The 2024 Quarter Horse Racing Season Officially Wraps at Will Rogers Downs
CLAREMORE, Okla. (Nov. 19, 2024)— Following an unprecedented spring and summer for Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs, the American Quarter Horse Association has officially completed the 2024 fall racing season at the premier racing facility.
A total of 276 total races ran on 28 regularly scheduled days, starting on Sept. 9. Fifty races were with mixed (Paint and Appaloosa) horses and 226 with Quarter Horses. The season concluded on Nov. 12, with more than $4.2 million in wagers.
“Despite the challenges we faced following the May tornado that hit the property and impacted things like training, registration and barn space, we were able to execute a very successful season that included 67 different trainers and 29 different jockeys winning at least one race at the meet,” said John Lies, racing secretary, announcer and oddsmaker at Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs. “We’re proud that we had an average Quarter Horse field size of a strong 8.1 and traditions such as the AQHA Challenge Finals and Black Gold Championships went off without a hitch. This is proof of the resiliency of Will Rogers Downs and the staff that have worked hard to make this track a destination for the entire racing community.”
Relentless American, a 2-year-old gelding bred in Oklahoma by Tom and Bill Maher and trained by Jason Olmstead, was named Horse of the Meet for the 2024 season. The gelding was perfect in winning four starts, all under jockey Ramiro Garcia, including the Mystery Futurity in September and the Black Gold Futurity Championship in November, while banking $229,509 for owner Tom Maher.
Roman Cruz was named Jockey of the Meet for the second year in a row with 39 wins, 41 seconds and 23 thirds from 192 total mounts, generating a 20 percent win clip with 54 percent finishing in the money.
Trainer of the Meet honors were awarded to Jason Olmstead, trainer of Relentless American, who was able to turn the tables following a runner-up standing last fall. He notched divisional honors this season with 30 wins, nine seconds and 15 thirds from 98 total starters for an impressive 31 percent win clip with 55 percent in the money.
The leading Owners of the Meet were Double A Ranch Inc. in connection with trainer Raymond Gonzalez. After winning just four races last season, their 37 starters this year garnered 11 wins, seven seconds and five thirds to earn them top billing.
The racetrack at Will Rogers Downs will open again in the spring as it welcomes thoroughbred racing to Claremore.
••••••
With more than 250 games, live music, heart-pounding horse racing action and impeccable service, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs is your source of entertainment. The casino and track are both located three miles east of Claremore on Hwy. 20. For more information, visitwww.cherokeecasino.com and click on the Will Rogers Downs tab, or call (918) 283-8800.
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🚨Attn Horsemen: The OQHRA Board of Directors Elections are coming up this Fall. Make sure you renew your OQHRA membership by September 1st in order to Vote ☑️!
Please help us congratulate Troy! He is such an important part of all of our success at Fair Meadows! Be sure to tell him Thank You when you see him! ... ’Expand’See Less
Congratulations Troy!!! Thank you for all you have done for all of us. A special thanks for a special longtime friendship that I truly treasure.😊
Troy is the absolute BEST!! Congratulations my friend!
Congratulations Troy !!
Congrats
He deserves it.
Troy’s Awesome, congratulations and thank you for always taking such care of us🏇🏻🏇🏻
Way to go Troy !!!!!
Looking good troy. I miss those days.
He is one of the best people you will ever meet in the race horse business
Congratulations Troy! One of the nicest people I ever had the privilege to work with.
Congratulations Troy. You always do a great job
My man Troy i can remember FMT in the beginning and Troy would always be the 1st one you saw either pulling in of a morning to work or at night to race, Troy always had the chaos organized in the haul in barn. Jim and Nina got the best one possible with Troy, one amazing man!
The Stephens family!
Jim,Barb and Kevin
Congratulations! Track would be lost with out you, you are awesome.
Congrats Troy!!!
You are the man, Troy
Congratulations
Congrats!!!
Never ran anything in OKLA., but CONGRATULATIONS TROY!!! Ppl like you are gold on ANY TRACK.
The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA) has confirmed the detection of Olodaterol through pre-entry hair testing protocols required for participation at Oklahoma racetracks. Olodaterol is a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist, a class of bronchodilators that includes strictly prohibited substances such as clenbuterol, albuterol, and carmoterol.
Olodaterol is not an approved substance in racehorses, and its presence constitutes a violation of integrity standards. The positive findings were made as a condition of entry through OQHRA-managed hair testing, not by the regulatory body, and as such, horses testing positive were ruled ineligible for entry.
While reports of Olodaterol have surfaced in other states through hair samples, OQHRA is not currently aware of any confirmed positives in blood or urine samples. This reinforces the value of hair testing in identifying substances that may otherwise go undetected.
“This is a clear example of why hair testing matters,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “Whether used pre-entry to prevent horses from competing, or post-race for official adjudication, hair testing provides a longer detection window and a clearer picture of the medications and substances a horse has been exposed to.”
OQHRA will continue to support and expand the use of hair testing as part of its integrity and welfare program. In addition, the association will continue to advocate for the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission to adopt hair testing as a standard matrix within the state’s official biological testing program. This includes both post-race testing and out-of-competition testing.
“We strongly encourage the Commission to expand its use of hair testing,” said Bamberg. “It's a reliable, science-based tool that gives regulators the ability to detect long-term exposure to prohibited substances and strengthens our ability to ensure fairness and safety in the sport.”
