WILLY D’S STUBBORNLY TAKES FEATURED ALLOWANCE WITH TIGHT FINISH AGAINST ONTHESTAGE

The “D” in Willy D’s must stand for determined, because he dug in and passed Onthestage to win the featured allowance at Remington Park after falling behind that horse in the stretch of the one-mile, 70 yards race Thursday night.

Onthestage, a Steve Asmussen-trained horse, ridden by his son Erik, passed Willy D’s at the top of the stretch for a one-length lead, evidently ticking off the eventual winner.

Willy D’s, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding, trained by Greg Compton, re-broke and found enough down the lane to get back in front and win at the wire by a head in a tight photo. Jockey Jose Alvarez never gave up and pushed Willy D’s to the limit to get up for the score. The winner, by Lookin at Lucky, out of the Mineshaft mare Boston Mine, was coming out of a much tougher open $40,000 allowance race on Nov. 22 into this second-level allowance. The drop in class was the magic formula for Compton as co-owner of this gelding with Danny Brown and Charis Brenneman of Hot Springs, Ark. Willy D’s had finished third, beaten only 1-1/2 lengths by Victory for Vets in his previous race. Victory Vets has been entered in Friday’s $75,000 Jeffrey Hawk Memorial Stakes.

Willy D’s was definitely the class of his race and consequently was sent off as the 2-1 wagering favorite while Onthestage was an 11-1 longshot. The winner paid $6 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. The runner-up was another 3-1/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Mena (6-1).

Onthestage running second in the feature was about the only blemish on the night for the Asmussen family. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen won twice on the card and two of his sons were victorious aboard those horses. Erik won the seventh race in the saddle of Blue Line ($3 winner) for his dad and owners L and N Racing and Clark Brewster of Tulsa, Okla. Then Keith Asmussen won the eighth race, booting home Little Blaze ($6) to keep it all in the family also owns that mare. Steve has clinched his unprecedent 19th training title at Remington Park.

Willy D’s was bred by Beau Lane and was bought by Brown for $60,000 from the Ocala Breeders Spring Sale for 2-year-olds-in-training in 2023. The gelding won $21,396 for his efforts Friday and improved lifetime to 15 starts, three wins, three seconds and one third for a bankroll of $162,161.

Willy D’s hit the finish in a time of 1:43.05 over the fast track. Onthestage passed him Willy D’s near the top of the stretch after closing from ninth in a field of nine to get the lead before losing in a heartbreaker. The early pacesetter was Too Much Action (3-1) and he set interior fractions of :24.36 for the first quarter-mile, :48.61 for the half-mile, 1:13.34 for three-quarters of a mile before Onthestage took over, hitting the mile marker in 1:38.87. Too Much Action faded to fourth.

Triana, Jr. Passes 500-Win Mark
When jockey Alfredo Triana, Jr., checked in as part of a dead-heat win in race two on Thursday night aboard First Words, it was the 500th time in his career he had made it to the winner’s circle.
First Words (2-1) crossed the finish together with See You Later Bebe (4-1). The two of them were 5-1/2 lengths ahead of the rest of the field, but couldn’t shake each other. Triana won for owner Hidden Creek Farm of Dewey, Okla., and trainer Miguel Silva.
Triana also won the fourth race aboard Nada Yada Yada (2-1) by a head over a fast-closing I Am Grodd (2-1 favorite) in the one-mile race over a fast main track for his 501st victory. Nada Yada Yada is owned by Boyd Roberts of Maysville, Okla., and trainer Orrin Cogburn.
Triana, a regular rider at Remington Park, began his North American career in 2014 and had his best year in 2022 when his horses reached $2,440,426 in mount earnings and won 101 races. He has surpassed $2.1 million this year and now has more than $10.2 million in career earnings.
Remington Park racing concludes the season with a 12-race program on Friday, Dec. 13. The $300,000 Springboard Mile headlines the program that begins with a special early post time of 5pm-Central. The Springboard is Remington Park’s top race for 2-year-olds and carries qualifying points for the 2025 Kentucky Derby.

Remington Park has provided more than $370 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 year-round simulcast racing 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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