History Awaits As Ten Talented Fillies Chase Inaugural Will Rogers Oaks Crown

A new chapter in Quarter Horse racing will be written Monday afternoon, October 19, when Will Rogers Downs hosts the inaugural $166,100 Will Rogers Oaks. Ten talented three-year-old fillies have earned their places in the starting gate, each seeking to become the first winner of the newly established stakes event.

The historic first running will be contested at 440 yards in the seventh race of the eight-race program, with an approximate post time of 2:48 p.m. First post for the afternoon is set for noon.

The inaugural Oaks has drawn an accomplished field of graded stakes winners, proven finalists, and rising contenders. With $66,440 on the line for the winner, the competition promises to be an exciting addition to the Will Rogers Downs stakes schedule.

Ruse Ticle Knockout leads the field as the 2-1 morning-line favorite. The three-year-old filly enters after an impressive victory in her October 5 trial, where she battled for the lead before pulling away to win by half a length in 21.569 seconds.

The daughter of Apollitical Jess has built an impressive career, with seven wins, two seconds, and four thirds in 15 starts, earning $224,850. She has won three of seven starts this season, including a qualifying trial for the Grade 1 All American Oaks at Albuquerque Downs, where she finished sixth in the $694,000 final on September 6.

Earlier this year, Ruse Ticle Knockout finished third in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks and second in the La Pacifica Handicap, demonstrating her ability to compete with some of the nation's leading sophomore fillies.

Bred in Texas by Five Puig Racing, LLC, the bay filly is by the Tres Seis mare Adolph Tres Knockout. She was purchased for $210,000 at the TQHA Yearling Sale and races for Mi Serenity. Trainer Marc E. Jungers will saddle the filly at the inside post, with jockey Edwin G. Escobedo aboard.

Emerald Bay enters as another leading contender after posting the fastest qualifying time in the October 5 trials. The three-year-old filly dominated her heat, drawing away to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 21.576 seconds.

Her commanding trial victory adds to an already successful season that includes a runner-up finish in the Restricted Grade 3 Remington Park Oklahoma Oaks and a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby.

The daughter of Favorite Cartel has demonstrated her ability against stakes competition and will look to carry that momentum into the inaugural final.

Amarillis, listed at 4-1 on the morning line, brings one of the strongest stakes resumes into Monday's championship. The three-year-old filly has earned $311,597 in 12 career starts, with five wins, one second, and three thirds.

She enters after a third-place finish behind Ruse Ticle Knockout in the October 5 trials, where she overcame a slow start and gained ground late to finish three-quarters of a length behind the winner.

Amarillis captured the Restricted Grade 3 $183,000 Remington Park Oklahoma Oaks on April 18, defeating Emerald Bay by half a length. She also won the Restricted Grade 3 $512,000 Black Gold Fillies Futurity at Will Rogers Downs last November, further adding to her impressive record at the Claremore oval.

The daughter of Favorite Cartel is out of the Dominyun mare Astranomical. Bred in Oklahoma by M.C. Stucks, she races for Dusty Rose Ranch, LLC, with Stacey L. Capps as her trainer. Jockey Cody R. Smith will guide the filly from post nine.

Emerald Bay, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line, has six wins, four seconds, and four thirds in 16 career starts, earning $198,180.

Bred in Oklahoma by Mike Vaughan, the daughter of Flying Cowboy 123 is out of the Corona Cartel mare Aqua Girl. She races for Wishbone Partnership and is trained by Michael Moss. Jockey Roman Cruz will ride from post five.

Flying Policy 123, listed at 8-1, brings additional graded stakes experience to the final. The daughter of Flying Cowboy 123 finished third in the Grade 2 $374,000 Heritage Place Oaks at Remington Park earlier this season and was runner-up to Amarillis in last year's Restricted Grade 3 Black Gold Fillies Futurity.

The filly has earned $236,635 in 12 career starts, with three wins, two seconds, and three thirds. She finished third behind Emerald Bay in her October 5 trial.

Bred in Oklahoma by Bill Price, Flying Policy 123 is out of the Tres Seis mare Bp Tres Seis Policy. She races for owner Clay Seal and is trained by Justin W. Joiner. Jockey Mario Delgado will ride from post eight.

Rowdi, a 12-1 morning-line favorite, enters after a commanding one-length victory in her October 5 trial. The daughter of You Drive I Fly also finished second by a nose in the $164,000 Prairie Meadows Gold Derby in July.

Bred and owned by Michele and Craig Snider, Rowdi has earned $72,247 in 11 starts, with two victories, four seconds, and one third. Trainer Tyler Stein will saddle the filly from post six, with jockey Angel O. Ramirez aboard.

With an accomplished field of finalists and several fillies already proven in graded-stakes competition, the inaugural Will Rogers Oaks offers an opportunity to establish a new tradition at the Claremore racetrack.

Only one filly will leave Monday afternoon as the first Will Rogers Oaks champion, adding her name to the history of the newly established event.

The $166,100 Will Rogers Oaks is scheduled as race seven at Will Rogers Downs, with an approximate post time of 2:48 p.m.

The races at Will Rogers Downs can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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