House of Lords, top qualifier for the May 31 Heritage Place Derby, helped earn jockey Francisco Calderon and trainer Victor Rodriguez-Flores this week’s honors for Lip Chip Jockey & Trainer of the Week at Remington Park.

© Dustin Orona Photography

by Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK–MAY 14, 2025–Francisco Calderon and Victor Rodriguez-Flores rode and trained the fastest qualifiers in this past week’s Heritage Place Derby and Oaks trials to earn the Lip Chip Jockey and Trainer of the Week at Remington Park.

When Calderon booted home House of Lords and Rainbow of Diamonds in the Derby trials and Oaks trials, respectively, it cemented these two for the honor. There were jockeys and trainers with more wins last week, but none bigger than these two races.

This pair has completely turned House of Lords around since last year. Kempton won the 2024 $1 million Heritage Place Futurity, Remington Park’s cornerstone race of the American Quarter Horse/Paint/Appaloosa meet, and House of Lords was 10th.

This year, House of Lords won his trial, and Kempton was the 10th-fastest qualifier, barely hanging on to the bubble after the final trial of the night.

House of Lords won his Heritage Place Derby trial at 400 yards in :19.422 seconds, earning a dazzling speed-index of 101. He was the only trial participant to break the 100-mark in speed-indexes. House of Lords is owned by Valeriano Racing Stables (Sammy Valeriano) of Odessa, Texas, and was bred in Oklahoma by Buck Way Ranch.

Rainbow of Diamonds won her 400-yard race in 19.286, garnering a through-the-roof 105 speed index. She is also owned by Valeriano Racing Stables and was bred in Oklahoma by Danny Joe Miller.

Calderon had 25 mounts last week, winning with six, running second three times, and third twice for a sharp winning ratio of 24 percent.

Rodriguez-Flores only sent out three horses last week and won with all three of them. It’s hard to beat those percentages. His other trip to the winner’s circle came with a horse named Negotiator V in the Heritage Place Futurity trials.

Despite the fact that a 2-year-old Quarter Horse won his trial, he did not qualify for the $1.1 million Heritage Place Futurity finals. The Futurity, Derby, and Oaks will all be run on the season’s final night of racing, Saturday, May 31.

Remington Park racing continues Thursday through Sunday, May 15-18. The first races on Thursday and Friday, May 15 & 16, are at 6 pm. Saturday racing on May 17 begins early at Noon with the Preakness Stakes featured via simulcast at 6 pm. Sunday racing on May 18 starts at 4 pm. All times are Central.

ABOUT REMINGTON PARK
Remington Park has provided more than $377 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 presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. The 2025 American Quarter Horse Season, features the $1,161,000 Heritage Place Futurity on May 31, the final night of this meet. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.