© Dustin Orona Photography
OKLAHOMA CITY – June 3, 2017 – Saving his best for the final, Hold Air Hostage (2015 Winter Mixed Sale Graduate) rocketed from his rail post position to take a huge lead and make it last to the finish in the Grade 2, $297,100 Heritage Place Derby on Saturday at Remington Park.
Owned by Darling Farms of Lamont, Okla. and trained by American Quarter Horse Association 2016 Champion Trainer Judd Kearl, Hold Air Hostage was ridden by Ricky Ramirez. The 3-year-old gelding ran second in his trial to Apollitical Scout but still qualified for the Heritage Place Derby final. In the main event, Hold Air Hostage had no trouble dispatching Apollitical Scout to second, winning the race under a hand-ride by an astounding 1-3/4 lengths behind.
© Dusitn Orona Photography
“Seems like he likes that post one, he settles in really good. The longer we’re in there the better he stands,” Ramirez said. “I’m very excited to win this race. He broke really hard, the ground kind of broke from under him, because he broke so hard but he broke beautiful and the horse just ran a super performance.”
The effort did not surprise Kearl, who knew Hold Air Hostage was ready for a big run. “The horse was training super. The way the horse got away, we knew he liked running down the racetrack.”
Hold Air Hostage handled 400 yards in 19.385 seconds over a fast track. Away at 6-1 odds in the betting, he paid $15.80 to win, $5.20 to place and $4.40 to show. Apollitical Scout, the beaten watering favorite at 3-2 odds, returned $3.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Kiss My Heineken was another head behind the runner-up in third and paid $4.40 to show.
The remaining order of finish in the 10-horse Heritage Place Derby was Duponte, Capshaw Capo, Rock About It, In Class, Eyema Texas Cowboy, Aberdonian and Spit Prize Corona.
Bred in Oklahoma by Apollitical Jess from the Fold Gold mare Fols Zookie Cookie, Hold Air Hostage won his fourth career race from seven attempts and earned $124,782. He has now made $154,836.