JC Speeding, shown winning the Grade 1 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity in 2025, posted a bullet workout Feb. 19 to ready for the upcoming Remington Park season.

© Dustin Orona Photography

By Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK–FEBRUARY 20, 2026– There were stakes winners out in full force this week, getting their first official workouts in over the Remington Park racetrack. Preparations continue with the start of the American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season set for Thursday, March 5.

Some of the more prominent names with works that fans would recognize are O Donovan Rossa, JC Speeding, Ima Fancy Eye Opener, and Cardiac Cowboy.

O Donovan Rossa is a multiple graded stakes winner at Remington Park (2022 Grade 3 SLM Big Daddy Stakes as a 38-1 longshot), the Grade 2 Pauls Valley Stakes in both 2023 and 2024, and the 2024 and 2025 Grade 2 Remington Park Distance Challenge.

Known as the King of the Hook for his distance ability around the 870-yard turn for three-time defending training title holder Dee Keener, the 8-year-old gelded Oklahoma-bred son of Apollitical Jess, from the Country Chicks Man mare Shanachee, worked the shortest distance that was possible Thursday, 220 yards. The three-time defending Distance Champion at Remington Park, known for his speed at 870 yards, covered the shortest distance Thursday, Feb. 19 in :12.87, handily. The bullet work at the distance that day was JC Speeding’s :12.22, handily. O Donovan Rossa, owned by Kelly Yother Equine, has a record of 46 starts, 13 wins, 10 seconds and six thirds for lifetime earnings of $404,652. He was bred by Garvan Kelly.

It's no wonder JC Speeding was the bullet worker. The dual-bred Paint-Quarter Horse was named the American Paint Horse Association’s 2025 World Champion Running Horse for his efforts last year. At Remington Park on May 31, he won the richest race in the world for mixed breeds in taking the $238,200 Speedhorse Graham Paint and Appaloosa Futurity. He also set the track record that night for mixed breeds at 350 yards, stopping the timer in :17.176 under the talented ride of jockey James Flores. The 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Chilitos, out of the High Rate of Return mare High Speed Kitty, is also from the Keener barn. He is owned by Planefun LLC and was bred by Richard Joneson. His record is 8-5-2-1, $263,497. The gelding is 4-for-4 at Remington Park.

Ima Fancy Eye Opener, a 4-year-old gray gelding who won two stakes races at Remington Park last year under the guidance of trainer Rhonda Valdivia, is now in the barn of her husband, Sammy. The double stakes winner here last year (Grade 3 Mr Master Bugs and the Grade 2 Mighty Deck Three, both for Oklahoma-breds) showed up on the work tab Thursday, also, trying 250 yards. The son of Ima Fancy PYC, out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Lil Miss Eye Opener, stopped the clocker’s watch in :13.79, handily from the gate. Ima Fancy Eye Opener’s record for owners Shania and Terry Dale Cox is 18-8-2-4, $267,353. He was bred by Rhonda Valdivia.

On the work tab Friday morning was Cardiac Cowboy, a multiple graded stakes winner who is looking for his first black-type victory at Remington Park. He worked 220 yards for trainer Jason Olmstead in a time of :12.50, handily.

Cardiac Cowboy, a 5-year-old gelded Oklahoma-bred son of Flying Cowboy 123, out of the Carters Cartel mare Southard Cartel, has won stakes races at Prairie Meadows and was a prominent runner as a 2-year-old at Remington Park, breaking his maiden by 1-1/4 lengths at first asking on April 15, 2023. He followed that with a win in his second start here, winning a Heritage Place Futurity trial by 1-1/4 lengths on May 12, 2023. The speedster went off at 11-1 odds in the Grade 1, $1,208,000 Heritage Place Futurity final and finished sixth. His record for owners Tom and Lou Ann Smith, and Amber Olmstead is 27-10-3-4, $369,356. He was bred by Jo Rice.

More training races are scheduled for Feb. 25 and 26 at Remington Park as un-started 2-year-olds learn the ropes before their career pari-mutuel debuts.

The race card for Opening Night, March 5, will be drawn in the Remington Park racing office on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Remington Park has provided more than $407 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. The 2026 Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season begins March 5. Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. Guests must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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