FASTEST QUALIFIER HOUSE OF LORDS PROVED TRIALS FOR HERITAGE PLACE DERBY WERE TRUE TO FORM, WINNING FINAL
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 31, 2025 —House of Lords was the only Heritage Place Derby finalist that broke the 100-mark in the speed-indexes during the qualifying trials for the race on May 10 with a 101. That effort was no mirage as he measured his competition Saturday and cruised to an easy win in the derby at Remington Park.
The Grade 2, $244,000 Heritage Place Derby final on Saturday was a much easier task, it turns out, than the trials for House of Lords. Even though the 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Flying Cowboy 123, out of the Okey Dokey Dale mare This Candys Okay, was the fastest qualifier of the bunch, he only won his trial by a neck over Toastin Heros. In the final, he drew away under jockey Francisco Calderon to win by a widening 1-1/4 lengths, covering the 400-yard distance in a time of :19.344 over fast track. In his trial, he ran it in :19.422 over a fast surface.
Calderon booted House of Lords home for owner Valeriano Racing Stables (Sammy Valeriano) of Odessa, Texas, and trainer Victor Rodriguez-Flores, who ended the meet, sending out horses for four starts and he won all four of those races. House of Lords has come a long way from finishing dead last in last year’s Heritage Place Futurity finals.
“All I can say is he has matured,” said Valeriano. We’ve been looking at him since he was a 2-year-old and we just really thought he was a really good horse.”
The early money, often called smart money, drove the odds for House of Lords down so low he was the heavy favorite at one point, but Valeriano just brushed off the late money coming in on Kiss My Maruska that sent House of Lords up to 7-2 at post time. He was asked if his horse had been ignored by the bettors at the end.
“I don’t know what they did,” said Valeriano, “but whatever they did, that’s on them. We will send House of Lords to the mountain (Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico) for the Rainbow Derby (trials).”
Despite the easy win for House of Lords over runner-up Kiss My Maruska, it was no cake walk for the winner and Calderon. They were running in fourth position halfway through the race.
“The first 200 yards, he was not having trouble with the ground, but just getting comfortable with himself,” Calderon said. “That last part of the race, he got straightened out and he went on with it.”
At post-time, Kiss My Maruska, had been bet down to 6-5 odds. House of Lords, however, proved his trial was for real, and paid a generous return to the backers of the fastest qualifier. He paid $9.20 to win, $3.60 to place and $3 to show. Kiss My Maruska was another half-length ahead of third-place finisher Nine One Won (15-1).
The rest of the order of finish in the Heritage Place Derby was Curls Magic Wagon (8-1) fourth, Church Spire (42-1) fifth, Apolitical Time (26-1) sixth, Relentless Purrsuit (23-1) seventh, Toastin Heros (13-1) eighth, Heavens Uncle (4-1) ninth, and Hez My Hero (52-1) 10th.
House of Lords earned $102,480 for his owner and improved his career mark to nine starts, five wins and one second for earnings of $161,412. He was bred in Oklahoma by Buck Way Ranch.
It was the fourth year in a row that Calderon has won the Heritage Place Derby. His other victories came aboard SC Time to Run (2024), Take a Swig of This (2023) and Whizkey Glasses (2022). Those three winners all came from Dunn Ranch. This was the second win for Valeriano Racing Stables in the Heritage Place Derby as Sammy also celebrated this victory with Inaugurator in 2020. It was Rodriguez-Flores’ first win in the series.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $380 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. 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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FASTEST QUALIFIER HOUSE OF LORDS PROVED TRIALS FOR HERITAGE PLACE DERBY WERE TRUE TO FORM, WINNING FINAL
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 31, 2025 — House of Lords was the only Heritage Place Derby finalist that broke the 100-mark in the speed-indexes during the qualifying trials for the race on May 10 with a 101. That effort was no mirage as he measured his competition Saturday and cruised to an easy win in the derby at Remington Park.
The Grade 2, $244,000 Heritage Place Derby final on Saturday was a much easier task, it turns out, than the trials for House of Lords. Even though the 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Flying Cowboy 123, out of the Okey Dokey Dale mare This Candys Okay, was the fastest qualifier of the bunch, he only won his trial by a neck over Toastin Heros. In the final, he drew away under jockey Francisco Calderon to win by a widening 1-1/4 lengths, covering the 400-yard distance in a time of :19.344 over fast track. In his trial, he ran it in :19.422 over a fast surface.
Calderon booted House of Lords home for owner Valeriano Racing Stables (Sammy Valeriano) of Odessa, Texas, and trainer Victor Rodriguez-Flores, who ended the meet, sending out horses for four starts and he won all four of those races. House of Lords has come a long way from finishing dead last in last year’s Heritage Place Futurity finals.
The early money, often called smart money, drove the odds for House of Lords down so low he was the heavy favorite at one point, but Valeriano just brushed off the late money coming in on Kiss My Maruska that sent House of Lords up to 7-2 at post time. He was asked if his horse had been ignored by the bettors at the end.
Despite the easy win for House of Lords over runner-up Kiss My Maruska, it was no cake walk for the winner and Calderon. They were running in fourth position halfway through the race.
At post-time, Kiss My Maruska, had been bet down to 6-5 odds. House of Lords, however, proved his trial was for real, and paid a generous return to the backers of the fastest qualifier. He paid $9.20 to win, $3.60 to place and $3 to show. Kiss My Maruska was another half-length ahead of third-place finisher Nine One Won (15-1).
The rest of the order of finish in the Heritage Place Derby was Curls Magic Wagon (8-1) fourth, Church Spire (42-1) fifth, Apolitical Time (26-1) sixth, Relentless Purrsuit (23-1) seventh, Toastin Heros (13-1) eighth, Heavens Uncle (4-1) ninth, and Hez My Hero (52-1) 10th.
House of Lords earned $102,480 for his owner and improved his career mark to nine starts, five wins and one second for earnings of $161,412. He was bred in Oklahoma by Buck Way Ranch.
It was the fourth year in a row that Calderon has won the Heritage Place Derby. His other victories came aboard SC Time to Run (2024), Take a Swig of This (2023) and Whizkey Glasses (2022). Those three winners all came from Dunn Ranch. This was the second win for Valeriano Racing Stables in the Heritage Place Derby as Sammy also celebrated this victory with Inaugurator in 2020. It was Rodriguez-Flores’ first win in the series.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $380 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. 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
13 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
20 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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