Jess Apollitical (inside, white blinkers) just noses for victory ahead of He Stol My Heart (10) in the sixth race on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at Remington Park. The race resulted helped produce many large pari-mutuel payoffs.

© Dustin Orona Photography/Remington Park

By Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK–APRIL 27, 2025–Not many thought Jess Apollitical would win on Sunday night at Remington Park as he was sent off at 38-1 odds in the sixth race. The true believers were rewarded handsomely.

Jess Apollitical won this $20,000 claiming event for non-winners of two career races by a nose over another longshot, He Stol My Heart (12-1). When the 9-2 second-favorite in the race, Viva Le Reba checked in third it produced a giant trifecta payoff.

There was one correct ticket with that combination in the 50-cent trifecta wager, correctly picking the first three finishers in order. That ticket was worth $7,863.50. It was easily the biggest payout of the Remington Park spring season in the trifecta wager.

While the holders of the big trifecta ticket were pleased with their loyalty to Jess Apollitical, there another on the Remington Park grounds who liked this gelding enough on this day, and that was trainer Luis Villafranco. He claimed the winner for $20,000 for owner Emmanuel Villarreal.

In all fairness, Jess Apollitical, a 3-year-old North Dakota-bred gelded son of Apollitical Jess, from the Foose mare Babe Can Fly, had shown some ability in the past, but not at Remington Park. His three starts here had been two eighth-place finishes in maiden races in Oklahoma City last year and a seventh-place finish in his only start here this year.

Never had he been closer to winning here than 4-1/4 lengths. Also, in one of those maiden races last year, Jess Apollitical had to run against Curls Magic Wagon, who has gone on to win 4-of-8 for $223,529 in earnings as a multiple graded stakes horse.

It was a different story at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, however. Jess Apollitical had broken his maiden by a neck at Prairie Meadows on Sept. 23, 2024, his final race before he showed up at Remington Park this spring with trainer Ed Hardy for owner Xcel Farms (Cole Morehead) of Asher, Okla.

When Jess Apollitical won for the first time in his career in Iowa that night, he beat a horse named Cutting Edge, who came right back and broke his maiden the next race out. Captain Blood had beaten Jess Apollitical in a maiden race at Prairie Meadows by a nose in his previous start, and then Captain Blood went to Louisiana Downs and won an allowance race in March of this year. Summing up, Jess Apollitical has been running against some bears.

The running ability Jess Apollitical had shown at Prairie Meadows finally showed up at Remington Park on Sunday and he cruised home a winner at 400 yards, the first time he had tried that distance. His winning time was :15.774 seconds for an 81 speed-index over the fast track. Jess Apollitical was bred by David Wisdom.

Jess Apollitical’s bloodlines, with Apollitical Jess on top of his pedigree, did indicate that he might like the longer race. After all, Apollitical Jess has sired three All American Futurity winners at 440 yards – KJ Desparado, Apocalyptical Jess and Mr Jess Jenkins. He also was the father of AQHA World Champion Empressum. KJ Desparado is the all-time winningest horse in Quarter Horse racing history with more than $3.3 million earned.

Jess Apollitical was ridden to victory Sunday by jockey Angel O. Ramirez. The gelding earned $9,825 for the win to improve lifetime to eight starts, two wins, one second and one third for $23,741 in earnings. He was a $60,000 purchase at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale in 2023.

New High Superfecta Payoff
Sunday produced three wager payoffs that exceeded $1,000, with a doozy for the 10-cent superfecta in race nine.

When Jess A Candy Maker (12-1) won the maiden race for Oklahoma-breds at 350 yards, with RR Dream Catcher (9-1) second, Suds (20-1) third and Zees Desperado (37-1) in fourth, the 10-cent superfecta paid a season high $10,013.77. The big score was made possible when AJs Flashnthachicks, the heavy 4-5 betting favorite, finished out of the money in sixth.

Remington Park racing continues Thursday through Sunday, May 1-4, with the normal 6pm post time on Thursday and Friday. Saturday, May 3 features the simulcast of the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs, so Remington Park action will begin that day at Noon. Sunday racing starts at its usual 4pm. 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 $1,000,000 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.

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