BOYD MORRIS MEMORIAL STAKES BRINGS TOP OLDER HORSES TOGETHER, INCLUDING CHARLIES FURY, EAGLES FLY HIGHER

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 20, 2021 – Charlies Fury is going for his third win in a row at Remington Park this season, competing Saturday night in the $84,800 Boyd Morris MemorialStakes. Eagles Fly Higher is looking for his third stakes win of the meet as these two local giants knock heads one more time in their rivalry.

The restricted Grade 3 race for older Oklahoma-breds will go 400 yards in the Boyd Morris Memorial, named after the famed Quarter Horse jockey who won the 1964 All American Futurity on Decketta. The Blanchard, Okla. jockey went on to be a prominent trainer of both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds once his successful riding career ended. He was a mainstay from the beginning at Remington Park prior to his passing.

Make no mistake, this season’s Boyd Morris Memorial is hardly a two-horse race. Oatman Creek Senator just finished ahead of Eagles Fly Higher last time out in the Grade 1 Sooner Stakes. Hooked On a Win ran a half-length back in the Grade 2 Eastex Stakes to Eagles Fly Higher earlier in the meet, and Uncurled Fist was a half-length back of Charlies Fury last time out in the Grade 2 Bob Moore Memorial Stakes, finishing third on April 17.

Charlies Fury, the 2-1 morning line favorite out of trainer Michelle Hurdle’s barn, and Eagles Fly Higher (5-2) from Casey Black’s stable have followed each other around like shadows. These two speedballs have faced each other twice and this race will be the rubber match.

Back on Aug. 15, 2020, when they faced each other in the Championship Challenge at Prairie Meadows in Iowa, Eagles Fly Higher won by 1-3/4 lengths at 440 yards with Charlies Fury second. The next time these two faced each other was in the Grade 2 Mighty Deck Stakes at Remington Park on March 9 at 250 yards. Charlies Fury finished second, a nose in front of Eagles Fly Higher. Now they clash at yet a third distance – 400 yards.

Charlies Fury, a 5-year-old gelded son of Furyofthewind, out of the Take Off Jess mare Jess Charlena, retains his regular rider Agustin Silva for owners Tom and Kathleen McNally of Guthrie, Okla. In his career thus far, Charlie’s Fury has won 8-of-22 starts, finished second seven times and third another four for $330,027 in earnings. Eagles Fly Higher has made it to the winner’s circle 9-of-26 times, run four seconds and six thirds for a bankroll of $602,355.

Charlies Fury is 6-of-13 at Remington Park while Eagles Fly Higher is 7-of-13. Charlies Fury has won four-of-seven races at 400 yards while Eagles Fly Higher is two-of-seven. The balance swings back to Eagles Fly Higher, however, in stakes wins at Remington Park. The 5-year-old son of One Famous Eagle, out of the First Down Dash mare Lone Bet, has won five stakes in Oklahoma City to Charlies Fury’s one. Eagles Fly Higher won the Remington Park Juvenile Stakes on April 21, 2018 as a 2-year-old, then followed that with two wins in 2020, taking the Eastex Stakes and Sooner State Stakes. He won the Eastex again this year, on March 20, and also the Mr Jet Moore Stakes on April 1.

Eagles Fly Higher retains regular rider Mario Delgado for the Lamont, Okla. owner partnership of Darling Farms and Valeriano Racing.

Hooked On a Win (9-2) won the Mr Jet Moore Stakes last year, his last stakes victory. He is owned by Regina Laymon of Neosho Falls, Kan., trained by her husband Kenny and will be ridden by Cristian Esqueda once again.

Here’s a look at the field for the Boyd Morris Memorial, the 11^th race Saturday, May 22, from the rail out with post position, horse, jockey, trainer, and odds:

1. Uncurled Fist, Jorge Torres, Clint Crawford, 6-1
2. Hooked On a Win, Cristian Esqueda, Kenny Laymon, 9-2
3. Midnight Bay Cartel, Cordarelton Benn, Jose Gamez, 20-1
4. Oatman Creek Senator, Raul Ramirez, Jr., Michael Joiner, 5-1
5. Eagles Fly Higher, Mario Delgado, Casey Black, 5-2
6. Charlies Fury, Agustin Silva, Michelle Hurdle, 2-1
7. Scaredy Pants, Juan Pulido, Luis Villafranco, 20-1

The card Saturday night also includes the restricted Grade 3, $84,800 FL Lady Bug Stakes, which drew so many 2-year-olds that it was split into two divisions, the eighth and 10^th races with 10-horse fields in each, going 330 yards. If that’s not enough, also scheduled as the ninth race is the $57,000 Jack Brooks Stakes.

Live racing continues Friday-Sunday, May 21-23, first post time 6 p.m. nightly.

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Tracked by more than 167,000 fans on Facebook and 10,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $261 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 is home to the $1.3 million Heritage Place Futurity on the Night of Champions, Saturday, May 29, the final evening of the American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season. The casino is always open. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.