by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, May 13, 2024 – Last year’s runner-up in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Heritage Place Futurity, Deep Blue, set the bar in her Heritage Place Oaks trial on Sunday at Remington Park. In the first trial heat she posted a time that no other 3-year-old filly could top over the ensuing six trial events.
Deep Blue, a 3-year-old daughter of A Revenant, out of the Corona Cartel mare Blues Girl Too, flashed to the finish line under jockey Ali Rivera in a swift time of :19.829 in her 400-yard trial for a 90 speed-index over the fast track. That time held up the rest of the day. She will be the fastest qualifier for the finals of the Grade 2, $296,940 Heritage Place Oaks set for Saturday, June 1, closing night at Remington Park.
The Heritage Place Oaks will be a part of a card that also includes the Grade 1, $1,081,820 Heritage Place Futurity, one of the top races in the country annually for 2-year-old Quarter Horses going 350 yards. The Heritage Place Oaks is for 3-year-old fillies at 400 yards.
Deep Blue was sent off at 13-1 odds in the 2023 Heritage Place Futurity and ran second to San Lencho, beaten only three-quarters of a length. She has not been close to 13-1 odds since. In fact, she has been the favorite in four of her last five starts, including in her trial Sunday night. She went off as the public’s 3-5 favorite and won by a full length over Shez My Chick. Despite losing by a full length in this trial, Shez My Chick also qualified for the finals. That’s how fast Deep Blue’s finish was in this heat. She paid $3.40 to win, $2.20 to place and $2.10 to show. This fast filly is trained by John Stinebaugh and owned by RDS Legacy Racing of Manchester, Iowa.
Deep Blue improved lifetime to seven starts, four wins and two seconds for earnings of $245,644. She was bred in Oklahoma by Lucky Seven Ranch. Deep Blue wasn’t the only filly thatStinebaugh and Rivera qualified for the finals. They also had the ninth-fastest in Seperate Heart.
One other combo had two qualifiers. Trainer Heath Taylor and Francisco Calderon qualified the third- and fourth-fastest fillies in Tempting Scout and Running to the Moon. Oddly enough, Tempting Scout was not a winner in her trial. She just got nosed out by Midnight Ryde who qualified as the second-fastest.
It has been Taylor’s story of second- and third-itis this meet as he had started 40 horses this season without winning before Running to the Moon won her trial today. Despite going 0-for-the-meet, he had finished in the money in 75 percent of his starts. That’s a lot of seconds and thirds. There would be nothing like a win in the Grade 2 Heritage Place Oaks to turn the entire meet around.
The following are the 10 fastest qualifiers with times from Sunday’s Heritage Place Oaks trials, with speed index, trial number (wind speed), jockey and trainer:
- 1) Deep Blue, :19.829, 90, trial one (11 mph headwind), Ali Rivera, John Stinebaugh
- 2) Midnight Ryde, :19.842, 89, trial five (10 mph headwind), Bryan Candanosa, Jed Vane
- 3) Tempting Scout, :19.872, 89, trial five (10 mph headwind), Francisco Calderon, Heath Taylor
- 4) Running to the Moon, :19.901, 88, trial three (13 mph headwind), Francisco Calderon, Heath Taylor
- 5) San Lorenzo Blood, :19.911, 88, trial three (13 mph headwind), Juan Pulido, Toby Keeton
- 6) Alliekat Dynasty, :19.959, 87, trial two (14 mph headwind), Roman Cruz, Jesus Ruiz
- 7) Shez My Chick, :19.982, 86, trial one (11 mph headwind), Cordarelton Benn, Michael Pittman
- 8) Rustys Cowgirl, :20.043, 84, trial four (11 mph headwind), Angel Ramirez, Renee Wilson
- 9) Seperate Heart, :20.044, 84, trial three (13 mph headwind), Ali Rivera, John Stinebaugh
- 10) Relentless Fantsy, :20.046, 84, trial three (13 mph headwind), Edwin Escobedo, Jason Olmstead
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Remington Park has provided more than $349 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, Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The Remington Park 2024 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through June 1 with the biggest racing program of the season. The Champions Night boasts total purses in excess of $2,000,000, led by the $1,080,000 Heritage Place Futurity. Parking and admission are always free. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.