CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS WINNER APOLLITICAL PENCE MADE FAVORITE IN STRONG FIELD FOR DEBBIE SCHAUF REMINGTON PARK CHAMPIONSHIP
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 27, 2021 – The winner of arguably the top race in the country for older horses, Apollitical Pence in the $600,000 Champion of Champions, has been made the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $320,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship on Saturday.
Apollitical Pence, a 5-year-old gelding at 12-1 odds, was a longshot in the Champion of Champions last winter at Los Alamitos in California, upsetting a field of the strongest older American Quarter Horses in the country. That win was the 10th of his career and launched him over the $1 million mark in earnings. The Monty Arrossa trainee’s record is 24 starts, 10 wins, four seconds and five thirds for a bankroll of $1,055,191. He is a horse that loves Remington Park, having won five-of-eight here, including the $368,000 Heritage Place Derby in 2019.
Owned by Dunn Ranch of Wynnewood, Okla., Apollitical Pence will be ridden by Francisco Calderon who ran third with him last year in this race, behind Dexxter and Mi Amor Secreto. The latter has a return engagement in this race from the inside post-position No.1 at 6-1 odds. Apollitical Pence will race from the No. 6 post. He is a gelded son of Apollitical Jess, who has thrown two All American Futurity winners – Apocalyptical Jess and Mr Jess Jenkins.
Danjer (3-1) and Valiant Tiberias (3-1) were made co-second favorites by morning line maker Jerry Shottenkirk. Danjer was most recently beaten in the Grade 1, $100,000 Leo Stakes at Remington Park by another horse in this field, Jess My Hocks (6-1). Danjer, however, was the 2020 AQHA Champion Aged Horse and Champion Aged Gelding and may have needed a race last time, coming off of a six-month layoff. Last year, to earn champion honors, he won the $252,000 Challenge Championship at the Downs at Albuquerque, in New Mexico, the $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship and the $63,000 Championship Challenge at Canterbury Park in Minnesota.
Danjer, a 5-year-old gelded son of FDD Dynasty, out of the Take Off Jess mare Shez Jess Toxic, went off at 6-1 odds last year in this race and ran eighth. He is trained by Dean Frey and is owned by Frey, Downtime Enterprises and Billy G. Smith of Rancho Mirage, Calif. The horse’s record is 20-10-5-3 for $872,718. Danjer will break from post-position No. 2. Jockey Cody Smith has his normal assignment on Danjer.
Valiant Tiberias, a 5-year-old gelding by Valiant Hero, out of the Feature Mr Jess mare American Feature, is a horse on a three-stakes win streak, two at Remington Park and one at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. He retains the services of three-time defending riding champion at Remington Park, James Flores. This horse has only run twice in 2021, but he won both of those starts here, taking the Bank of America Oklahoma Challenge on March 27 and then the $100,000 Sooner State Stakes on April 17. The victory that started his three stakes win streak was the $200,000 Refrigerator Stakes at Lone Star Park on Oct. 25, 2020.
Valiant Tiberias ran fourth in this race last year, three-quarters of a length behind the winner, Dexxter, who does not return to defend his title. However, Mi Amor Secreto and Apollitical Pence, who finished a nose and head in front of Valiant Tiberias, in second and third, respectively, are back.
Here’s a look at the field from the rail out with post position, jockey, trainer and odds:
1) Mi Amor Secreto, Juan Pulido, Fidencio Jimenez, 6-1
2) Danjer, Cody Smith, Dean Frey, 3-1
3) JK Wildcat Red, Cristian Esqueda, Kenny Laymon, 30-1
4) Midday News, Raul Ramirez, Jr., Michael Joiner, 20-1
5) Valiant Tiberias, James Flores, Marco Chavez-Gutierrez, 3-1
6) Apollitical Pence, Francisco Calderon, Monty Arrossa, 5-2
7) Apollitical Papa, Jose Ortiz, Fred Danley, 30-1
8) Perrys Double Down, Raul Valenzuela, John Stinebaugh, 20-1
9) Hooked On Jordan, Bryan Ernst, Ollie Matthews, 20-1
10) Jess My Hocks, Agustin Silva, Michelle Hurdle, 6-1
The Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship and the other eight stakes races for Saturday, make up the “Night of Champions.” The evening features six Grade 1 events and total purses of more than $2.7 million, making it the richest night of racing ever conducted in Oklahoma. An invitational event, the race is the 11th of 12 on Saturday, with an approximate post time of 9:40pm.
