(Credit-Dustin Orona Photography)
OKLAHOMA CITY – June 1, 2016 – The 2016 Remington Park American Quarter Horse Season comes to a close with the final three nights of racing Thursday thru Saturday, June 2-4. The $2,319,670 “Mega-Card” program will put the final touches on the season, Saturday night, with a special first race of 5pm.
The 12-race program on Saturday night, the wealthiest race date in Oklahoma horse racing, includes eight stakes events. The total purses for the night come in second to the all-time richest race card ever presented at Remington Park. The 2015-edition of the “Mega-Card” was worth $2,335,670.
The Grade 1, $1,083,420 Heritage Place Futurity is the richest of the eight stakes races on “Mega-Card” Saturday night at Remington Park. The Heritage Place Futurity is the first 2-year-old race of the year worth more than one-million dollars. The field of 10 qualified over two nights of 350-yard trials activity on May 13 & 14. Here is a brief look at each competitor and their connections, by post-position and program number order.
1 – Widows Devil: 30-1 morning-line odds
Owner: Francisco Vega, Justice, Ill.
Trainer: Manuel Almanza
Jockey: Ivan Carnero
The gelding is one of just two in the field of 10 yet to win their first career race… he failed to qualify for the Oklahoma Futurity in March after finishing third in his trial then… finished second in his Heritage Place trial on the second night of heats, behind Mia Kane, on May 14… Jockey Ivan Carnero has enjoyed his best season ever at Remington Park and is on the verge of capturing his first riding title in Oklahoma City. He has enjoyed a spectacular past year, having ridden Jess Good Candy to victory in the $3M All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, N.M. on Labor Day 2015… Trainer Manuel Almanza saddled Volcoms Dash in the Heritage Place Futurity in 2015, finishing eighth.
2 – Sweet Annie GL: 3-1 morning-line odds
Owner: Garza Laurel Partnership, Laredo, Texas
Trainer: Rick Robinson
Jockey: Agustin Silva
The gray gelding won his first career race in his trial for the Heritage Place Futurity on May 13, in runaway fashion by 2-1/4 lengths. He had finished second in his two prior races, including a runner-up finish in the $440,000 Oklahoma Futurity at Remington Park in March… Jockey Agustin Silva has been aboard for all his attempts this season and is on pace to finish second in the jockey standings… The connections competed in the Heritage Place Futurity last year with Tee Chic, finishing fourth… Sweet Annie GL will continue his rivalry with Coronas First Diva in the Heritage Place Futurity, lining up next to the talented filly in the starting gate. Sweet Annie GL was second to Coronas First Diva in the Oklahoma Futurity in March, beaten three-quarters of a length.
3 – Coronas First Diva: 2-1 morning-line favorite
Owner: Sara Morgan, Edmond, Okla.
Trainer: Duke Shults
Jockey: James Flores
The filly will try to become the first runner to win the Oklahoma Futurity at Remington Park and then go on to win the Heritage Place Futurity later in the season… The connections just missed in the Heritage Place Futurity in 2015, running second to BV Midnite Express with A Tres Of Paint. Back again for a second straight year is the sister-brother partnership of Sara Morgan (owner) and Duke Shults (trainer)… Coronas First Diva, like rival Sweet Annie GL, each won their trial for the Heritage Place Futurity on May 13, the first night of qualifying heats… Coronas First Diva is one of three finalists who boast career earnings in the six-digit range ($178,784).
4 – First Rate Return: 20-1 morning-line odds (*Heritage Place Graduate)
Owner: Terry McLean, Claremore, Okla.
Trainer: Gerry McLean
Jockey: Larry Payne
A third-place finisher in a trial that benefitted from a brief rain storm that provided a tailwind believed to reach the 30mph mark. The top three finishers in that ninth trial on May 13 all qualified for the Heritage Place Futurity… A winner at first-asking in his maiden debut on April 3, First Rate Return is sired by High Rate Of Return who won the Heritage Place Futurity in 2011. Jockey Larry Payne won his second Heritage Place Futurity on High Rate Of Return in 2011 and will ride First Rate Return in this year’s race. Payne also scored the HP Futurity in 2007 aboard Southern Takes All… High percentage trainer Gerry McLean seeks his first triumph in Oklahoma’s richest horse race.
5 – V Power: 6-1 morning-line odds
Owner: David Moore, Duncan, Okla.
Trainer: Jerry Ingels
Jockey: Paul Nieto
V Power has only lost once in four career starts, a solid second-place run to Teller Baja in the $888,000 Remington Park Futurity for Oklahoma-breds on April 23… Jockey Paul Nieto has been up for all four of V Power’s attempts and seeks his first career victory in the Heritage Place Futurity, as do all of the connections… V Power’s three career wins this season have come at increasing distances of 250 yards, 330 yards and the 350-yard measure of the Heritage Place Futurity… V Power is the richest earner in the Heritage Place Futurity with a bankroll of $180,484, despite not having a futurity win to his credit. He is also the only three-time winner in the race.
