CARTEL KISSES PULLS OFF MINOR UPSET IN EASY JET STAKES

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 30, 2021 – Reassigned to the restricted Grade 3, $56,000 Easy Jet Stakes on Saturday after narrowly missing in the Heritage Place Futurity trials, Cartel Kisses proved her worth, taking down the favorite in a tough battle and minor upset.

Sent off as the 4-1 second choice in the race, Cartel Kisses outlasted the 3-5 wagering favorite in San Lorenzo Ivory by a half-length for the victory. The 2-year-old filly by Kiss My Hocks, out of the Carters Cartel mare Midnight Cartel, returned to her former form that led her to two victories in the first two races of her career.

The filly, owned by Larry and Bobbie Rice of Purcell, Okla., and bred in this state by Flag Ranch, made her debut on March 17 at Remington Park, beating maidens by three-quarters of a length. Oh how she has improved since then. She won her trial by two lengths in the Remington Park Futurity trials on April 1 but then couldn’t get a sniff of San Lorenzo Ivory in the finals of the $974,000 Remington Park Futurity. She lost that night, April 16, by 1-1/4 lengths.

On Saturday, she made up that 1-1/4 lengths and more, turning the tables on San Lorenzo Ivory. Heath Taylor trained her to victory and jockey Mario Delgado booted her home as Cartel Kisses paid $10.20 to win, $3.80 to place and $2.80 to show. San Lorenzo Ivory finished a head in front of third-place finisher RGs Gold Wagon (17-1).

The remaining order of finish in the Easy Jet was USA All The Way (4^th), Race Queenie (5^th), SJM Desirable Candy (6^th), Hey Soul Sistr (7^th), Curls Joyful Wagon (8^th), Sir James (9^th).

Running time for the winning Oklahoma-bred juvenile filly at the 350 yards was :17.682 for a speed index of 89. Cartel Kisses picked up a first-place check of $31,146 for her effort. She improved lifetime to five starts, three wins and one second for $104,629 in earnings. She was a $50,000 purchase in the 2021 Heritage Place September Yearling Sale. This was the first win in the Easy Jet Stakes for all of her connections.

The Easy Jet Stakes is named in honor of the great Oklahoma-bred and 1969 American Quarter Horse Association World Champion. Bred, owned and trained by Hall of Famer Walter Merrick of Sayre, Okla., Easy Jet was also the winner of the 1969 All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, N.M. After a stellar racing career, he became one of the sports prominent sires, until his passing in 1992.
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Tracked by more than 170,000 fans on Facebook and 10,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $290 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 features simulcast horse racing daily and the casino is always open! Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.