OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—JANUARY 19, 2018—The 2018 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa racing season at Remington Park begins on March 9. The Opening Night is now seven weeks away and there is already positive news for those competing in Oklahoma City this spring.

Remington Park and the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA) are pleased to announce that overnight purses will be elevated, compared to similar races in 2017. Overnight races for Quarter Horses will increase by $1,500 per race. Overnight races for Paints and Appaloosas will increase by $500 per race.

The rising purses are possible thanks to new business hours for the Remington Park Casino.

"Increasing purses, prior to the beginning of the season sets a great tone for 2018," said Matt Vance, Remington Park vice president of operations. "The jump for the overnight races is estimated to represent another $600,000 in total purse money for horsemen. The main contributing factor for this increase is due to our casino operations going 24 hours per day which has raised revenues to horsemen’s purses."

The Remington Park Casino is now always open, thanks to new Oklahoma legislation allowing 24-hour operations that started on July 1, 2017. The new operating hours permit another 62 hours of gaming opportunities for guests each week.

The overall daily average purses for the 2017 Quarter Horse Season at Remington Park topped $263,000. That number is expected to rise with the purse increase going into place for the start of the 2018 season.

Horses will return to Remington Park on February 5 with morning training underway on February 6. The initial day of training races is set for February 7.

The live racing season begins with a weekend of activity Friday, March 9 thru Sunday, March 11. The first race on Opening Night, March 9 is at 6pm. The first race on Saturday, March 10 starts at 4pm. Sunday action on March 11 is underway at 1:30pm.

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Tracked by over 135,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided over $187 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Home to the 77th running of the Grade 3, $450,000 Oklahoma Futurity on Saturday, March 24, Remington Park is Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, Remington Park is in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.