Asmussen Wins 17th Remington Park Training Title

Racing Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen secured the training title during Remington Park's Thoroughbred meet for the sixth consecutive year and 17th time overall. 

The training title is named the Chuck Taliaferro Award to honor one of the most prominent trainers in the early days of Remington Park. Taliaferro won the Remington training title in the fall of 1989 and the spring of 1990. Among the top horses he campaigned at Remington were multiple stakes winner No More Hard Times and Remington Park Derby (now the Oklahoma Derby) winner Wicked Destiny in 1990. 

Danny Caldwell of Poteau, Okla., won the owner's title for the second consecutive year, giving him 12 leading owner trophies in all at Remington Park. He is the all-time winningest owner in history at the Oklahoma City track. 

With the exception of trainer Karl Broberg in 2015, Asmussen has won every training title at the track going back to 2007—14 of the past 15 crowns. In total, he and Donnie Von Hemel have won 29 of the 45 Thoroughbred meet titles at Remington, going back to 1988, the opening year. There were years in the early days that Remington raced two Thoroughbred meets the same calendar year, spring and fall. The track now conducts a Quarter Horse and mixed breed season in the spring.

"I'm obviously very blessed to have had all the opportunities I've had at Remington Park and I'm very thankful," Asmussen said. "Pablo (Ocampo) has been with me to handle all the horses and he deserves a lot of the credit." 

To give an accurate representation of Asmussen's and Von Hemel's dominance at Remington, the all-time training title numbers are Asmussen, 17; Von Hemel, 12; and then there is a tie for third place with two training titles each for Taliaferro, Clinton Stuart, Kenny Smith, Joe Offolter, and Joe Petalino.

Asmussen has a huge lead in most wins in the country in 2021 with 447 through Dec. 20, according to Equibase statistics. Broberg ranked second with 394. In the earnings category, Asmussen trails Brad Cox nationally, but it's a close race. Cox's horses have earned $31,516,228 and Asmussen's $30,959,351.

The 42 trips to the winner's circle for Asmussen this meet were the fewest for a Remington training title holder since Asmussen's 38 wins in 2013, the last time he was below this year's totals. Broberg finished second this meet with 31 trips to the winner's circle.

Caldwell Tops Remington Owners

Caldwell has won 1,065 Thoroughbred races since he started in the business in 2003. Since then, his biggest year came in 2017 when his horses earned $3,019,423. His top 10 finishes by wins among owners nationally have been 2020 (seventh), 2019 (eighth), 2018 (fourth), 2017 (fourth), 2016 (fifth), 2015 (fourth), and 2014 (eighth). His career stats show him with earnings of $21,433,276, according to Equibase.

"I'm proud to say this is my home track," Caldwell said. "It's a privilege to race here. It's hard to win races anywhere, but especially at Remington Park."

Caldwell's horses won 25 races this year, eight more than runner-up End Zone Athletics' 17, trainer-owner Karl Broberg's outfit out of Mansfield, Texas.

Caldwell's best year, winning a title at Remington, came in 2016 with 50 wins and $862,830. His horses this year made $636,761. He has won training titles by wins in 2021, 2020, 2011-18, 2010, and 2008.

The leading rider of the meet was David Cabrera, who won 90 races. Stewart Elliott was second with 60 wins.