Hamilton Unseats Berry as Remington's Top Rider

(from track report)
Apprentice Quincy Hamilton ended Cliff Berry's run of eight consecutive riding titles at Remington Park as the Oklahoma track brought down the curtain on its 65-day meeting for 2004 Sunday.

Hamilton won 94 races to Berry's 91. He scored a riding triple on the final day of the season. Berry could only answer with one win on the program.

Nena Matz finished third in the rider standings with 65 wins.

Berry did win the earnings title for jockeys with $737,733. Hamilton was second with $692,587 while Matz was third with $606,475.

Roger Engel won his first trainer's title, saddling Pancho Tam ($9.80) to victory in the 11th race to give him 36 wins for the year.

Donnie Von Hemel had trailed Engel for the entire meeting until the final weekend when he pulled into a tie at the top. Von Hemel was attempting to win his 12th overall trainer's title.

Joe Offolter was third among trainers with 25 wins.

Von Hemel's barn did earn the most money for the season with $406,724. Engel runners made $202,625.

Gary Owens of Mustang, Okla. won his second consecutive owner's championship with 26 wins from 111 starts.

The partnership of Oak Tree Stables and Cheyenne Stable won 24 races from 65 attempts to finish second in the win column. Diamond G Ranch and C.R. Trout finished in a tie for third with 14 wins apiece.

Owens also led all owners in earnings with $186,776 while Diamond G Ranch was second in that category wit $155,693. Trout runners were third in money made at $152,134.