The Oklahoma Derby is a
Grade III American
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...
for three years olds, over a distance of miles (9
furlongs
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...
) on the dirt held annually late September at
Remington Park
Remington Park is a horse racing track and casino located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Built in 1988 by Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., it was the first world-class pari-mutuel track in Oklahoma. Since 2010, Global Gaming RP has owned and operated the ra ...
located in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
. The event currently carries an offered purse of $400,000.
History
The inaugural running of the event was on 18 March 1989 as the Remington Park Derby held over the miles distance and was won by the
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
bred Clever Trevor in a time 1:43.00.
[ Clever Trevor would later win the Grade I ]Arlington Classic
The Arlington Classic Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three year old horses over a distance of miles on the turf held annually in late May at Arlington Park race track near Chicago.
History
The event was inaugurat ...
and Remington Park would have a Black Type Stakes named after him.[
In 1999 the event was classified as Grade III and it would hold this status until 2004. From 2005 to 2012 the event was ungraded and in 2013 it regained its Grade III status.]
Records
Speed record:
* miles: 1:48.00 – Classic Cat (1998)
* miles: 1:42.80 - Dazzling Falls (1995)
Margins:
* 10 lengths – Comic Truth (2003)
Most wins by a Jockey:
* 3 – M. Clifton Berry (2003, 2006, 2015)
* 3 – Garrett Gomez
Garrett Keith Gomez (January 1, 1972 – December 14, 2016) was an American Thoroughbred jockey who won two Eclipse Awards and thirteen Breeders' Cup races during his career.
Racing career Early career
Gomez learned to ride by watching his fathe ...
(1993, 1995, 2001)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 3 – Donnie Von Hemel (1989, 1991, 2007)
* 3 – Brad H. Cox
Brad H. Cox (born March 3, 1980) is a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer whose most notable horses include multiple Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl, Knicks Go, Covfefe, Mandaloun, and Essential Quality. He had four winners at the 2020 Breeders' C ...
(2019, 2020, 2021)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey
Kenneth L. "Ken" Ramsey (born 1935) and Sarah Kathern "Kitten" Ramsey (February 5, 1939 – May 29, 2022) are horse breeders and owners of Thoroughbred race horses. They have multiple graded stakes winners, three Breeders' Cup winners, and the R ...
(2010, 2012)
Winners
''Notes:''
§ Ran as an entry
See also
List of American and Canadian Graded races
The List of American and Canadian Graded races is a list of Thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada that meet the graded stakes standards maintained by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders ...
References
{{reflist, 2
Horse races in the United States
Graded stakes races in the United States
Grade 3 stakes races in the United States
Flat horse races for three-year-olds
Recurring sporting events established in 1989
Sports in Oklahoma City