Speedhorse
May 25,2012
By Michael Cusortelli
Analysis of Heritage Place Futurity, Derby; and Remington Park Invitational Championship
Remington Park ends its 50-date Quarter Horse meet with a definitive bang this weekend, as the Oklahoma City track presents nine stakes races during the three-day Memorial Day weekend starting on Saturday.
Six of Remington’s closing-weekend stakes are for Quarter Horses, and we’ll take a closer look at the three richest – the 350-yard, $1.115-million Heritage Place Futurity (G1) and 400-yard, $247,800 Heritage Place Derby (G2) on Saturday, and the 440-yard, $250,000 Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1) on Sunday.
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The Heritage Place Derby began at Blue Ribbon Downs in 1984, when Tommy Rack and Ace Walker’s Burnell earned the winner’s share of a $116,932 purse. The race first earned graded status (RG2) three years later, then it moved to Remington Park in 1990 and has been run at that track every year since except for ’03. Ed Melzer’s Streakin Down holds the 400-yard stakes record, which the bay gelding set two years ago.
Our top selection for this year’s Heritage Place Derby is fastest qualifier BPs Jumpin Frisco, a well-bred gelding by the Chicks Beduino stallion Jumpn. One of three finalists qualified by jockey Jimmy Brooks for trainer Eddie D. Willis – and the one the veteran reinsman has chosen to ride in the final – BPs Jumpin Frisco earned a TrackMaster speed rating of 103 when he won the third of four trials by one length on May 6. Also, the gelding has been solid in all of his starts at Remington this spring, as his record includes a third-place finish to A Toss Up in the April 14 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby and a second to WcrSeperateandcool, a talented aged gelding who put together a four-race win streak in New Mexico late last season, in the March 18 Mr Jet Moore Handicap for older horses.
David Pinon picks up the mount on another contender from the Willis barn, third-fastest qualifier Jess Lips. This sorrel colt by Mr Jess Perry has made the exacta in six of his seven races, a streak of consistency that includes a close second-place finish to Igotyourtac in the 400-yard, $1.2-million Golden State Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos.
Consistent is also a good way to describe seventh-fastest qualifier Texasindependencegal, as this daughter of the Corona Cartel stallion Mr Ottyes has made the trifecta in all 10 of her races, which include a close third-place finish in last year’s Grade 1, 400-yard Dash For Cash Futurity at Lone Star Park. Texasindependencegal overcame a hop at the break to run second in her Heritage Place Derby trial as the 13-10 favorite.
Eighth-fastest qualifier Send Me A Candy Tree is a part of a Clinton Crawford-trained wagering entry that includes 2011 Speedhorse Gold and Silver Cup Futurity (RG2) runner-up Haulin Candy Salt. A brown daughter of 2003 AQHA world champion Oak Tree Special, Send Me A Candy Tree is coming off of a neck victory as the 2-1 choice in the last trial. She’s won four of five outs at this 400-yard distance, and she earned a 106 speed rating when she defeated a tough group of stakes winners in last year’s 440-yard, $200,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1) in New Mexico.
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Like the Derby, the Heritage Place Futurity has a rich history. Started in 1981 during the non-parimutuel days at Blue Ribbon Downs, the race moved to Remington Park in ’90 and has been contested at its current location every year except 2003. Past winners of the race include AQHA champions Dashin Is Easy (1997) and Stolis Winner, who won the stakes during his world champion campaign four seasons ago. Stolis Winner holds the current 350-yard stakes mark of :17.34.
Valiant Lil Lady, our top choice in this year’s Heritage Place Futurity, has been tearing up the track – both in the mornings and during her races. A brown filly by Valiant Hero, Valiant Lil Lady has won both of her starts, including her May 5 trial by 2 ¾ lengths as the 11-10 favorite. Her morning efforts are also worth noting – on March 28, she ran a solid second in a 250-yard training race, covering the distance in :13.52, the third-fastest clocking of 99 that day.
Dash For Coronas turned in some solid morning efforts at Louisiana Downs before he shipped to Oklahoma, where he’s won all three of his outs, including the March 17, $358,000 Oklahoma Futurity (G2) with a 107 TrackMaster speed rating. The brown colt by the Corona Cartel stallion Coronas Leaving You won the fifth of 10 trials as the 6-5 choice on May 4.
A 15-1 morning-line longshot, Thequeenhasgonenuts is a graded stakes-placed filly by the Strike The Cash stallion Hadtobenuts. Thequeenhasgonenuts has won two of her three races, with her only setback being a runner-up finish to Sassmaster in the April 14, $488,000 Sam Houston Futurity (G2) in Texas.
BP Cartels Alibi, a nicely bred son of Corona Cartel and multiple futurity finalist My Ladys Alibi, was a prompt 4-5 choice in his trial. The colt has been favored in both of his outs, and his morning activity includes a solid :13.4 gate work back on February 29, the third-fastest of 134 250-yard drills that day.
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The winner of this year’s Remington Park Invitational Championship, which has drawn a full field of 12, will earn a berth in the December 15, $750,000 Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos.
Our top selection, Cold Cash 123, is the reigning AQHA world champion. A 4-year-old gelding by Oak Tree Special, Cold Cash 123 will be making his first start since March 24, when he scored a neck victory as the 7-10 favorite in the 400-yard, $100,000 Leo Stakes (G1). Cold Cash 123 has also won eight of his nine races at this 440-yard distance, and he sports a four-race win streak that includes victories in the December 31, $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park (G1), and the November 23, $373,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park.
Llano Teller ran a close second to Cold Cash 123 in the Leo Stakes. This 4-year-old Teller Cartel gelding also had an outstanding sophomore campaign, which included victories in the 440-yard All American Derby (G1) and 400-yard Ruidoso Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. Llano Teller has won five of nine starts at this quarter-mile trip, including the May 6, $101,000 Bank of America Remington Championship Challenge (G2) on May 6.
Rylees Boy, the winner of last year’s Remington Park Invitational Championship, is another 440-yard specialist. The reigning AQHA champion aged gelding, this 7-year-old gelding by the Heza Fast Man stallion Heza Motor Scooter has won 11 of his 15 starts at the distance, and he is coming off of a solid two-length victory in the 440-yard, $110,000 Bank of America Sunland Championship Challenge (G2) in New Mexico.
The best 3-year-old in the country right now, A Toss Up will get a class and distance test here off of his neck win in the 400-yard, $100,000 Sooner State Stakes (RG1) for Oklahoma-breds on April 28. A sorrel gelding by the First Down Dash stallion Sweet First Down, A Toss Up has won three of his four outs at the current Remington meet, including the April 14 Remington Park Derby and the March 4 Eastex Handicap (G3).