OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 29, 2010—The richest night of racing during the 2010 American Quarter Horse & Mixed-breed Season at Remington Park did not disappoint with plenty of thrilling finishes. The most intense result from seven stakes events came in the $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity, the final race of the evening.

Givinitaroyaleffort won the Grade 1 race that went to a photo-finish, reaching the line by a head with three other rivals just outside of him in close proximity. Knuckles O Toole was second by a slim nose over the 4-5 wagering favorite Llano Teller who settled for third. Freighttrain B was another head behind in fourth.

Owned by the Austin, Texas partnership of LMR2010 and trained by Ed Hardy, Givinitaroyaleffort made the Heritage Place Futurity his first career score. Ridden by Stormy Smith, Givinitaroyaleffort was away from the starting gate in good order and battled throughout the 350 yards. The 2-year-old colt answered the challenge while finishing in 17.409 seconds over a fast track.

However, Givinitaroyaleffort made things interesting in the final strides according to his rider.

“I had a perfect trip. The colt stood up good in the gates and he left there running.” Smith noted. “He was probably a neck or a head in front when he hit the ground. I was looking at the horses to come get him on the outside and he jumped the lights with me. I thought I was caught after that to tell you the truth. Ed has done a great job with this horse.”

Overlooked in the wagering at 25-1 odds, Givinitaroyaleffort returned $52.80 to win, $13.60 to place and $4.40 to place. Knuckles O Toole paid $6.20 to place and $3.80 to show. Llano Teller paid $2.20 to show.

A California-bred by First Down Dash from the Special Effort mare Delphia, Givinitaroyaleffort earned $420,000 for his Heritage Place Futurity victory. He was bred by Abigail Kawananakoa and was sold at the Heritage Place Yearling Sale in 2009 for $20,000.

The Heritage Place Futurity win is the first in the race for the connections of Givinitaroyaleffort.

Knuckles O Toole, a son of first crop sire and champion Country Chicks Man, earned $170,000 for his second place effort. The brown gelding races for Ed Melzer whom also won the Heritage Place Derby(G1) on Remington Park's Saturday card. Eddie Willis saddled with Matt Casebolt getting the riding assignment.

Llano Teller was denied his attempt to add the Heritage Place Futurity to his prior score this season in the Remington Park Futurity. The Teller Cartel colt owned by Wootan Racing and Reed Land and Cattle Company used the $120,000 show check to push his career earnings mare to more than $405,000. Jeffery Reed saddled while regular rider Freddie Martinez was in the irons.

Completing the field were fastest qualifier Freighttrain B, Joltin Jess, Crazy Down Corona, Divas First Down, Jessica Del Rey, Jazz And Corona and Dahlberg.

A Jess Runaway Earns Stakes Win in Heritage Place Juvenile

A field of 2-year-olds who competed in trials for the Heritage Place Futurity but did not qualify for the final went to the gate in the $75,000 Heritage Place Juvenile. A Runaway Jess posted a three-quarter length win over 2-1 wagering favorite BP First Cartel. Sunny D was another head behind in third-place.

A Runaway Jess was ignored at 18-1 in the wagering and paid $39.20 to win while covering 350 yards in 17.595 seconds under Cody Jensen. The win was the second from four career attempts for the Colorado-bred 2-year-old filly by Ocean Runaway from the Mr Jess Perry mare My Girl Jessie.

Owned and bred by Donald Friesen of Henderson, Neb. and trained by Stacy Charette-Hill, A Runaway Jess made $20,163 for the Juvenile win, moving her lifetime earnings to $28,165.

Racing For owner James Sills, Bp First Cartel is by leading sire Corona Cartel. Eddie Willis saddled with James Brooks aboard. The sorrel filly earned $12,090.

A head back for third was Raul Rubalcava's Sunny D. The Okey Dokey Dale colt earned $8,062. Christian Rubalcava trains with Berkley Packer aboard.

Completing the field were Miss Southern Jess, Deadly Accurate, Wagon To Hollywood, Make Mine Zoom, Tell The World and Strongheart. Nighttime Teller was scratched.

The 11-race Saturday night program was worth total purse money of $2,044,888.

Remington Park has two more race dates remaining in the 2010 Quarter Horse Season. Sunday racing begins at 6:25pm while holiday racing is offered on the final afternoon of the season at 1:30pm on Memorial Day Monday.