Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma (TRAO)

15 hours ago

COLONEL YORKE REMAINS UNBEATEN ON REMINGTON PARK TURF, GIVING ELLIOTT WIN No. 5,999

For Immediate Release
Saturday, September 5, 2026
by Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY – Stakes winner Colonel Yorke showed his class Saturday night, winning the featured allowance race over the turf to remain unbeaten in two starts on the Remington Park course. This triumph gave Stewart Elliott his 5,999th win as a jockey.

Elliott, 61, began his riding career in 1981, according to Equibase, and he won this race Saturday night over the lawn at about one mile, needing every step of the way and some racing luck to land in the winner’s circle. As Colonel Yorke was making his late move on the outside under Elliott to pass the three front-runners, E Lion was making the same move behind horses on the inside. The difference maker was Elliott’s clean trip while E Lion searched desperately for a crease between the three horses on the lead. When Colonel Yorke and E Lion hit the wire, the former was a head better than E Lion for the score.

The victory made Colonel Yorke two-for-two in allowance turf races in Oklahoma City. He won a first-level allowance here at 7-1/2 furlongs greensward last year on Aug. 8 with Elliott in the irons at 5-2 odds. On Saturday night, the 4-year-old Texas-bred gelding by Excaper, out of the Honour and Glory mare Ella’s Glory, was sent off at 9-2 odds in a short field of five for trainer Mindy Willis. He paid $11.80 to win, $7 to place and $5 to show. E Lion (5-1) finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Mor Victory (9-1). Dimatic (8-1) was next and the 2-5 betting favorite in the race – Saline River – finished last, losing for only the second time in five trips over the Remington Park turf course.

Colonel Yorke, a winner in the Sunlit Song Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on Feb. 22 this year, earned $26,400 for his victory Saturday and improved his lifetime record to 24 starts, nine wins, seven seconds and four thirds for a bankroll of $344,212. He was bred by Richard Chandler. Running time for the winner was 1:35.53 for the approximate mile. Somewhat appropriately, Colonel Yorke’s stakes win at Sam Houston Race Park was named for a multiple-stakes-winning horse from the Willis barn – Sunlit Song.

For Colonel Yorke, owned by John Rigney and Steve Bragg of Heath, Texas, this was his third win from his last six starts. Four of those last six were in Texas-bred stakes races. The gelding seems to have proclivity for the turf, but don’t count him out of running on the dirt here at Remington Park this meet. Last year he won the $50,000 Oklahoma Stallion Handicap at seven furlongs by 9-3/4 lengths. It appears Willis has a very versatile game gelding on her hands.

Elliott 6,000-win Milestone Watch
Stewart Elliott needs just one more victory to become the 23rd jockey in North American history to win 6,000 races. He will take up the chase Thursday, Sept. 10 when he has been named on six mounts at Remington Park.

Looking ahead, Elliott has been named on four mounts on Friday, Sept. 11 with another four mounts on Saturday, Sept. 12.

Remington Park racing resumes Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 10-12 with the first race nightly at 6:30pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $422 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. The 2026 Oklahoma Derby is set for Sunday, Sept. 27 at Remington Park. Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. Guests must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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For more information, contact:
Dale.day@remingtonpark.com



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