie and the sixth in the irons of Run Slewpy Run, both Oklahoma-bred maiden races.
Run Slewpy Run upset 4-5 heavy wagering favorite Twilight Curfew, who had finished first in the $75,000 Slide Show Stakes last time out before getting disqualified for interference infractions at the start of the event, and being placed second. That kept Twilight Curfew eligible for the maiden ranks.
It didn’t matter, however, as “Luis Q,” the longest tenured jockey in Remington Park history, swooped from eighth place in the early going and rallied Run Slewpy Run five wide down the middle of the track to the victory. Run Slewpy Run, a 2-year-old daughter of Den’s Legacy, out of the Evansville Slew mare Imadancingslew, had missed by a head in her career debut on Oct. 30, finishing a neck ahead of Twilight Curfew. They both came back in the Slide Show Stakes and Run Slewpy Run was bumped and forced out at the start of that race, giving her little chance to win. She ran fifth that night when Twilight Curfew was disqualified.
The victory aboard 5-2 second favorite Run Slewpy Run was classic Quinonez as he showed his patience, getting his young filly to relax and then burst down the stretch to the wire. She finished one length ahead of first-time starter Dixiefied (6-1), who was 1-1/2 lengths ahead of Twilight Curfew. It was the first time Twilight Curfew had donned blinkers for a race. Run Slewpy Run paid $7.40 to win, $3.60 to place and $2.20 to show. Quinonez had to withstand a claim of foul by jockey Sophie Doyle and trainer Francisco Bravo for the win aboard Run Slewpy Run. Her winning time for the six furlongs was 1:12.20 over a fast track. Twilight Curfew and fourth-place finisher Star Strike engaged in an early speed duel, setting fractions of :22.78 for the first quarter-mile, :46.55 for the half-mile and :59.39 for five-eighths of a mile. That battle set it up for the closing kick of the winner.
Run Slewpy Run earned $21,183 for the win and improved to three starts, one win, one second and $33,825 total for owner and breeder Mike Jones of Bristow, Okla.
Quinonez was 22 years old when he won on New Writer, his very first mount at Remington Park. He currently is 53 and hasn’t lost a step.
His win on Long Gone Okie in the fourth race Thursday was for trainer Donnie Von Hemel, who is the second-winningest conditioner in Remington Park history and was here when the track opened in 1988. The trip to the winner’s circle in the sixth was for Scott Young, a trainer who actually rode against Quinonez when he was a jockey for many years.
Quinonez has had 26,487 mounts in his career, according to Equibase statistics, winning 3,863 times, running second another 3,650 times and third another 3,472. His horses have earned $75,150,942 in his riding career. This year he has had 481 starts, 55 wins, 41 seconds and 56 thirds with horse earnings of $1,688,905.
Remington Park racing continues Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 & 5 with the first race nightly at 7:07pm-Central.
Tracked by more than 164,000 fans on Facebook and 10,500 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $252 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 is open daily for casino gaming and simulcast horse racing. The $200,000 Springboard Mile, the top stakes event for 2-year-olds at Remington Park, is featured on Friday, Dec. 18. The 2020 Thoroughbred Season continues through Sunday, Dec. 20. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
-30-