Betty Jane Burlin is the only owner that has multiple wins in this series and she holds the record at three. She won this race three years in a row (1999-2001) with Tailor Fit, trained by Steve and Janet Van Bebber. Four trainers are tied with most wins at two – Rick Robinson, Steve Van Bebber, Don Mourning and Russell Harris. Jockey G.R. Carter has the record number of wins in the race with five – The Widgeon (1989), Higher Goals (1995), Country Chicks Man (2007), Louisiana Senator (2011) and Dashin Brown Streak (2015).
Remington Park racing continues Thursday-Saturday, May 27-29, for the final weekend of the season. The first race is at 6pm on Thursday and Friday, with a special early start time of 5pm on Saturday. All times are Central.
•••••
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.
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🚨Attn Horsemen: The OQHRA Board of Directors Elections are coming up this Fall. Make sure you renew your OQHRA membership by September 1st in order to Vote ☑️!
Please help us congratulate Troy! He is such an important part of all of our success at Fair Meadows! Be sure to tell him Thank You when you see him! ... ’Expand’See Less
Congratulations Troy!!! Thank you for all you have done for all of us. A special thanks for a special longtime friendship that I truly treasure.😊
Troy is the absolute BEST!! Congratulations my friend!
Congratulations Troy !!
Congrats
He deserves it.
Troy’s Awesome, congratulations and thank you for always taking such care of us🏇🏻🏇🏻
Way to go Troy !!!!!
Looking good troy. I miss those days.
He is one of the best people you will ever meet in the race horse business
Congratulations Troy! One of the nicest people I ever had the privilege to work with.
Congratulations Troy. You always do a great job
My man Troy i can remember FMT in the beginning and Troy would always be the 1st one you saw either pulling in of a morning to work or at night to race, Troy always had the chaos organized in the haul in barn. Jim and Nina got the best one possible with Troy, one amazing man!
The Stephens family!
Jim,Barb and Kevin
Congratulations! Track would be lost with out you, you are awesome.
Congrats Troy!!!
You are the man, Troy
Congratulations
Congrats!!!
Never ran anything in OKLA., but CONGRATULATIONS TROY!!! Ppl like you are gold on ANY TRACK.
The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA) has confirmed the detection of Olodaterol through pre-entry hair testing protocols required for participation at Oklahoma racetracks. Olodaterol is a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist, a class of bronchodilators that includes strictly prohibited substances such as clenbuterol, albuterol, and carmoterol.
Olodaterol is not an approved substance in racehorses, and its presence constitutes a violation of integrity standards. The positive findings were made as a condition of entry through OQHRA-managed hair testing, not by the regulatory body, and as such, horses testing positive were ruled ineligible for entry.
While reports of Olodaterol have surfaced in other states through hair samples, OQHRA is not currently aware of any confirmed positives in blood or urine samples. This reinforces the value of hair testing in identifying substances that may otherwise go undetected.
“This is a clear example of why hair testing matters,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “Whether used pre-entry to prevent horses from competing, or post-race for official adjudication, hair testing provides a longer detection window and a clearer picture of the medications and substances a horse has been exposed to.”
OQHRA will continue to support and expand the use of hair testing as part of its integrity and welfare program. In addition, the association will continue to advocate for the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission to adopt hair testing as a standard matrix within the state’s official biological testing program. This includes both post-race testing and out-of-competition testing.
“We strongly encourage the Commission to expand its use of hair testing,” said Bamberg. “It's a reliable, science-based tool that gives regulators the ability to detect long-term exposure to prohibited substances and strengthens our ability to ensure fairness and safety in the sport.”
