News


Jessies First Down Voted Remington Park Horse of the Meet
Two-time World Champion Jessies First Down was named Remington Park Horse of the Meet.

© Dustin Orona Photography
Jessies First Down Voted Remington Park Horse of the Meet

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—JUNE 14, 2018—Jessies First Down, recent winner of the Remington Park Championship, has been voted the Horse of the Meeting for the recently completed season.

The two-time defending American Quarter Horse Association World Champion won the award in balloting by media covering the Remington Park season and track racing personnel.

A winner of both the Grade 1, $100,000 Leo Stakes in April and the Grade 1, $250,000 Remington Park Championship on June 2, Jessies First Down is bred and owned by Ted Abrams of Houston and is trained by James Padgett. The 7-year-old Texas-bred gelding by FDD Dynasty from the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess A Classy Lassy, was also honored as the Champion Older Male, in a unanimous vote.

Jessies First Down set a new 440-yard track record in the Remington Park Championship, covering the ground in a scorching :20.772 over a fast track. He was ridden in both of his victories this season by Rodrigo Vallejo.

Following are the rest of the divisional title winners for the 50-date Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season that concluded on June 2.

Champion 2-year-old: Sunnysyde

Impressive winner of the Grade 1, $1,024,840 Heritage Place Futurity on June 2, Sunnysyde rallied to win the richest race in Oklahoma under jockey Jorge Linares. The colt won his first career race, from just two attempts, in the Heritage Place Futurity.

Owned by the Cox-Lane LLC partnership of Fort Worth, Texas, Sunnysyde is trained by Josue Ponce. Bred in Texas by part owner Bobby Cox, Sunnysyde is by Heza Fast Dash from the Ivory James mare Havanah Goodtime. The broodmare Havanah Goodtime has produced the last three winners of the Heritage Place Futurity, all trained by Ponce, in Duponte (2016), Nymeria (2017) and now Sunnysyde.

Champion 3-year-old: DF AJ Green Leaves

Winner of the $317,000 Remington Park Futurity in April, DF AJ Green Leaves also won his trial for the Grade 2, $363,790 Heritage Place Derby before finishing second in the final.

Owned by Darling Farms of Lamont, Okla., the season’s leading owner with 11 wins, and trained by James Padgett, DF AJ Green Leaves was ridden in his Remington Park Derby win by Omar Reyes and in his Heritage Place Derby trial and final by Jose Alvarez. Bred in Oklahoma by Kelly-Yearsley Equine, DF AJ Green Leaves is by Apollitical Jess from the Tres Seis mare Three Green Leaves.

Champion Older Female: Apollitical Scout

Owned by Paragon Farms of Conroe, Texas, Apollitical Scout won the richest race for females of the season, the Grade 2, $100,000 Junos Request Stakes, on June 2. Her only win of the season was enough to gain her the title.

Trained by James Padgett, Apollitical Scout was ridden in the Junos Request by Rodrigo Vallejo. Bred in Oklahoma by Dan & Louise Jones, Apollitical Scout is a 4-year-old mare by Apollitical Jess from the Corona Cartel mare Swingin Cartel.

Champion Distance Runner: Blazen Panther

A score in the last of two major stakes races around the turn helped secure the distance title for Blazen Panther.

A winner of his final two races of the season, Blazen Panther’s only 870-yard win came in the Grade 2, $50,000 Remington Park Distance Championship on June 2. Owned and trained by Luz Chavira of Purcell, Okla., Blazen Panther was ridden in both of his wins this season by Daniel Torres.

Bred in Oklahoma by Cockrell and Vanhoozer, Blazen Panther is a 7-year-old gelding by Panther Mountain from the Blazen Bryan mare Blazen Madie.

Champion Oklahoma-bred: Hold Air Hostage

The winner of the $100,000 Sooner State Stakes for Oklahoma-breds on May 5, Hold Air Hostage jumped out to a quick and open lead in the Remington Park Championship. However, he could not hold off his stablemate Jessies First Down, settling for second in the season’s top race for older horses.

Owned by Darling Farms of Lamont, Okla. and trained by James Padgett, the 2017 AQHA Champion 3-year-old was ridden in his Sooner State Stakes win by Rodrigo Vallejo. Jockey Jose Alvarez was up for the second-place effort in the Remington Park Championship.

Bred in Oklahoma by Luis Gleason, Hold Air Hostage is a 4-year-old gelding by Apollitical Jess from the Fols Gold mare Fols Zookie Cookie.

Champion Paint: Painted Turnpike

The three-time defending World Champion Paint Horse, Painted Turnpike had another stellar season at Remington Park, winning three stakes events. The 5-year-old horse was triumphant in the $20,000 Paul Harber Memorial in April, the $30,000 Mister Lewie Memorial on May 18 and the $30,000 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Stakes on June 1.

Bred and owned by Nolan Pevehouse of Webbers Falls, Okla., Painted Turnpike is trained by Matt Whitekiller and was ridden by regular jockey Cody Smith. The three wins this season extend Painted Turnpike’s Remington Park record for career victories in the sprint season to 13 overall.

Painted Turnpike is a horse by Pyc Paint Your Wagon (qh) from the SF Royal Quick Flash mare High Class Turnpike.

Champion Appaloosa: Admiral Tom

The runner-up in the world’s richest race for Paints & Appaloosas, the Grade 1, $254,300 Speedhorse Graham Futurity on June 2, Admiral Tom won a pair of races this season. He broke his maiden at first-asking on March 23, then won his trial for the Speedhorse Graham on May 19.

Bred and owned by Gary Vaughn of Coalgate, Okla., Admiral Tom is trained by Luis Villafranco. Jockey Ricky Ramirez was up when he broke his maiden and finished second in the Victoria Ennis Memorial in April. Jockey G.R. Carter rode him to his trial score and runner-up effort in the Speedhorse Graham.

Admiral Tom is a 2-year-old Appaloosa, bred in Oklahoma, by Red Storm Cat (qh) from the Mr Eye Opener (qh) mare Eyesa Knockout.

Champion Claimer: Jzoomin Scoot

Undefeated in three starts this season, Jzoomin Scoot moved up the claiming ladder. A 6-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding, Jzoomin Scoot won a $5,000-level claiming race on March 15; a $12,500-level claimer on April 14; and a $15,000-level claimer on May 17.

Owned by Roberto Gomez and trained by Manuel Almanza, Jzoomin Scoot was ridden to all of his wins by Eugenio Navarrete. Bred by Wootan Racing of Llano, Texas, Jzoomin Scoot is by Jess Zoomin from the Zip Cash mare Scootan Wootan.

Live racing is now on hiatus at Remington Park until the beginning of the 2018 Thoroughbred Season. That 67-date session runs from August 24 thru December 16.

Remington Park is always open, 24 hours, for casino gaming. Simulcast horse racing is presented daily beginning at approximately 11am.

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

Tracked by over 140,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided over $194 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Remington Park, Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino, is located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, Remington Park is 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.