A TRES OF EAGLE WINS MR JET MOORE STAKES WITH EASE, PULLING AWAY BY DAYLIGHT

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — April 1, 2023 – Even though A Tres of Eagle had only won one race his entire racing career, he was almost sent off as the favorite in the $68,000 Mr Jet Moore Stakes and won like he should have been the favorite.

A Tres of Eagle, racing 350 yards in the restricted Grade 2 stakes for Oklahoma-bred American Quarter Horses that were 3-years-old and older, pulled away by 1-1/4 lengths in the minor upset. Previously, the 4-year-old son of One Fabulous Eagle, out of the Tres Seis mare A Tres of Paint, was 0-for-4 at Remington Park and had won only 1-of-11 races lifetime. Despite all this, he was backed as the second favorite at 5-2 odds, just a few dollars less bet on him to win than the 2-1 wagering favorite, Charlies Fury.

When Charlies Fury failed to break cleanly from the gate, that left the front end of this race to A Tres of Eagle under regular rider Ruben Castro for trainer Eddie Lee “Bubba” Willis and owner Bella Vista Farms of Arcola, Ill.

“We had a wonderful trip,” said Castro. “It was nice and clean and he wasn’t disturbed the whole race. In other races, he just came up short but he finished strong tonight.”

The key to A Tres of Paint’s victory was that he was a major factor in seven of his 11 races in his career, finishing as the runner-up in six of those tries, including a neck loss in the $100,000 Rainbow Derby Invitational at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico last summer on July 23. In his only try with stakes company at Remington Park, the $271,000 Remington Park Derby last April 16, he got off a step slow and could do no better than sixth. Castro did not ride him in that race. The difference on Saturday night was the way his regular rider now broke light lightning with the horse under him and never looked back.

“This horse, I knew would bloom late,” said Castro. “I broke him when he was 2 years old and I thought it wouldn’t take this one long to do something good. He is finally turning into the horse we always thought he would be.”
A Tres of Eagle stopped the timer in :17.461 over a fast track for a speed index of 95. The runner-up was Purty Darn Quick (5-2 third favorite), who was another neck in front of third-place finisher JK Wildcat Red (9-2). After Charlies Fury’s poor break, he checked in fourth, another half-length back.

The winner paid $7 to win, $4 to place and $2.80 to show and earned $39,600 from the purse for Bella Vista Farms. A Tres of Eagle improved his career record to 12 starts, two wins, six seconds and one third for a total bankroll of $96,502. He was purchased at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale in 2020 for $40,000. He was bred in Oklahoma by The Mixer Ranch.

It was the first win for all connections in this race, although Bubba’s dad, Eddie Willis, had won the race twice, in 2019 with Admiral Sting and in the inaugural running of 2011 with Make It Bentley. Eddie joined his son in the winner’s circle Saturday night.

Remington Park racing continues Sunday, April 2, featuring the Remington Park Distance Challenge. The first post time is 4 pm-Central.
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Tracked by more than 172,000 fans on Facebook and 10,700 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $316 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 features the 2023 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa season through June 3. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.