OQHRA and our partner racetracks remain committed to identifying and deterring the use of new and emerging substances and protecting the integrity of racing in Oklahoma. ... ’Expand’See Less
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The 2024 Quarter Horse Racing Season Officially Wraps at Will Rogers Downs
CLAREMORE, Okla. (Nov. 19, 2024) — Following an unprecedented spring and summer for Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs, the American Quarter Horse Association has officially completed the 2024 fall racing season at the premier racing facility.
A total of 276 total races ran on 28 regularly scheduled days, starting on Sept. 9. Fifty races were with mixed (Paint and Appaloosa) horses and 226 with Quarter Horses. The season concluded on Nov. 12, with more than $4.2 million in wagers.
Relentless American, a 2-year-old gelding bred in Oklahoma by Tom and Bill Maher and trained by Jason Olmstead, was named Horse of the Meet for the 2024 season. The gelding was perfect in winning four starts, all under jockey Ramiro Garcia, including the Mystery Futurity in September and the Black Gold Futurity Championship in November, while banking $229,509 for owner Tom Maher.
Roman Cruz was named Jockey of the Meet for the second year in a row with 39 wins, 41 seconds and 23 thirds from 192 total mounts, generating a 20 percent win clip with 54 percent finishing in the money.
Trainer of the Meet honors were awarded to Jason Olmstead, trainer of Relentless American, who was able to turn the tables following a runner-up standing last fall. He notched divisional honors this season with 30 wins, nine seconds and 15 thirds from 98 total starters for an impressive 31 percent win clip with 55 percent in the money.
The leading Owners of the Meet were Double A Ranch Inc. in connection with trainer Raymond Gonzalez. After winning just four races last season, their 37 starters this year garnered 11 wins, seven seconds and five thirds to earn them top billing.
The racetrack at Will Rogers Downs will open again in the spring as it welcomes thoroughbred racing to Claremore.
••••••
With more than 250 games, live music, heart-pounding horse racing action and impeccable service, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs is your source of entertainment. The casino and track are both located three miles east of Claremore on Hwy. 20. For more information, visitwww.cherokeecasino.com and click on the Will Rogers Downs tab, or call (918) 283-8800.
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🚨Attn Horsemen: The OQHRA Board of Directors Elections are coming up this Fall. Make sure you renew your OQHRA membership by September 1st in order to Vote ☑️!
Online OQHRA Membership form --> bit.ly/3E8BOFb ... ’Expand’See Less
3 hours ago
Comment on Facebook
Please help us congratulate Troy! He is such an important part of all of our success at Fair Meadows! Be sure to tell him Thank You when you see him! ... ’Expand’See Less
2 days ago
Comment on Facebook
Congratulations Troy!!! Thank you for all you have done for all of us. A special thanks for a special longtime friendship that I truly treasure.😊
Troy is the absolute BEST!! Congratulations my friend!
Congratulations Troy !!
Congrats
He deserves it.
Troy’s Awesome, congratulations and thank you for always taking such care of us🏇🏻🏇🏻
Way to go Troy !!!!!
Looking good troy. I miss those days.
He is one of the best people you will ever meet in the race horse business
Congratulations Troy! One of the nicest people I ever had the privilege to work with.
Congratulations Troy. You always do a great job
My man Troy i can remember FMT in the beginning and Troy would always be the 1st one you saw either pulling in of a morning to work or at night to race, Troy always had the chaos organized in the haul in barn. Jim and Nina got the best one possible with Troy, one amazing man! The Stephens family! Jim,Barb and Kevin
Congratulations! Track would be lost with out you, you are awesome.
Congrats Troy!!!
You are the man, Troy
Congratulations
Congrats!!!
Never ran anything in OKLA., but CONGRATULATIONS TROY!!! Ppl like you are gold on ANY TRACK.
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𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗹𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA) has confirmed the detection of Olodaterol through pre-entry hair testing protocols required for participation at Oklahoma racetracks. Olodaterol is a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist, a class of bronchodilators that includes strictly prohibited substances such as clenbuterol, albuterol, and carmoterol.
Olodaterol is not an approved substance in racehorses, and its presence constitutes a violation of integrity standards. The positive findings were made as a condition of entry through OQHRA-managed hair testing, not by the regulatory body, and as such, horses testing positive were ruled ineligible for entry.
While reports of Olodaterol have surfaced in other states through hair samples, OQHRA is not currently aware of any confirmed positives in blood or urine samples. This reinforces the value of hair testing in identifying substances that may otherwise go undetected.
“This is a clear example of why hair testing matters,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “Whether used pre-entry to prevent horses from competing, or post-race for official adjudication, hair testing provides a longer detection window and a clearer picture of the medications and substances a horse has been exposed to.”
OQHRA will continue to support and expand the use of hair testing as part of its integrity and welfare program. In addition, the association will continue to advocate for the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission to adopt hair testing as a standard matrix within the state’s official biological testing program. This includes both post-race testing and out-of-competition testing.
“We strongly encourage the Commission to expand its use of hair testing,” said Bamberg. “It's a reliable, science-based tool that gives regulators the ability to detect long-term exposure to prohibited substances and strengthens our ability to ensure fairness and safety in the sport.”
OQHRA and our partner racetracks remain committed to identifying and deterring the use of new and emerging substances and protecting the integrity of racing in Oklahoma. ... ’Expand’See Less
3 days ago
Comment on Facebook
Why don’t you just require hair testing in test barn of top 2 finishers. Wouldn’t that be a more accurate chance to catch abuse?
You don’t find it in blood and urine because hair testing is highly variable and substances can last for years after it’s been administered.
Felipe Martinez this what you Ben saying all along
The Louisiana Racing Commission STILL does not recognize the hair testing we owners have been paying for the last few years!
Guess you missed the news from LA??
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