FORGOTTEN CLASS HORSE, HOOKED N GONE, UPSETS IN DEBBIE SCHAUF REMINGTON PARK CHAMPIONSHIP AT 19-1 ODDS

by Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 31, 2025 — Looking at Hooked N Gone’s past performances, it is more than apparent that he is a horse that would be no surprise to win the Grade 1, $255,680 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship Stakes on Saturday night as he did.

The 5-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of PYC Paint Your Wagon, out of the Pretty Boy Perry mare Pretty Girl Kate, won the Remington Park Derby as a 3-year-old and the Remington Park Juvenile Stakes at 2, and also was a third-place finisher in the All American Derby in 2023 at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. Coming into Saturday night’s race, Hooked N Gone had finished first or second at Remington Park 8-of-12 times.

Not only does it stand to reason Hooked N Gone would be a major factor in this year’s race, but he might just be one of the favorites. That didn’t happen. This gelding owned and bred by Regina Laymon of Neosho Falls, Kan., was sent off at 19-1 odds and paid $40.20 to win, $11.60 to place and $6 to show.

“I tell you there were some tough horses in this race,” said Hooked N Gone’s trainer, Victor Ibarra. “I know people didn’t like him that much (on the toteboard), but he guts it out hard. I pretty much expected it. He can run. He loves Remington and he shows it and he got it done today.”

It didn’t hurt that the 1-5 favorite Mr Michel, a two-time stakes winner at Remington Park this meet, broke ninth in this field of 10 horses going the classic distance of 440 yards. Mr Michel was well behind the front-runners, but was such a class horse that he closed enough ground to finish fourth only about a length back. Hooked N Gone outlasted runner-up Shakers No Secret (9-2) by three-quarters of a length in a time of :21.360 over a fast track.

Laymon explained the excitement of watching the horse she bred and owns win at such a large price.

“I was upstairs, yelling really loud with a lot of friends,” she said. “It’s fantastic. I love this. He’s a good horse. He’s got a great heart and Victor’s done a wonderful job with him.”

Shakers No Secret was another nose ahead of third-place finisher RGs Gold Wagon (18-1), who just nodded at the wire a head in front of Mr Michel. Past the favorite in a very tight seven-horse photo for second place were AB Boogie (9-1) in fifth, Unrelentless (17-1) sixth, Nothin Like You (57-1) seventh, Cardiac Cowboy (57-1) eighth, Shy Kisser (61-1) ninth and Mystic Paint (69-1) 10^th.

Hooked N Gone made $147,300 for his trip to the winner’s circle in the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship and improved his lifetime record to 27 starts, seven wins, nine seconds and three thirds for earnings of $736,823. Not a bad career for this home-bred.

It was the first win in this stakes series for all connections.

The Remington Park Championship, the top race for older American Quarter Horses locally, was renamed the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship in 2020 in honor of the late executive director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association.

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Remington Park has provided more than $380 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 year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.