by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 9, 2026 – There were two things that happened Saturday night in the Heritage Place Derby trials that had people buzzing – how impressive Luziana Man, the fastest qualifier, looked winning, and JC Speeding giving his competitors more than a length head start and still coming out on top in his trial.
Despite breaking dead last in his trial, JC Speeding, a winner of 7-of-11 career starts and track record holder for Paints at Remington Park (he is dual registered as a Paint and an American Quarter Horse) quickly moved past his opponents like a hot knife through butter to get up for the win. With his amazing recovery and late run, JC Speeding qualified for the finals of the Grade 2, $335,800 Heritage Place Derby on Saturday, May 30.
The JC Speeding effort was the talk of the night until Luziana Man left his field of non-qualifiers like they were standing still in the final 100 yards of his 400-yard heat. His win by two full lengths was by far the fastest of all the 3-year-old Quarter Horses in the seven trials.
The 3-year-old Louisiana-bred gelded son of Dominyun stopped the timer in :19.578, earning a speed index of 95. The next fastest speed index for the entire evening was 91 from the second-fastest qualifier, Point Blank Range, who won his trial in :19.731. JC Speeding was next, qualifying in :19.771 seconds for a 90 SI.
Luziana Man, under jockey Bryan Candanosa, was virtually even with two other runners in mid-stretch until he turned on his after-jets and began to blast away, pulling away like some kind of giant magnet was drawing him to the finish line. This horse, owned by Rosalio Espinosa and Jerry Deville, Jr., of Mission, Texas, won an Oklahoma Derby trial earlier this meet at Remington Park, but broke slowly in the finals and, despite that, still finished a fast closing fourth.
Luziana Man was one of the top horses in Louisiana during his 2-year-old year, nearly winning three big stakes races. He finished second, beaten a neck in the Grade 1, $598,000 Lee Berwick Memorial Louisiana Bred Futurity on July 12 last year, followed by a head loss in second for the Grade 1, $535,000 LQHBA Sale Futurity on Aug. 30. Those two races were both at Delta Downs in Louisiana. He didn’t stop there. On Dec. 20, he showed up in the Grade 1, LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity and got beat by a head, running third at Evangeline Downs, also in Louisiana.
If that weren’t enough, Luziana Man also had lost by a half-length earlier in the year in the Grade 2, $268,895 Louisiana Bred Laddie Futurity at Delta on May 24, running second.
The romp in the Heritage Place Derby trial improves the career mark for Luziana Man to 12 starts, seven wins, three seconds and one third for earnings of $416,197. All that for a horse still looking for his first stakes win, believe it or not. He was bred by Jerry West and was purchased like they got him at a swap meet, for a mere $13,500 from the LQHBA Yearling Sale of 2024.
The following were the 10 fastest qualifiers from Saturday (horse, jockey, trainer, time, speed index, trial number, race number):
- 1) Luziana Man, Bryan Candanosa, Jose U. Lopez, :19.578, 95, trial six, race 10
- 2) Point Blank Range, Roman Cruz, Dee Keener, :19.731, 91, trial two, race six
- 3) JC Speeding, James Flores, Dee Keener, :19.771, 90, trial three, race seven
- 4) AJs Wingman, Ramiro Garcia, Jason Olmstead, :19.779, 90, trial three, race seven
- 5) Argyles, Jonathan Dominguez, Marco Chavez-Gutierrez, :19.795, 90, trial four, race eight
- 6) Cyber Blues, Christian Cardenas, James J. Gonzales III, :19.807, 90, trial three, race seven
- 7) Racket Ridge, Francisco Ramirez, Jr., Jason Olmstead, :19.827, 89, trial two, race six
- 8) Fire N Speed, Edwin Escobedo, Samuel Mendoza, :19.831, 89, trial two, race six
- 9) AB Seis Coronas, Jesus Ayala, Justin Joiner, :19.844, 89, trial five, race nine
- 10) Maverykk, Francisco Calderon, Justin Joiner, :19.856, 88, trial two, race six
Remington Park, racing continues Sunday at 4 p.m. with 12 races carded including seven trials for 3-year-old fillies trying to qualify for the finals of the Grade 2, $373,800 Heritage Place Oaks set for Saturday, May 30. Those trials, races 4-10, have been carded for 400 yards.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $411 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity takes place on the final night of the spring season on Saturday, May 30. 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.