PHILOMENA TOP QUALIFIER IN GRADE 3 $225,750 OKLAHOMA DERBY TRIALS
©Dustin Orona | Remington Park
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – March 8, 2019 — The 12-race card at Remington Park featured 3-year-old Quarter Horses in seven trial races, all were trying to qualify for the Grade 3, $255,750 Oklahoma Derby scheduled for Saturday, March 23.
Trainer Luis Villafranco teamed up with jockey Alfredo Triana, Jr., to score with the fastest qualifier for the Oklahoma Derby, 8-1 longshot Philomena in the third of the seven trials.
The 3-year-old filly, owned by Charles and Elizabeth Horton of Coalgate, Okla., shot like a rocket out of the 1-post position when the gate opened and never was headed, stopping the timer for 350 yards in 17.578 seconds for a speed index of 88. Philomena is a daughter of Tres Seis, out of the Streakin La Jolla mare La Stat, bred in Oklahoma by Larry Abney and Chris Sheehy. Tres Seis also sired All-American Futurity winner Ochoa, the all-time top money earner in the game of Quarter Horse racing.
The top 10 fastest times in the seven trials qualified for the Oklahoma Derby. Trainer Rick Robinson had the most qualifiers as he will send three into the Derby. Here are the remaining nine qualifiers (2nd thru 10th) who will join Philomena in the Oklahoma Derby, with their trial heat, time, trainer and jockey:
1.) Philomena (17.758, Villafranco, Alfredo Triana, Jr.)
2.) Jess Proved Youwrong *Heritage Place Sale Graduate (:17.605, trainer Amanda Tongay, jockey James Flores)
3.) Tarish (trial seven, :17.635, Dee Keener, Daniel Torres)
4.) VF Jedi Returns *Heritage Place Sale Graduate (:17.706, Sammy Valdivia, Juan Pulido)
5.) Jakes Baby Wagon (:17.706, Trey Wood, Ricky Ramirez)
6.) Dynasty First Class *Heritage Place Sale Graduate (:17.726, Robinson, Andrew Samaniego)
7.) Pops Tempting Wagon *Heritage Place Sale Graduate (17.763, Nunez, Agustin Silva)
7.) Rappid *Heritage Place Sale Graduate (:17.763, Matthew Eck, Alfredo Triana, Jr.)
8.) Americas Dynasty (17.793, Robinson, Agustin Silva)
9.) Saratoga Return (:17.824, Robinson, Flores)
Coming up Saturday night, the 12-race card will be trials for the Grade 2, $396,650 Oklahoma Futurity, the final scheduled for Saturday, March 23. The 10 fastest 2-year-old Quarter Horse qualifiers from those 12 races will compete for that purse.
Opening Weekend continues at 6pm on Saturday, March 9 and on Sunday afternoon, March 10 at 1:30pm. All times Central.
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Remington Park is always open for casino gaming. Simulcast horse racing is offered daily. Admission, parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park. Guests must be 18 or older in order to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino.
Tracked by more than 150,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,800 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $215 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Home to the historic Grade 2 Oklahoma Futurity, to be run for the 78th time on March 23, 2019, Remington Park 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