COWBOY BLUE Z DAZZLES IN SOPHOMORE DEBUT WITH FASTEST TIME OF OKLAHOMA DERBY TRIALS AT REMINGTON PARK
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 8, 2025 – Cowboy Blue Z made his first appearance as a 3-year-old a sparkling one in the trials for the Grade 3, $219,635 Oklahoma Derby as the fastest runner of the day in the eight heats Sunday at Remington Park.
The finals for the Oklahoma Derby are scheduled for Saturday, March 22, and jockey Francisco Calderon will have a decision to make. He not only qualified the quickest of the day, Cowboy Blue Z for trainer Michael Joiner, but Calderon also locked in the third-fastest. That was Apollitical Muse, conditioned by Jed Vane. Cowboy Blue Z stopped the timer for 350 yards in :17.364 seconds over a fast track while Apollitical Muse checked in at :17.631. The former recorded a 97 speed index while the latter had an 89. Calderon also got Tempt Me Sass into the final field as the ninth-fastest.
Trainer Raul Ramirez had a training double with two qualifiers – Apollitical Time (fourth fastest) and Nine One Won, who was in a three-way tie for sixth as three horses had the exact same time of :17.692. Four of the top five qualifiers came from the same race – six, trial four. Only Apollitical Muse came out of a different heat in race seven, trial five. The wind was an inconsequential factor during the trials with a slight tailwind blowing throughout.
Cowboy Blue Z, a sophomore colt by Flying Cowboy 123, out of the PYC Paint Your Wagon mare Indescribably Blue, showed some promise last year at Remington Park, Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, and Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. As a juvenile, Cowboy Blue Z won a trial for the $502,000 Oklahoma Futurity. He ran fourth in the final, losing by only a length to Joose Box. After his stay in Oklahoma City, the colt moved on to Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico where he won a Ruidoso Futurity trial on May 24, but did not qualify for the final. At Lone Star Park on Oct. 25 he ran second in a trial for the $921,000 Texas Classic Futurity, losing by a half-length, but didn’t fare well in the finals, running seventh, well beaten. He had not raced in more than three months when he showed up like a million dollars in Sunday’s trials.
Cowboy Blue Z was purchased for $120,000 by owner West Texas Racing Partners (Joe Dee Brooks) of Levelland, Texas, from the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale in 2023. He has almost made his purchase price back now with a bankroll of $100,289 after the trial win. He has a race record of nine starts, four wins and one second.
The 10 fastest runners in Sunday’s six trials for 3-year-old American Quarter Horses at 350 yards (with jockey, trainer, trial number (race number), times and speed index were:
Cowboy Blue Z, Francisco Calderon, Michael Joiner, trial four (race six), :17.364, 97
Nine One Won, Mario Delgado, Raul Ramirez, trial six (race eight), :17.692, 88
Fairlea Flyin, Jimmy Brooks, Eddie Lee Willis, trial four (race six), :17.692, 88
Baby Ruth, Edwin Escobedo, Luis Villafranco, trial two (race four), :17.692, 88
Tempt Me Sass, Francisco Calderon, James J. Gonzales III, trial six (race eight), :17.696, 88
Beast N Me, Edwin Escobedo, Joe Davis, trial five (race seven), :17.719, 87
Remington Park racing continues Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16 with the first race nightly at 6pm. Sunday racing begins at 4pm. All times are Central.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $376 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. The 2025 American Quarter Horse Season, features the historic 84th edition of the Oklahoma Futurity on Saturday, March 22. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
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The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission has discontinued processing award deductions for the transfer of ownership on OK Bred registered horses. You will need to submit your Transfer of Ownership application, W-9 (these are required annually), with a check, money order, or completed credit card authorization form, as well as a copy of the horse’s breed registration certificate, to update our records and have the award released.
You have one year from the date of the race to collect your award.
You can send your documents or any questions to the OKB Registry Department at OKBRED@OHRC.OK.GOV. ... ’Expand’See Less
In partnership with the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA), all Oklahoma racetracks—Remington Park, Fair Meadows at Tulsa, and Will Rogers Downs—have announced expanded hair testing measures for the 2026 Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa race meets. While pre-entry hair testing has been a condition of entry since 2018, the updated policy builds on that foundation by introducing new layers of accountability and a unified approach across all tracks.
“We are expanding our integrity efforts and working to hold everyone accountable for the horses in their care,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “This is a collective effort among all Oklahoma tracks to protect the integrity of the sport and the welfare of the horse.”
The 2026 updates include a new provision that will exclude any trainer from participating at Oklahoma tracks for the remainder of a meet if three or more horses in their care test positive through official pre-entry hair tests for any prohibited substance. In addition, any owner with three or more positive tests during the meet will also be deemed ineligible to participate for the remainder of that meet.
