DUPONTE - Heritage Place Futurity Winner
Duponte rolled from his outside post position to score the rich Grade 1, $1,083,420 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park. – Photo by Dustin Orona Photography

OKLAHOMA CITY – June 5, 2016, The first million-dollar race of the year in American Quarter Horse Racing was held Saturday night at Remington Park. Duponte rolled from his outside post position to score the rich Grade 1, $1,083,420 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park.

Owned by Kristen Paredes of San Antonio and trained by 21-year-old Josue Ponce, Duponte was ridden by Francisco Ramirez. Rolling from the outside in post-position 10, Duponte battled for the lead for the first-half of the 350 yards before taking over and opening up to win by one length over Sweet Annie GL in :17.306 seconds over a fast track.

The horse does the job, I just try to stay out of his way,” Ramirez said of his trip on Duponte. “He broke great, I thought. About 50 yards away he kept going and I just rode him and that was that.

Ponce has now guided Duponte to a pair of futurities already in 2016. Prior to his Heritage Place Futurity score, Duponte won the $268,000 Harrah’s Futurity at Louisiana Downs in March.

He’s a good horse, we’ve never had problems with him. I guess in the trials, he’s doesn’t come good but in the finals, he’s probably one of the best right now, Ponce said of his charge who finished second in his qualifying trial for the Heritage Place Futurity on May 14. He was a qualifying fifth in his trial for the Harrah’s Futurity prior to winning that final.

Duponte was 9-2 in the wagering and paid $11.60 to win, $5.20 to place and $3.80 to show. Sweet Annie GL paid $6.20 to place and $4.80 to show. Widows Devil was another head back in third to pay $10.60 to show. Coronas First Diva, winner of the Oklahoma Futurity in March, was the beaten 3-2 favorite, finishing fifth.

A 2-year-old colt bred in Texas by Bobby Cox, Duponte is by American Runaway from the Ivory James mare Havanah Goodtime. The Heritage Place Futurity was his second career victory from four starts and made him $455,036 to boost his total earnings to $578,519.

This was the first win in the Heritage Place Futurity for all of the connections of Duponte.