OKLAHOMA CITY, OK— JUNE 1, 2019—Jockey Ricky Ramirez won the Grade 3 Heritage Place Derby for the third year in a row, booting home Apollitical Pence on Saturday night to win the $367,750. The race if for 3-year-olds who qualified in trials on May 12.

Ramirez had previously won aboard Pyc Fun N Fancy last year and Hold Air Hostage in 2017.

Ramirez had his fingers crossed that the owner of Apollitical Pence, Dunn Ranch of Bismarck, Mo., would send the 3-year-old gelding back to trainer Trey Wood and to his stable here at Remington Park.

His prayers were answered when the horse showed up for the trials. Apollitical Pence was the second-fastest qualifier in the trials, behind the time of Charlies Fury, but still went off as the 2-1 betting favorite at post time.

Charlies Fury, who finished third, was sent off at 5-2 odds. Splitting the two in second and causing an all-red-state exacta was Viva Le Don. That horse was named for President Donald Trump and his Vice President is Mike Pence. That combination was worth $93 on a $2 exacta play.

Apollitical Pence was only going to get better after one race over the track at Remington Park after spending June 2018-March 2019 in the Golden State on the West Coast, winning three races while in California. His victory Saturday was worth $154,455 to his owners and his lifetime record improved to 13 starts, six wins, two seconds and two thirds for $468,507 in is bankroll.

"I want to thank the owners for bringing him back," said Ramirez after the race. "He did a lot of good in California, but Trey told me they were bringing him back to us for the Heritage Derby and I was pretty excited about that. Turned out to be a good outcome.

"He ran a really good race in the trials and I tried to save a little bit for the finals and it worked out."

Apollitical Pence had run a strong third in last year's $977,000 Golden State Futurity at Los Alamitos and then was only a neck back in second in this year's Los Alamitos Derby on March 31 with a 104 speed index. He stopped the clock in 19.469 seconds in Saturday's 400-yard final for a speed index of 96.

This gelded son of Apollitical Jess, out of the Tres Seis mare Send City, won by a neck over Viva Le Don, who was another half-length ahead of Charlies Fury. Apollitical Pence was bred in Oklahoma by Dunn Ranch and Womack Cavender Farms.

Dunn Ranch also has a stallion operation in Wynnewood, Oklahoma that includes the aforementioned Heritage Place Derby(G2) winner Pyc Fun N Fancy among their stallion roster.

Trainer Tammy Kay Johnson saddled runner-up Viva Le Don for owner Rockin J Running Horses. Bred by Johnson and Jack Manning, the son of Rock Solid Jess earned $62,518 to boost his bankroll to over $190,000. He is out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Viva Arriba.

Fastest qualifier Charlies Fury earned $44,130 for finishing third. Trainer Michelle Hurdle conditions the Furyofthewind gelding for owner/breeder's Tom and Kathleen McNally. Agustin Silva had the riding call aboard the multiple stakes-placed gelding from the Take Off Jess mare Jess Charlena. He has earned $143,930.

Docs Kansas Rep, Jess Proved Youwrong, Moment Of Fury, Vf Jedi Returns, Money All Day, Pollitical Fire and Jess Doin Time completed the Heritage Place Derby field.

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Remington Park is always open for casino gaming. Simulcast horse racing is offered daily. Admission, parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park. Guests must be 18 or older in order to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino.

Tracked by more than 153,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,900 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $216 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Home to the historic Grade 2 Oklahoma Futurity, to be run for the 78th time on March 23, 2019, Remington Park is located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, 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.