Anticipation high as Remington Park prepares for thoroughbred meet

Friday, August 4th 2006, 5:02 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Trainers and other horsemen are expressing anticipation for the start today of Remington Park's first thoroughbred racing meet since the track added a casino late last year.

The casino's presence at the track means higher purses and presumably better horses for the 68 day meet at a track that had been in a steep decline in recent years.

Longtime Remington Park trainer Donnie Von Hemel of Piedmont says many of his clients expressed a newfound interest in racing their horses at the track.

Remington Park general manager Scott Wells says it's questionable whether or not Remington Park would have remained open if voters had not passed a measure in November 2004 that allowed for electronic gaming at state racetracks.

But instead of closing the track, Magna Entertainment Corporation, sunk 35 million dollars in renovations into the facility.

100 horses entered the 9 races scheduled for opening night, an average of 11 point 1 per race.

That number compares favorably to other similar tracks nationally.