Working Class Hero (#6) wins the $100,000 Heritage Place Juvenile on Friday night at Remington Park. Nestor Duran was up for the triumph.

© Louanne Wainscott / StallioneSearch

By Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 29, 2025—It's not often it happens, but Working Class Hero broke her maiden in a stakes race Friday night at Remington Park – the $100,000 Heritage Place Juvenile.

Working Class Hero, a 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred filly by multiple stakes sire One Valiant Hero, out of the Im A Fancy Pyc mare Eye Am a Fancy Pyc, won for the first time in three tries with jockey Nestor Duran in the saddle for trainer Al Watson.

This filly came very close to qualifying for the finals of the Grade 1, $1,161,010 Heritage Place Futurity that will be run as part of the final race card of the meet on Saturday.

In her Futurity trial, Working Class Hero only got beat by a head by Coronados 123, who did qualify for the finals. This filly ran third in that trial after running a poor fourth in her career debut, losing by a distant three lengths.

Working Class Hero was a full length in front of runner-up FDD Perfect Strike (5-1), who was another head in front of third-place finisher Emerald Bay (5-2 wagering favorite).

Heritage Place Genearl Manager Spence Kidney presents the winning connections of Work Class Hero the Heritage Place Juvenile stakes trophy on Friday at Remington Park.
© Louann Wainscott/StallioneSearch.com

The winner hit the wire at 9-2 odds and paid $11.20 to win, $9.60 to place and $5.20 to show. She hit the finish for the 350 yards was :17.504 and she earned a speed-index of 93 over a fast track. Working Class Hero earned $31,646 for owner Carlos Ponce of San Antonio, Texas.

Fdd Perfect Strike, a bay gelding by FDD Dynasty out of Striking Perfection by High Rate of Return, finished a game second. Bred in Oklahoma by James Daniel Beck, the gelding races for Robyn Gordon and is conditioned by Kasey Willis. Gerardo Gutierrez had the call aboard the $20,000 earner.

Emerald Bay, a bay filly by leading 2-year-old sire Flying Cowboy 123 out of Aqua Girl by Corona Cartel, completed the trifecta. She is trained by Dee Keener for owner Wishbone Partnership and was ridden by Jimmy Flores. Bred in Oklahoma by Mike Vaughan, Emerald Bay earned $10,000 for her effort. She was a $60,000 RNA at the 2024 Heritage Place Yearling Sale.

The rest of the order of finish for the race was Cyber Blues (4-1) fourth, Legendary Golddigger (5-1) fifth, DR Whizkey On Ice (7-1) sixth, and Ha Yep (5-1) seventh. Three horses were scratched out of the race – Apollirevenge, DR Urban Cowboy, and No Sin Here Z.

Saturday is the final day of racing for the 2025 Remington Park American Quarter Horse / Paint / Appaloosa meet with first post time of 5 p.m. CDT. The 12-race card includes the $1.1 million Heritage Place Futurity on an all stakes day and a total of $2.6 million in purse money to be distributed.

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Remington Park has provided more than $380 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the casino's opening 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 will begin on March 6. 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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