OQHRA and our partner racetracks remain committed to identifying and deterring the use of new and emerging substances and protecting the integrity of racing in Oklahoma. ... ’Expand’See Less
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CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS WINNER APOLLITICAL PENCE MADE FAVORITE IN STRONG FIELD FOR DEBBIE SCHAUF REMINGTON PARK CHAMPIONSHIP
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 27, 2021 – The winner of arguably the top race in the country for older horses, Apollitical Pence in the $600,000 Champion of Champions, has been made the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $320,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship on Saturday.
Apollitical Pence, a 5-year-old gelding at 12-1 odds, was a longshot in the Champion of Champions last winter at Los Alamitos in California, upsetting a field of the strongest older American Quarter Horses in the country. That win was the 10th of his career and launched him over the $1 million mark in earnings. The Monty Arrossa trainee’s record is 24 starts, 10 wins, four seconds and five thirds for a bankroll of $1,055,191. He is a horse that loves Remington Park, having won five-of-eight here, including the $368,000 Heritage Place Derby in 2019.
Owned by Dunn Ranch of Wynnewood, Okla., Apollitical Pence will be ridden by Francisco Calderon who ran third with him last year in this race, behind Dexxter and Mi Amor Secreto. The latter has a return engagement in this race from the inside post-position No.1 at 6-1 odds. Apollitical Pence will race from the No. 6 post. He is a gelded son of Apollitical Jess, who has thrown two All American Futurity winners – Apocalyptical Jess and Mr Jess Jenkins.
Danjer (3-1) and Valiant Tiberias (3-1) were made co-second favorites by morning line maker Jerry Shottenkirk. Danjer was most recently beaten in the Grade 1, $100,000 Leo Stakes at Remington Park by another horse in this field, Jess My Hocks (6-1). Danjer, however, was the 2020 AQHA Champion Aged Horse and Champion Aged Gelding and may have needed a race last time, coming off of a six-month layoff. Last year, to earn champion honors, he won the $252,000 Challenge Championship at the Downs at Albuquerque, in New Mexico, the $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship and the $63,000 Championship Challenge at Canterbury Park in Minnesota.
Danjer, a 5-year-old gelded son of FDD Dynasty, out of the Take Off Jess mare Shez Jess Toxic, went off at 6-1 odds last year in this race and ran eighth. He is trained by Dean Frey and is owned by Frey, Downtime Enterprises and Billy G. Smith of Rancho Mirage, Calif. The horse’s record is 20-10-5-3 for $872,718. Danjer will break from post-position No. 2. Jockey Cody Smith has his normal assignment on Danjer.
Valiant Tiberias, a 5-year-old gelding by Valiant Hero, out of the Feature Mr Jess mare American Feature, is a horse on a three-stakes win streak, two at Remington Park and one at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. He retains the services of three-time defending riding champion at Remington Park, James Flores. This horse has only run twice in 2021, but he won both of those starts here, taking the Bank of America Oklahoma Challenge on March 27 and then the $100,000 Sooner State Stakes on April 17. The victory that started his three stakes win streak was the $200,000 Refrigerator Stakes at Lone Star Park on Oct. 25, 2020.
Valiant Tiberias ran fourth in this race last year, three-quarters of a length behind the winner, Dexxter, who does not return to defend his title. However, Mi Amor Secreto and Apollitical Pence, who finished a nose and head in front of Valiant Tiberias, in second and third, respectively, are back.
Here’s a look at the field from the rail out with post position, jockey, trainer and odds:
The Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship and the other eight stakes races for Saturday, make up the “Night of Champions.” The evening features six Grade 1 events and total purses of more than $2.7 million, making it the richest night of racing ever conducted in Oklahoma. An invitational event, the race is the 11th of 12 on Saturday, with an approximate post time of 9:40pm.
Betty Jane Burlin is the only owner that has multiple wins in this series and she holds the record at three. She won this race three years in a row (1999-2001) with Tailor Fit, trained by Steve and Janet Van Bebber. Four trainers are tied with most wins at two – Rick Robinson, Steve Van Bebber, Don Mourning and Russell Harris. Jockey G.R. Carter has the record number of wins in the race with five – The Widgeon (1989), Higher Goals (1995), Country Chicks Man (2007), Louisiana Senator (2011) and Dashin Brown Streak (2015).
