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RACING NEWS
Oklahoma Derby-G3
LOVE IS EVERYTHING V
by Tracy Gantz
Love Is Everything V may have had some bad luck as a two year old that somewhat compromised his racing career, but he may be
making up for that as a three year old.
In his first stakes try of the 2020 season,
the gelding received every call to capture the $232,600 Oklahoma Derby-G3 at Remington Park on March 21 for owner James Sills of Cedar Hills, Texas.
“He looked pretty good to me,” said Sills, who had to watch the race from home with the coronavirus restrictions.
“He did not get away quite as good as I thought he would,” Sills continued. “He’s been a pretty good colt.”
Sent away as the 7-2 second choice in
the nine-horse field to the race favorite Aint Working in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby, Love Is Everything V managed to come away first from the gate.
The sorrel gelding had a nose at the first call and slim neck at the top of the stretch. Then, he began inching clear and accelerating. So much so that he won the 350-yard Oklahoma Derby by a half-length. Love Is Everything V completed the distance in :17.476, posting a 91 speed index.
“I wasn’t surprised,” said jockey Jimmy Brooks after the victory. “He qualified for the Rainbow Futurity finals last year at Ruidoso Downs and was neck-and-neck (early in the final) with the winner, Uncle D.”
Uncle D was voted the 2019 Champion 2 Year Old.
Eddie D. Willis condi-
tions Love Is Everything
V for Sills, and Willis put
Jimmy Brooks aboard the horse once again. Brooks has ridden Love Is Everything V in every one of his races.
Sills was winning his second Oklahoma Derby, but his first as sole owner. With Gerald Swindell, Sills won the race in 2011 with Freighttrain B, also ridden by Brooks and trained by Willis.
Brooks and Willis collaborated to win the race again in 2014 with Valeriano Racing Stables LLC’s One Valiant Hero, the sire of Love Is Everything V.
In the construction business, Sills has about eight horses currently in training. In
addition to Freighttrain B, Willis’ stakes winners over the years, some owned in partnership, have included multiple stakes winners
A Toss Up, an earner of $502,079, and Capo De Capi, with $244,647.
Capo De Capi is now a sire and had a winner on the same Remington Park card as the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby. The Paint Captain Capi, a son
of Capo De Capi, won the Oklahoma Paint & Appaloosa Futurity-G1 on March 21.
Willis selected Love Is Everything V for Sills at the 2018 Heritage Place Yearling Sale. Lazy E Ranch acted as agent for Sammy Valeriano, and Sills purchased the youngster for $32,000.
Love Is Everything V began his career last year at Remington Park, breaking his maiden in May in his fourth start.
In addition to qualifying for the Rainbow Futurity-G1, Love Is Everything V also quali- fied for the Black Gold 440 Championship Futurity at Will Rogers Downs.
Remington Park $232,600 • 350 yards :17.476 • si 91
Valiant Hero
One Valiant Hero
Smiles All Around
LOVE IS EVERYTHING V, ‘17-g.
One Famous Eagle
Echoes Of Love
Echoes Of Angels
162 SPEEDHORSE April 2020
Love Is Everything V and jockey Jimmy Brooks win the $232,600 Oklahoma Derby-G3.
Dustin Orona Photography