6 – B Double U: 8-1 morning-line odds
Owner: Gregory Cullum, Fort Gibson, Okla.
Trainer: Brian Muse
Jockey: Cody Smith
The top qualifier for the second night of Heritage Place Futurity trials on May 14, B Double U finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Duponte who also qualified… B Double U is also an alum of the $888,000 Remington Park Futurity of April 23, where he finished eighth behind Teller Baja… His trial victory on May 14 was also his maiden-breaking performance, besting his previous top effort of running second behind Teller Baja in their qualifying trial for the Remington Park Futurity.
7 – Kiss My Heineken: 12-1 morning-line odds (*Heritage Place Graduate)
Owner: Jeff Carter and Justin Massey, Calero, Okla.
Trainer: Eddie Willis
Jockey: Jimmy Brooks
The gelding broke his maiden in the heavy-wind aided trial of May 13, earning top-qualifier status for the first night of Heritage Place Futurity trials. He crossed the finish a nose better than Accountably who also made the final… Kiss My Heineken had previously run second in a maiden attempt at Remington Park on April 30… Trainer Eddie Willis seeks his third Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park, winning with Southern Takes All (2007) and Ragazzo (2009)… Jockey Jimmy Brooks seeks his initial Heritage Place Futurity triumph… Kiss My Heineken is the only runner in the Heritage Place Futurity not bred in Oklahoma or Texas, he is a rare Kentucky-bred American Quarter Horse.
8 – Accountably: 20-1 morning-line odds (*Heritage Place Graduate)
Owner: Ygnacio Romo-Flores, Calumet Park, Ill.
Trainer: Kelli Martin
Jockey: Yordanis Amaro
His only career start was his trial for the Heritage Place Futurity, finishing a nose behind Kiss My Heineken with an extremely strong tailwind push on May 13… Accountably is one of just two maidens competing in the 2016 Heritage Place Futurity (Widows Devil is the other)… All of the connections are bidding for their first victory in the lucrative Heritage Place Futurity.
9 – Mia Kane: 10-1 morning-line odds (*Heritage Place Graduate)
Owner: Denis Winn, Tecumseh, Okla.
Trainer: Rolando Almanza
Jockey: Esgar Ramirez
Undefeated through two career attempts, Mia Kane won her initial career race in a trial for the Sam Houston Futurity on April 2 but did not qualify for the final. She edged Widows Devil in the second trial of 12 on May 14 to make it to her first major futurity run… She is one of only two females in the race with Coronas First Diva the other.
10 – Duponte: 6-1 morning-line odds
Owner: Kristen Paredes, San Antonio, Texas
Trainer: Josue Ponce
Jockey: Francisco Ramirez
The only colt in the Heritage Place Futurity, Duponte seeks his second futurity triumph in as many attempts. He won the $268,000 Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Futurity in March… His win in the Harrah’s is his only trip to the winner’s circle in three career starts… He has the third-highest earnings total of any of the Heritage Place Futurity finalists with $123,483.
The Grade 1, $1,083,420 Heritage Place Futurity headlines the program and is the first million-dollar Quarter Horse race of 2015. A total of six of the eight stakes races on “Mega-Card” Saturday are worth at least $100,000. The lineup of stakes races includes:
• Race 5, 6:52pm: Grade 3, $50,000 Easy Jet Stakes, 2-year-old Oklahoma-breds, 350yds
• Race 6, 7:20pm: $100,000 Heritage Place Juvenile, 2-year-olds, 350yds
• Race 7, 7:48pm: Grade 1, $239,400 Speedhorse Graham Paint/Appaloosa Futurity, 2-year-olds, 350yds
• Race 8, 8:16pm: Grade 2, $100,000 Junos Request Stakes, fillies & mares, 3-year-olds and older, 400yds
• Race 9, 8:54pm: Grade 1, $1,083,420 Heritage Place Futurity, 2-year-olds, 350yds
• Race 10, 9:30pm : Grade 2, $369,550, Heritage Place Derby, 3-year-olds, 400yds
• Race 11, 10:06pm: Grade 1, $250,000 Remington Park Championship, 3-year-olds and older, 440yds
• Race 12, 10:39pm: Grade 2, $50,000 Remington Park Distance Championship, 3-year-olds and older, 870yds
The Speedhorse Graham Futurity sets a new record for the highest purse in the history of the event, the richest race in the world for Paints and Appaloosas.
The Junos Request Stakes was increased to a $100,000 purse this year, up from $50,000 previously.
The final three race dates of the 2016 American Quarter Horse Season at Remington Park take place Thursday thru Saturday, June 2-4. The first race is at 6pm on Thursday and Friday with the special “Mega-Card” featuring eight stakes races of the 12 total events, underway at 5pm on Saturday. All times Central.
Open daily at 10:30am for casino gaming and simulcast racing, Remington Park features the Bricktown Brewery on the casino floor. Admission, general parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park, home of the Grade 1, $1,083,420 Heritage Place Futurity on Saturday, June 4.
Tracked by over 100,000 fans on Facebook and 7,200 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided over $148 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino and is located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.