© Dustin Orona Photography/Remington Park
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Grade 1, $255,680 Remington Park Championship featured a field of 10 that included defending champ Jessies First Down and this season’s Leo Stakes winner LD Is Back. Neither finished in the money with poor starts at the root of their efforts while Political Attraction (*Heritage Place Graduate) was away sharply and posted his third consecutive stakes win of the season in a mild upset.
Political Attraction had already won the Eastex Stakes in March and the Sooner State Stakes for older Oklahoma-breds in April. However, he was the third choice in the wagering at 3-1 odds behind the favored Jessies First Down at even-money and LD Is Back was next at 5-2 odds. A two-time American Quarter Horse Association World Champion, Jessies First Down stumbled badly leaving the starting gate in his first attempt of the year. LD Is Back encountered traffic early during a slow beginning and never recovered.
Political Attraction had no such issues as he continued to excel in stakes-company at Remington Park, to no surprise of his rider, James Flores.
“He’s an awesome horse,” Flores noted. “The way he’s been performing and training, I knew this horse could be really, really tough in this race. The horse broke sharp. I kept him busy. I didn’t ever see anybody get close to him but we wanted to make a statement. He’s more than a horse, he’s a friend. He’s a good animal, he’s awesome.”
Political Attraction never trailed over the 440 yards, crossing the finish in 21.105 seconds over a fast track while earning a Speed Index of 104. Mi Amor Secreto was a length behind the winner in second with Tough To Bee another head behind in third. The effort by the 4-year-old Political Attraction just affirmed his talent to co-owner Rogelio Marquez, Jr.
“That’s the kind of horse that you’re never scared to go into any kind of race with because you know he’s a bigger horse. Every race that we ran him in, was a step to get him here. Everything went as planned and he came through.”
Marquez co-owns Political Attraction with Kathy Robinson of Claremore, Okla. Trained by Rick Robinson, Political Attraction completed a perfect season at Remington Park, winning all three of his stakes attempts. He paid $8.20 to win, $5.20 to place and $3.80 to show. Mi Amor Secreto returned $14.40 to place and $5.40 to show. Tough To Bee paid $5.20 to show.
The win in the Remington Park Championship is the ninth from 17 career starts for Political Attraction, a son of Apollitical Jess from the Separatist mare Gunsight Peak. Bred in Oklahoma by Ron Lyles, Political Attraction made $154,800 to boost his career earnings to $586,282.
This was the second Remington Park Championship win for trainer Rick Robinson who won with Moonin The Eagle in 2016, while owners Marquez and Robinson won their first. It was the initial win in the race by Flores.
The Remington Park Championship is an invitational event that serves as the top stakes race of the season for older American Quarter Horses.
Remington Park live racing is now on hiatus until the beginning of the 2019 Thoroughbred Season on Aug. 23.
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.
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Tracked by more than 154,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,900 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $218 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. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.