OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 10, 2021— No Mires a La Luna caught his competition staring at the moon Saturday night and flew past them like a rocket on the outside to win the featured allowance/optional race.

The translation for No Mires a La Luna is, "Don't look at the moon."

That is the very thing the rest of the horses did, staring at La Luna from the backside as the 5-year-old gelding drew off to win the $21,200 race by three-quarters of a length under three-time defending riding champion here, James Flores.

The son of First Moonflash, out of the Genuine Strawfly mare Dont Look Ethel, crept closer to a half-million dollars in career earnings by taking down $11,604 for the victory. He improved to 22 starts, four wins, five seconds and two thirds for $459,975.

The best indication that this was a horse that could fly was his efforts in the fall at New Mexico tracks. The most impressive race he ran all year may have been one in which he finished fourth.

On Sept. 6, 2020, No Mires a La Luna, the "don't look at the moon" horse raced against a bunch of stars there. Finishing first, second and third in the Grade 1 All America Gold Cup at Ruidoso Downs on Sept. 6 were Dexxter, Danjer and Valiant Tiberias, all multiple stakes winning horses. No Mires a La Luna got up for fourth in that race, beaten only one length by those monster horses.

Dexxter was named Remington Park's Horse of the Meet in 2020, winning the Grade 1 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational, and Danjer, who ran right behind Dexxter in the All American Gold Cup, was named the AQHA champion aged horse and champion aged gelding for 2020.

Flores was named AQHA champion jockey for the second year in a row. He has his work cut out for him if he wants to win a fourth consecutive riding title at Remington, however. Flores broke a bone in his arm in the off-season, giving him a slow start to this meet. His two wins Saturday moved him into a tie for sixth place in the jockeys' standings with nine wins. He is knotted with Justine Klaiber. They are 14 wins behind Juan Pulido, who also won two races Saturday.

No Mires a La Luna's trainer Fred Danley had him fired up Saturday, and he was never headed after he broke on top out of the gate. No Mires a La Luna was sent off as the 3-1 second favorite in the race and outlasted Kowboy Jim (4-1), who was another neck in front of longshot Winter Brook (21-1) in third place.

Tough to Bee was the post-time favorite at 5-2 odds and was the top earner in this stakes quality field at $737,438. The best he could do was fourth place, a half-length back of Winter Brook.

No Mires a La Luna is owned and was bred in New Mexico by Byron Woodard of Hobbs, N.M. The winner stopped the timer for 350 yards in :17.589 seconds for a speed index of 88. He returned $8, $5.60 and $3.40 across the board to his backers.

Live racing continues this week with a Sunday post time of 6 p.m. and 12 races on tap.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tracked by more than 165,000 fans on Facebook and 10,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $258 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park is open daily for casino gaming and simulcast horse racing. The 2021 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through May 29. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.