Remington Park racing continues Thursday-Saturday, May 27-29, for the final weekend of the season. The first race is at 6pm on Thursday and Friday, with a special early start time of 5pm on Saturday. All times are Central.
•••••
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.
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🚨Attn Horsemen: The OQHRA Board of Directors Elections are coming up this Fall. Make sure you renew your OQHRA membership by September 1st in order to Vote ☑️!
Online OQHRA Membership form --> bit.ly/3E8BOFb ... ’Expand’See Less
2 hours ago
Comment on Facebook
Please help us congratulate Troy! He is such an important part of all of our success at Fair Meadows! Be sure to tell him Thank You when you see him! ... ’Expand’See Less
2 days ago
Comment on Facebook
Congratulations Troy!!! Thank you for all you have done for all of us. A special thanks for a special longtime friendship that I truly treasure.😊
Troy is the absolute BEST!! Congratulations my friend!
Congratulations Troy !!
Congrats
He deserves it.
Troy’s Awesome, congratulations and thank you for always taking such care of us🏇🏻🏇🏻
Way to go Troy !!!!!
Looking good troy. I miss those days.
He is one of the best people you will ever meet in the race horse business
Congratulations Troy! One of the nicest people I ever had the privilege to work with.
Congratulations Troy. You always do a great job
My man Troy i can remember FMT in the beginning and Troy would always be the 1st one you saw either pulling in of a morning to work or at night to race, Troy always had the chaos organized in the haul in barn. Jim and Nina got the best one possible with Troy, one amazing man! The Stephens family! Jim,Barb and Kevin
Congratulations! Track would be lost with out you, you are awesome.
Congrats Troy!!!
You are the man, Troy
Congratulations
Congrats!!!
Never ran anything in OKLA., but CONGRATULATIONS TROY!!! Ppl like you are gold on ANY TRACK.
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𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗹𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA) has confirmed the detection of Olodaterol through pre-entry hair testing protocols required for participation at Oklahoma racetracks. Olodaterol is a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist, a class of bronchodilators that includes strictly prohibited substances such as clenbuterol, albuterol, and carmoterol.
Olodaterol is not an approved substance in racehorses, and its presence constitutes a violation of integrity standards. The positive findings were made as a condition of entry through OQHRA-managed hair testing, not by the regulatory body, and as such, horses testing positive were ruled ineligible for entry.
While reports of Olodaterol have surfaced in other states through hair samples, OQHRA is not currently aware of any confirmed positives in blood or urine samples. This reinforces the value of hair testing in identifying substances that may otherwise go undetected.
“This is a clear example of why hair testing matters,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “Whether used pre-entry to prevent horses from competing, or post-race for official adjudication, hair testing provides a longer detection window and a clearer picture of the medications and substances a horse has been exposed to.”
OQHRA will continue to support and expand the use of hair testing as part of its integrity and welfare program. In addition, the association will continue to advocate for the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission to adopt hair testing as a standard matrix within the state’s official biological testing program. This includes both post-race testing and out-of-competition testing.
“We strongly encourage the Commission to expand its use of hair testing,” said Bamberg. “It's a reliable, science-based tool that gives regulators the ability to detect long-term exposure to prohibited substances and strengthens our ability to ensure fairness and safety in the sport.”
OQHRA and our partner racetracks remain committed to identifying and deterring the use of new and emerging substances and protecting the integrity of racing in Oklahoma. ... ’Expand’See Less
3 days ago
Comment on Facebook
Why don’t you just require hair testing in test barn of top 2 finishers. Wouldn’t that be a more accurate chance to catch abuse?
You don’t find it in blood and urine because hair testing is highly variable and substances can last for years after it’s been administered.
Felipe Martinez this what you Ben saying all along
The Louisiana Racing Commission STILL does not recognize the hair testing we owners have been paying for the last few years!
Guess you missed the news from LA??
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