OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 12, 2017—Despain GL set the standard right away on the first night of trials for the Grade 1 $1,154,700 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park. Winning the first trial of 12 on Friday night, the 2-year-old gelding covered 350 yards over a fast track in 17.516 seconds.
Winning easily by 1-¾ lengths, Despain GL is owned by Garza Laurel Partnership of Laredo, Texas and is trained by Rick Robinson. Agustin Silva was up for the second win for Despain GL who also won a trial for the Oklahoma Futurity in March before finishing fourth in the $50,000 Oklahoma Juvenile later that month.
A Texas-bred son of champion sire Desirio from the Mighty Invictus mare Pain And Pleasure, Despain GL was bred by Somos Diez. He has earned $19,068 this season.
The Friday trials were aided somewhat by a northerly tailwind that was at 14mph when the racing started and lowered to 8mph by the sixth trial. However, the tailwind continued to diminish throughout the remainder of the program and was nearly non-existent by the end of the card.
Coming off a maiden win in her first start on March 31st, Every Chicks Favorit defeated fellow qualifier Olena Sangria by a nose in the sixth trial to get the second fastest clocking of :17.683 seconds.
Omar Reyes rode the Florida-bred son of leading third crop sire Favorite Cartel from the Looking For Chicks mare This Chicks A Queen. Jose Villafranco conditions the chestnut colt for owner Lorena Gutierrez. Bred by J.P. Sample, the 2-for-2 winner has banked $18,174 this season. He is a $22,000 Los Alamitos Equine Sale graduate.
Also a two-time winner, Bird Train *Heritage Place Sale Graduate* prevailed over fellow qualifier Nymeria in the fourth trial to record the third fastest time of :17.686 seconds with a 10-mph tailwind. Owned-and-trained by Matthew Eck, Bird Train is by multiple stakes sire Freighttrain B from the Call Me Together mare Laico Bird Chic. Alfredo Triana, Jr. had the riding assignment.
Bred in Oklahoma by Jimmy Jones, Bird Train bounced off a 10th place troubled effort in the Oklahoma Futurity trials to break his maiden by two-lengths on April 14th at Remington Park. Eck paid $17,500 for Bird Train at the 2016 Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City. He has banked $19,122 this season.
The aforementioned Olena Sangria, ridden by jockey Larry Payne, held on to the 4th fastest clocking of :17.687 seconds. Tana Caldwell conditions the maiden daughter of Dashair for owner Robbin Caldwell.
Robbin and Makynzie Brown bred the chestnut filly in Oklahoma from Mt Rob This Corona by The Corona. She has a (2) 0-1-0 record.
The final starting spot on the first night of trials went to the Bigtime Favorite filly Nymeria who finished a close second to the aforementioned Bird Train in the fourth trial. The brown filly completed the 350 yards in :17.713 seconds.
Josue Ponce conditions the Texas-bred filly for owner Alfredo Garza. Ridden by Jose Alvarez, Nymeria broke her maiden in her first start on March 4th when she won a trial for the Grade 3 Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity at Louisiana Downs. Bobby Cox bred the $19,500 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate from the Ivory James mare Havanah Goodtime.
The Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity, the richest horse race in Oklahoma, will be held on June 3.
Tracked by over 124,000 fans on Facebook and 8,800 Twitter followers, Remington Park is the home of the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on June 3. Remington Park has provided over $167 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Open daily at 10:30am with free parking and admission, Oklahoma City’s only Racetrack & Casino 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.