Oklahoma-based trainer Federico Villafranco secured his 1,000th training victory Dec. 13 when Joan Charlton and Michael Lacy’s All Aflutter crossed the finish line first in a claiming race at Remington Park.
The 6-year-old daughter of Liquor Cabinet broke sharply and went right to the lead for the 6 1/2-furlong race under jockey Isaiah Wiseman and gamely fended off her rivals to win by a head bob over the favorite Okie Love. The final time for the race was 1:20.96. She paid $17.20 to win.
The mare was coming into the race off a quick turnaround, previously finishing fifth Dec. 6 in a claiming race at Remington Park. She has a record of 6-7-3 from 44 career starts, and $78,262 in earnings.
Villafranco had been winless since Beverly Diner won a maiden special weight at Fair Meadows July 10.
The most notable horse of Villafranco's career was multiple graded stakes winner Rated R Superstar, who won the Essex Handicap (G3) for Villafranco in 2022. The gelding also won three stakes races that year under Villafranco: the Fifth Season Stakes, the Governor’s Cup Stakes, and the Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial Stakes. R Rated Superstar earned nearly $900,000 under Villafranco's tutelage.
Villafranco has earned $21,424,816 to date since taking out his trainer's license in 2004. His best year earnings-wise came in 2017 when Villafranco banked more than $3 million.
