By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 31, 2025—In a heart-pounding stretch drive that ended in a rare dead heat, Apollirevenge and Effortless Favorite shared the top prize in the $1,161,010 Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park Saturday night.

The pair of precocious 2-year-olds hit the wire together, stopping the clock in 17.497 seconds over a fast track, and each earning $342,498 for their respective connections.

Apollirevenge, a sorrel filly by champion A Revenant out of Apollititaka by Apollitical Jess, was bred in California by Rancho El Cabresto Inc. She was purchased for $48,000 at the 2024 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale by owner Dunn Ranch.

Out of the Rainbow Juvenile winner Apollitaka, Apollirevenge is a half-sister to stakes winner and Grade 1 placed Train B Taka ($170,567). This is the family of Mr Jet Moore Stakes(G2) winner Apollitical OK, Hobbs America Futurity(G2) winner Takiana Romanova B, Grade 2 winner Mr Taka B, etc. The third dam is stakes winner Babe On The Beach, who produced All American Derby(G1) winner Dont Let Down ($697,769).

Dunn Ranch stands Apollirevenge's sire A Revenant at the stallion station in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.

Trained by Marco Chavez-Gutierrez and ridden by champion jockey Francisco Calderon, Apollirevenge surged from post seven to secure her share of the Grade 1 title.

Calderon said Apollirevenge’s attitude at the beginning of the race may have caused her to be dead-heated.

“She was being a little mean at the gate; she kind of stepped back when they popped it, which cost her a little bit,” he said. She really bore down at the wire, and I asked her for everything she had.”

Calderon chose between Apollirevenge and DR Americas Dynasty and selected Apollirevenge even though her time was slower in the trials than that of her stablemate.

“You know, I worked them both at the farm, and it just felt like Apollirevenge was finishing better after 150 to 200 yards,” Calderon said. “I’m glad I was right, and my agent. It was a team effort.”

Apollirevenge was actually the sixth fastest qualifier on day 1, but moved off the also-eligible list into the final after two scratches by Jay W and Calling Chicks.

“She goes to the mountain (Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico),” Dunn said. “She will run in the Rainbow and the All American, and then we will ship her to California if everything goes well.”

Matching her stride for stride was Effortless Favorite, a bay colt by leading sire Favorite Cartel out of Swingin Cartel by Corona Cartel, bred in Oklahoma by Wallace Johnson.

He was purchased for $67,000 at the 2024 Heritage Place Yearling Sale by the partnership of Tom Maher, Richard L. Tobin, and Bill Maher. Trained by Jason Olmstead and ridden by Francisco Ramirez Jr., Effortless Favorite launched a powerful rally from the inside post position 2 to force the dead heat in a dramatic finish.

“A bunch of stuff was going through my head,” Ramirez said. “I was just hoping we dead-heated after a while. It was a big night. I was lucky enough to win this race in 2016 aboard Duponte. Thank God I could do it again.”

Effortless Favorite is a half-brother to Junos Request Stakes(G2) winner Apolliitcal Scout, the dam of Ruidoso Juvenile winner and All American Futurity(G1) runner-up FDD Scout ($657,381).  This is the family of Rainbow Futurity(G1) winner Swingin Val ($480,175) and AQHA Dam of Distinction Swingin Otoole, the dam of Rainbow Derby(G1) winner Swingin Daddyo ($718,108), etc.

“Jason Olmstead, who trains for us, picks this horse out (of the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale last fall for $67,000),” said Bill Maher. “He comes over to Dick and us and says, ‘Hey, you got any money?’ I said, ‘A little,’ but then referred him to brother Tom, who has more than (me) the rancher-farmer.”

Apollirevenge improved her record to three wins in three starts for a bankroll of $363,663. Effortless Favorite is now also three-for-three and has a bankroll of $363,138.

Apollirevenge was sent off at 4-1 odds and paid $5.40 to win, $5.80 to place and $3.60 to show. Effortless Effort was 8-1 and returned $9 to win, $9.20 to place and $5 to show.

Just a neck behind the pair was Jess a Good Angel, who closed strongly for third in a career-best performance. The brown colt by Jess Good Candy out of Sin Tachas Angel by Pyc Paint Your Wagon was bred in Oklahoma and is owned by Alcala Ranch LLC.

Trained and bred by Cristian Alcala and ridden by James Pulido, Jess a Good Angel earned $139,321 for his connections. He was not sold at public auction, having been campaigned as a homebred.

This was the first time in the Heritage Place Futurity's history, since it began in 1981, that two horses dead-heated for the win.

Completing the order of finish with earnings are Dr Americas Dynasty (4th $81,271), Cyber Command III (5th $69,661), Flying Policy 123 (6th $58,051), Hawkeye Vision (7th $46,440), Jess Flash the Cash (8th $34,830), and Coronados 123 (9th $23,220).

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