LEADING TRAINER DEE KEENER DOMINATES REMINGTON PARK OAKS TRIALS WITH TWO FASTEST QUALIFYING FILLIES – BELTANE, EMERALD BAY

by Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 6, 2026 – Leading trainer Dee Keener topped off a four-win night Saturday by qualifying the two fastest fillies for the Remington Park Oaks – Beltane and Emerald Bay.

The 10 fillies, 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred American Quarter Horses, with the best times from five trials Saturday will race in the finals of the $182,720 Remington Park Oaks on Saturday, April 18. The two Keener fillies were a sliver apart on fastest time of the night with Beltane’s post of :19.574 seconds, six-thousandths of a second quicker than her stablemate Emerald Bay’s :19.580 over 400 yards.

Beltane, a daughter of Cyber Monday, out of the Tac It Like a Man mare Symbol of Faith, was tearing up Remington Park right out of the gate as a 2-year-old last year, but was a hard luck filly back then. She won futurity trials for the Oklahoma Futurity and the Remington Park Futurity, but didn’t qualify for either final. She tried to qualify for this year’s Oklahoma Derby in her first start as a sophomore, but was crowded badly in that trial and ran last. Keener then tried to give this filly her confidence back in her next start, dropping her into a conditional allowance race with easier company. She still didn’t run her best race, finishing fourth, beaten less than a length. In her third race off a layoff on Saturday night, the old Beltane showed up and blew away her competition in her Oaks trial, winning by two lengths. She and Emerald Bay both recorded speed indexes of 95 and no one else that qualified for the finals was closer than five speed index points of those efforts.

Beltane’s regular rider Jesus Ayala was named to ride her Saturday, but didn’t make it back from an out-of-town engagement in time, so Roman Cruz took over the reins. He cruised home a winner for owner Kelly Yother Equine (Garvin Kelly) of Broken Arrow, Okla., to improve lifetime to eight starts, three wins, and one second for a bankroll of $32,173. She was bred by her owner.

Beltane went off at 3-1 odds and paid $8.40 to win, $4.40 to place and $3 to show. Her stablemate, Emerald Bay, won her heat, the fifth and final, by 2-3/4 lengths and she was the only one to qualify from that trial.

Emerald Bay, a daughter of Flying Cowboy 123, out of the Corona Cartel mare Aqua Girl, was sent to the front in her race by jockey James Flores and no one had a chance once the gates opened. She improved her record to 11 starts, three wins, three seconds and four thirds for earnings of $121,631. She is owned by Wishbone Partnership (Michael Vaughan) of Norman, Okla., and is a homebred for him.

Emerald Bay went off as the heavy odds-on 1-2 favorite and paid $3 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.10 to show. Neither she nor Beltane have won in stakes company yet, but this appears to be their big shot. Emerald Bay has come mighty close, running second, losing by only a neck in the $219,000 Mystery Futurity at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., on Sept. 22, 2025.

Here are the 10 fastest qualifiers for the Oaks (horse, jockey, trainer, time, speed index, trial number, race number):

• Beltane, Roman Cruz, Dee Keener, :19.574, 95, trial one, race seven
• Emerald Bay, James Flores, Dee Keener, :19.580, 95, trial five, race 11
• Flawless Grace, Nestor Duran, Leo Alcala, :19.799, 90, trial three, race nine
• Audreys Lil Cowgirl, Armando Alvidrez, Mark Barnes, :19.861, 88, trial two, race eight
• Amarillis, Cody Smith, Stacey Capps, :19.881, 88, trial one, race seven
• DR Americas Dynasty, Juan Pulido, Jed Vane, :19.963, 86, trial four, race 10
• A Cowboys Chic, Francisco Calderon, John Stinebaugh, :19.964, 86, trial one, race seven
• RR Sweet Memories, Edwin Escobedo, Joe Davis, :19.977, 85, trial four, race 10
• D Sixy Girl, Edwin Escobedo, Clint Crawford, :19.985, 85, trial three, race nine
• I Am a Candy Tree, Mario Delgado, Hernesto Ramirez, :19.989, 85, trial one, race seven

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Remington Park has provided more than $408 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. The 2026 Remington Park Futurity, the richest race of the season for Oklahoma-breds, takes place on Saturday, April 18.  Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. Guests must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.