Another upgrade to the policy is the expansion of unofficial testing. This informational hair-testing option will be available beginning with the fall yearling sales. These test kits can be requested through OQHRA. The hair samples can be collected by the owner or trainer and submitted to the lab for testing; results of these unofficial tests will not be considered official for entry purposes, but they will allow owners or trainers who have acquired horses from other barns to voluntarily test them in advance of entry to ensure they are clear of prohibited substances. It offers peace of mind, particularly before making financial commitments such as nomination fees, training investments, or early race preparations. It is important to note that many Sale Companies offer hair testing as a buyer protection within 24 hours of the sale; buyers are encouraged to contact the sales companies about the options available.
“Integrity is the backbone of everything we do,” said Matt Vance, Executive Vice President at Remington Park. “These policies help preserve the integrity of the sport by holding those who choose not to play by the rules accountable. We are proud to work with other Oklahoma tracks and OQHRA to lead the way in promoting fair competition in Quarter Horse racing.”
The core hair testing requirement remains in place: every Quarter Horse, Paint, or Appaloosa must submit to a one-time, pre-entry hair test before starting at any Oklahoma track. Official test results are sent directly to the racetrack, and positive results will lead to exclusion for the duration of that meet. These exclusions are track-specific only and do not constitute regulatory suspensions; participants remain eligible at other tracks unless a separate jurisdiction elects to take action. All horses with official positive tests will be listed publicly at www.OQHRA.com, and test results may be shared with other jurisdictions upon request.
To make the process easier for horsemen, farm visits for hair testing will be available in January and early February for Oklahoma-based trainers with 40 or more horses.
All details of the 2026 hair testing policy, including the unofficial testing option, are available at www.OQHRA.com or by calling (405) 881-5120. ... ’Expand’See Less
Won't matter Justin is so far ahead of the tracks, everyone knows you can't win a big race without the JRJ.
Thank you,
However we have got to get the results back presale from these yearlings sales at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino select sale and the New Mexico bred.
The Texas Quarter Horse sale needs it as well.
Oklahoma QHRA should at least mandate that the horse that are breeders and fitters are marketing for it be tested pre sale date with the horse .
Think of how Heritage Place would not want any part of a horse owner wanting his money back on a horse he bought from similar to large sale horse provider like the Flag Ranches size.
He would have to choose to do the right thing and force the return of the large ranch for illegal substances.
If we could get one sale barn to step up and require this
, we would owe it to them to get the others to follow suit to with the presale testing.
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COWBOY BLUE Z DAZZLES IN SOPHOMORE DEBUT WITH FASTEST TIME OF OKLAHOMA DERBY TRIALS AT REMINGTON PARK
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 8, 2025 – Cowboy Blue Z made his first appearance as a 3-year-old a sparkling one in the trials for the Grade 3, $219,635 Oklahoma Derby as the fastest runner of the day in the eight heats Sunday at Remington Park.
The finals for the Oklahoma Derby are scheduled for Saturday, March 22, and jockey Francisco Calderon will have a decision to make. He not only qualified the quickest of the day, Cowboy Blue Z for trainer Michael Joiner, but Calderon also locked in the third-fastest. That was Apollitical Muse, conditioned by Jed Vane. Cowboy Blue Z stopped the timer for 350 yards in :17.364 seconds over a fast track while Apollitical Muse checked in at :17.631. The former recorded a 97 speed index while the latter had an 89. Calderon also got Tempt Me Sass into the final field as the ninth-fastest.
Trainer Raul Ramirez had a training double with two qualifiers – Apollitical Time (fourth fastest) and Nine One Won, who was in a three-way tie for sixth as three horses had the exact same time of :17.692. Four of the top five qualifiers came from the same race – six, trial four. Only Apollitical Muse came out of a different heat in race seven, trial five. The wind was an inconsequential factor during the trials with a slight tailwind blowing throughout.
Cowboy Blue Z, a sophomore colt by Flying Cowboy 123, out of the PYC Paint Your Wagon mare Indescribably Blue, showed some promise last year at Remington Park, Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, and Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. As a juvenile, Cowboy Blue Z won a trial for the $502,000 Oklahoma Futurity. He ran fourth in the final, losing by only a length to Joose Box. After his stay in Oklahoma City, the colt moved on to Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico where he won a Ruidoso Futurity trial on May 24, but did not qualify for the final. At Lone Star Park on Oct. 25 he ran second in a trial for the $921,000 Texas Classic Futurity, losing by a half-length, but didn’t fare well in the finals, running seventh, well beaten. He had not raced in more than three months when he showed up like a million dollars in Sunday’s trials.
