Stallion ESearch – OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 15, 2016—
Remington Park conducted seven trials to determine the field for the Grade 2, $369,550 Heritage Place Derby on Sunday afternoon. The leading time was posted by the lightly raced, and undefeated, Datona Doll.
Datona Doll topped all of the 3-year-olds trying to make the final with a 400-yard clocking of :19.575 seconds over a fast track. Owned by Mark and Annette McCloy of Jal, N.M. and trained by Trey Wood, Datona Doll was ridden by Ricky Ramirez. Competing for the first time in 2016, Datona Doll used a quick start to grab the lead and score by three-quarters of a length in the third trial of seven.
A filly by New Mexico based sire Jesse James Jr from the Dean Miracle mare Maggies Miracle LX, Datona Doll is now a perfect three-for-three lifetime. Benny and Donna Smith bred her in New Mexico.
Heritage Place Graduate Gyr Jammer, a gelding by leading third crop sire Apollitical Jess, won the first trial by 1¾ lengths to get the second fastest time of :19.686 seconds. Daniel Luna saddled the sorrel gelding for owner Rosa Aguado. Bred in Oklahoma by James and Marilyn Helzer from the Sixes Royal mare Confession Session, Gyr Jammer entered the trails off a third place finish in the Grade 2 Sam Houston Derby on April 23.
Trainer Kelli Martin saddled the first of her two finalists in third trial when Satcha Wagoneer finished second to the fastest qualifier but held onto the third fastest time of :17.690 seconds. The stakes winning daughter of leading sire Pyc Paint Your Wagon races for owner Double A Ranch. Sam Green bred last year’s Dash For Cash Juvenile winner in Louisiana from the Chicks Beduino mare Saychelle.
A pair of fillies by world champion Apollitical Jess posted the 4th and 5th fastest time of :19.704 and :19.756 respectively for trainer Juan Aleman.
Celtic Emblem finished a nose off Satcha Wagoner in the fastest trial to get the 4th fastest time. James Flores had the riding assignment for owner/breeder Kelly Yearsley Equine LLC. Winner of last seasons Easy Jet Stakes(RG3) at Remington Park, Celtic Emblem has earned $126,776. She is out of the G2 winning Tres Seis mare Three Green Leaves.
Jess Envision was a neck winner over Woop Dee Doo in the fourth trial to get the fifth fastest clocking. Ricky Ramirez rode the Oklahoma-bred filly for owner/breeders J. Garvin Kelly, Nancy Yearsley and J. Lloyd Yother.
The daughter of Apollitical Jess entered the Heritage Place Derby trials off a 4th place finish in the RG3 $307,000 Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Derby April 23. Her dam Answer The Dream, by Tres Seis, won the Juno’s Request Stakes(G3) and the Oklahoma Distaff Challenge at Remington Park in 2009.
Weather played no factor throughout the trials as the southerly headwind was fairly constant, registering 6-8mph.
The Heritage Place Derby is one of eight stakes races to be run on Saturday, June 4 as part of the final program of the season. The “Mega-Card” is expected to carry total purse money of more than $2.3 million.
There are just 12 race dates remaining in the 2016 American Quarter Horse Season at Remington Park. Racing continues Thursday thru Sunday, May 19-22 with the AQHA Challenge Day on Sunday, May 22, featuring the Grade 2, $100,000 Bank of America Oklahoma Challenge. v The first race on Thursday and Friday, May 19 & 20 is at 6pm. Saturday, May 21 will feature the simulcast of the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico in Baltimore. Remington Park will race at 4:05pm on Saturday with the Preakness shown at 5:45pm. Sunday racing is at 1:30pm. All times are Central.
Open daily 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 historic $414,000 Oklahoma Futurity. The 75th running of the oldest futurity in Quarter Horse racing takes place on Saturday, March 26, 2016.