Preview Racing


Rich Oklahoma Futurity, Derby Top Stakes-Loaded Card at Remington
Fastest qualifier Philomena heads a field of 10 sophomores entered back in the Saturday's 350-yard, $255,750 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.

© Dustin Orona Photography
Rich Oklahoma Futurity, Derby Top Stakes-Loaded Card at Remington

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MARCH 21, 2019—Five American Quarter Horse stakes, topped by the $396,650 Oklahoma Futurity (G2) and $255,750 Oklahoma Derby (G3), will be featured on Remington Park’s 12-race Saturday program.

Post time for the first race is set for 6 p.m. (CDT).

Ten 2-year-olds, all of whom made their career debuts in trials held on March 9, have been entered back in the 300-yard Oklahoma Futurity. Elizabeth Logan’s EC Revenge, the fastest qualifier is coming off of a head victory in the seventh of 12 trials, as the gelded son of Hes Relentless covered the distance in :15.500. EC Revenge is out of SS Pamilla, an unraced daughter of Corona Cartel and the graded stakes winning Mr Jess Perry mare First Prize Robin.

EC Revenge was a $25,000 buy at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale. The gelding drew post 8 and will be ridden by James Flores for trainer Dee Keener.

TF Kates TLC, the second-fastest qualifier, is a bay daughter of The Louisiana Cartel trained by Roberto Trejo for owner Gilberto Gutierrez, and the filly was an $8,000 purchase at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale. TF Kates TLC opened her career with a second-place finish to EC Revenge in her Oklahoma Futurity trial.

TF Kates TLC drew post 3 and will be ridden by Ramiro Garcia.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

  1. Rrelentless (Jesus Olivas)
  2. Always Charging (Stormy Smith)
  3. TF Kates TLC (Ramiro Garcia)
  4. Separate Party (Juan Pulido)
  5. Pepper Ryan (Randy Edison)
  6. DF Zookie Cookie (Rodrigo Vallejo)
  7. Clean Brew (Manuel Gutierrez)
  8. EC Revenge (James Flores)
  9. Sizzling Fajita (Esgar Ramirez)
  10. Southern Fast Succes (Ricky Ramirez)

Also on Saturday, fastest qualifier Philomena heads a field of 10 sophomores entered back in the 350-yard, $255,750 Oklahoma Derby.

Trained by Luis Villafranco for owners Charles and Elizabeth Horton, Philomena made her 3-year-old season debut with a wire-to-wire, 1 3/4-length victory in the third of seven trials on March 9. The lightly raced daughter of champion Tres Seis has earned $7,395 from just two official starts.

Philomena drew post 9 and will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez. Her nine opponents include Rappid, a bay Ivory James gelding owned and trained by Matthew Eck. Rappid has banked $109,712 from eight outs, and his two wins include a half-length score in last year’s 350-yard, $222,000 Speedhorse Futurity (G3) at Fair Meadows at Tulsa.

The eighth-fastest qualifier, Rappid drew post 3 and will be ridden by Alfredo Triana Jr.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

  1. Jakes Baby Wagon (Ricky Ramirez)
  2. Saratoga Return (Mario Delgado)
  3. Rappid (Alfredo Triana Jr.)
  4. Tarish (Daniel Torres)
  5. VF Jedi Returns (Juan Pulido)
  6. Jess Proved Youwrong (James Flores)
  7. Pops Tempting Wagon (Rodrigo Vallejo)
  8. Americas Dynasty (Agustin Silva)
  9. Philomena (Manuel Gutierrez)
  10. Dynasty First Class (Andrew Samaniego)

Three other stakes will be contested on Saturday. Jack Smith Farms’ Hes Limitless, a 4-year-old Oklahoma-bred son of Corona Cartel trained by John Stinebaugh, will be making his first start in more than four months in the 350-yard, $50,000 Eastex Stakes (G2). Hes Limitless ended his sophomore campaign with a third-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Hotstepper, in the 440-yard, $376,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park, and the gelding was also a finalist in the 440-yard All American (G1) and Rainbow (G1) derbies at Ruidoso Downs.

A dozen of the best distaffers on the grounds are entered in Saturday’s 350-yard, $50,000 Decketta Stakes (G3). Trainer Stacy Charette-Hill will send out Curls Happy Wagon for owners Michael A. Pohl and Martin Stacy. A homebred 4-year-old daughter of Pyc Paint Your Wagon, the mare will be making her first start since November 10, when she ran second, a head behind Hotstepper, in the Texas Classic Derby.

Ed Melzer’s Valiant Memorie, a homebred One Valiant Hero filly trained by Eddie D. Willis, is one of the main contenders in Saturday’s 300-yard, $50,000 Oklahoma Juvenile Stakes. Valiant Memorie made her debut with a clear 1 1/4-length victory as the 8-5 favorite in the sixth Oklahoma Futurity trial on March 9.

All Remington Park races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.