Cowboy Blue Z was purchased for $120,000 by owner West Texas Racing Partners (Joe Dee Brooks) of Levelland, Texas, from the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale in 2023. He has almost made his purchase price back now with a bankroll of $100,289 after the trial win. He has a race record of nine starts, four wins and one second.
The 10 fastest runners in Sunday’s six trials for 3-year-old American Quarter Horses at 350 yards (with jockey, trainer, trial number (race number), times and speed index were:
Remington Park racing continues Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16 with the first race nightly at 6pm. Sunday racing begins at 4pm. All times are Central.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $376 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. The 2025 American Quarter Horse Season, features the historic 84th edition of the Oklahoma Futurity on Saturday, March 22. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
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Wednesday, July 16: bit.ly/FMT-071625
*(𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝟷 & 𝟸 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙷𝚘𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚜)*
Post time 6:00PM ... ’Expand’See Less
12 hours ago
Comment on Facebook
The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission has discontinued processing award deductions for the transfer of ownership on OK Bred registered horses. You will need to submit your Transfer of Ownership application, W-9 (these are required annually), with a check, money order, or completed credit card authorization form, as well as a copy of the horse’s breed registration certificate, to update our records and have the award released.
You have one year from the date of the race to collect your award.
You can send your documents or any questions to the OKB Registry Department at OKBRED@OHRC.OK.GOV. ... ’Expand’See Less
19 hours ago
Comment on Facebook
𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐫-𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲
In partnership with the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA), all Oklahoma racetracks—Remington Park, Fair Meadows at Tulsa, and Will Rogers Downs—have announced expanded hair testing measures for the 2026 Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa race meets. While pre-entry hair testing has been a condition of entry since 2018, the updated policy builds on that foundation by introducing new layers of accountability and a unified approach across all tracks.
“We are expanding our integrity efforts and working to hold everyone accountable for the horses in their care,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “This is a collective effort among all Oklahoma tracks to protect the integrity of the sport and the welfare of the horse.”
The 2026 updates include a new provision that will exclude any trainer from participating at Oklahoma tracks for the remainder of a meet if three or more horses in their care test positive through official pre-entry hair tests for any prohibited substance. In addition, any owner with three or more positive tests during the meet will also be deemed ineligible to participate for the remainder of that meet.
Another upgrade to the policy is the expansion of unofficial testing. This informational hair-testing option will be available beginning with the fall yearling sales. These test kits can be requested through OQHRA. The hair samples can be collected by the owner or trainer and submitted to the lab for testing; results of these unofficial tests will not be considered official for entry purposes, but they will allow owners or trainers who have acquired horses from other barns to voluntarily test them in advance of entry to ensure they are clear of prohibited substances. It offers peace of mind, particularly before making financial commitments such as nomination fees, training investments, or early race preparations. It is important to note that many Sale Companies offer hair testing as a buyer protection within 24 hours of the sale; buyers are encouraged to contact the sales companies about the options available.
“Integrity is the backbone of everything we do,” said Matt Vance, Executive Vice President at Remington Park. “These policies help preserve the integrity of the sport by holding those who choose not to play by the rules accountable. We are proud to work with other Oklahoma tracks and OQHRA to lead the way in promoting fair competition in Quarter Horse racing.”
The core hair testing requirement remains in place: every Quarter Horse, Paint, or Appaloosa must submit to a one-time, pre-entry hair test before starting at any Oklahoma track. Official test results are sent directly to the racetrack, and positive results will lead to exclusion for the duration of that meet. These exclusions are track-specific only and do not constitute regulatory suspensions; participants remain eligible at other tracks unless a separate jurisdiction elects to take action. All horses with official positive tests will be listed publicly at www.OQHRA.com, and test results may be shared with other jurisdictions upon request.
To make the process easier for horsemen, farm visits for hair testing will be available in January and early February for Oklahoma-based trainers with 40 or more horses.
All details of the 2026 hair testing policy, including the unofficial testing option, are available at www.OQHRA.com or by calling (405) 881-5120. ... ’Expand’See Less
2 days ago
Comment on Facebook
Won't matter Justin is so far ahead of the tracks, everyone knows you can't win a big race without the JRJ.
Thank you, However we have got to get the results back presale from these yearlings sales at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino select sale and the New Mexico bred. The Texas Quarter Horse sale needs it as well. Oklahoma QHRA should at least mandate that the horse that are breeders and fitters are marketing for it be tested pre sale date with the horse . Think of how Heritage Place would not want any part of a horse owner wanting his money back on a horse he bought from similar to large sale horse provider like the Flag Ranches size. He would have to choose to do the right thing and force the return of the large ranch for illegal substances. If we could get one sale barn to step up and require this , we would owe it to them to get the others to follow suit to with the presale testing.
Who get the samples from the horses and when
How actual fuck did we ever get to this point?
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