Local trainer looking to pass mentor in wins soon
OKLAHOMA CITY — Trainer Matt Whitekiller is looking for an answer to the question of whether he can pass his former boss, the legendary, late-great Lewis Wartchow in the record books this meet in one category.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Trainer Matt Whitekiller is looking for an answer to the question of whether he can pass his former boss, the legendary, late-great Lewis Wartchow in the record books this meet in one category.
Whitekiller, always a prominent top-five trainer at Remington Park, will try to find out which horses among the juveniles in his stable can fly down the track, especially his next great Paint or Appaloosa. This 59-yearold trainer originally from Sallisaw and now a Gans resident, will try to build on his reputation this meet as one of the top conditioners going annually at Remington Park for all these breeds. Last year, Whitekiller added to his accolades when he won the Oklahoma Paint and Appaloosa Futurity when Wire Transfer gave him his fifth win in this Grade 1 stakes. That tied him for most wins in the stakes series with the legendary Wartchow, who was known as “The King of the Paints” for decades. Whitekiller will be trying to find his next winner in this event when he sends out this slew of training race horses.
Whitekiller
It was a proud moment for Whitekiller, tying Wartchow, because he made his training bones as an assistant to the legend. Jockey L. Salvador Martinez was in the saddle for Whitekiller when Wire Transfer earned the huge win. That filly is owned by Robin Haggard, also of Gans, who recently was a multiple winner of racing awards at the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association banquet last Saturday night.
Whitekiller proved to be an enormous success in this business when he trained the multiple World Champion Paint, Painted Turnpike, who raced for owners Nolan D. Pevehouse and Whitekiller. The multiple World Champion Paint Horse won 26-of-31 lifetime races and earned $465,442, a massive amount of money in this breed of racing.
“It meant an awful lot to me,” Whitekiller said in the winner’s circle with Wire Transfer last year, tears beginning to form in his eyes. “He (Wartchow) was such a father figure to me. I’m sure if he was still around, (tying this record) would not have been the case for me. His five would have been about 10.”
Whitekiller sent out two juveniles on Tuesday whose sire is Painted Turnpike — Icy Turnpike in the second schooling race for mixed breeds and Kiss Me Turnpike in the third race.
Icy Turnpike is a filly out of the CRM Livewire mare Sparkling Moondust. She is owned and was bred in Oklahoma by Luke and Tracy Toyebo of Anadarko.
Kiss Me Turnpike is an Oklahoma-bred son of Painted Turnpike, from the SF Royal Quick Flash mare SB Kiss This Goodbye. He is owned by Bryan Hawk of Shawnee, who last fall won his first top owner title at Remington Park among the thoroughbred breed.
Whitekiller’s lifetime stats are as follows for each breed, according to Equibase statistics — (Mixed) 2,927 starts; 449 wins, 401 seconds and 372 thirds for $6,433,128 in earnings; (Quarter Horses) 2,595 starts, 312 firsts, 367 seconds and 319 thirds for a bankroll of $3,739,352, and believe it or not, he actually has raced a few thoroughbreds in his career. His marks there are 203 starters, 24 firsts, 21 seconds and 16 thirds for $130,139 earned.
