OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 15, 2021—Only one horse of 18 had won from the 12-hole this meet going into Sunday night’s race, but it didn’t stop Apolitica from pulling off the feat in the feature allowance race.

The 3-year-old filly had a lot of things going for her despite the No. 12 outpost that seems to be closer to the parking lot than to the rail sometimes and has been cursed for horses trying to win from there the past couple of years.

Apolitica, a daughter of leading sire Apollitical Jess, out of the Pappasito mare Madresita, had leading rider Juan Pulido in the saddle and he had already won two races on the night, this win giving him the riding triple. Also, the sorrel filly had come close to winning her last three races in a row and was in with non-winners of two lifetime on Sunday night.

Pulido, with his strong hands and knowledge of the track, booted Apolitica to the front and quickly moved toward the middle of the track while maintaining the lead. The top jock drove her to the finish line and was able to get her head up as they hit the finish line a head in front.

Apolitica, trained by Edelmiro Carrizales and owned by Jose E. Guzman of Dallas, Texas, hit the wire for the 350 yards in :17.558, over a sloppy track, for a speed index of 89.

She came close to breaking her maiden in her sixth career start when she made her debut at Remington Park this meet. She ran third, beaten only a neck. The filly came back and graduated the next time out in her seventh try.

She showed she was learning the game as a 3-year-old when she immediately stepped up in class to a second-level allowance race and was beaten three-quarters of a length in third. She was dropping down to non-winners of two when she won Sunday night.

Apolitica earned $11,022 from the $19,750 purse and her record improved to nine starts, two wins, one second and three thirds for $31,351.

The most impressive thing about her win, other than breaking from west Oklahoma City, was she beat a horse that had qualified for the $710,000 Rainbow Derby and the $1,078,000 All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. Another rival was only beaten three-quarters of a length by Remington Park Derby winner Empressum this season.

The horse that excelled in New Mexico was Hes Back, the post-time 5-2 favorite, who could do no better than third, three-quarters of a length behind runner-up FDD Princess (5-1). The horse that had raced right with Empressum, MH Apollitical Spy, finished fifth.

Apolitica paid $9.80 to win, $4 to place and $3.60 to show. She was bred in South Dakota by Butch and Stephanie Webb. The filly was purchased at the 2019 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale for $37,000.

With Pulido’s three victories Sunday, he extended his lead to 41-35 over second-place Francisco Calderon. The rest of the top five in the jockeys’ standings are Jorge Torres with 26 wins, James Flores with 25 and Jimmy Brooks with 23.

The top five in the trainers’ standings are defending champion Eddie Willis (36), Clint Crawford (34), Dee Keener (18), Monty Arrossa (16) and tied for fifth, Troy Carter and Matt Whitekiller (14).

Keener had one Paint win Sunday night and increased his all-time lead in that genre of racing over Whitekiller to 334-332.

Live racing continues next week with a Thursday-Sunday schedule, May 20-23, with the first race nightly at 6pm-Central.

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Tracked by more than 165,000 fans on Facebook and 10,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $258 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 is open daily for casino gaming and simulcast horse racing. The 2021 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through May 29. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.