FERNWEH REMAINS UNDEFEATED, TAKES DOWN LAST YEAR’S ALL AMERICAN WINNER IN REMINGTON PARK DERBY

OKLAHOMA CITY – April 19, 2020 – Trainer Blane Wood might have a filly in Fernweh that could have been a factor in the All American Futurity last year. Saturday night, she beat the winner of that race, Mr Jess Jenkins, in the restricted Grade 1, $268,700 Remington Park Derby.

Fernweh remained undefeated with four wins in a row, taking the Remington Park Derby. The 3-year-old filly had won her Ruidoso Futurity trial in New Mexico as a 2-year-old on May 25, 2019 and then went on to win the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity final after that. Logically, she was on track to try the Rainbow Futurity and then the All American Futurity next at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, but…

“She had some small chips in her knees after winning the Ruidoso and we thought so much of her that we backed off and let her rest,” said Wood.

Beating the All American winner Saturday night as a 3-year-old, makes one wonder what might have been for her if she could have made the All American.

“Hindsight is always 20-20, but we felt so highly of her, we just had to take care of her,” said Wood. “We wanted her 100 percent.”

As for how it feels to beat an All American Futurity winner, well, Wood had an interesting perspective.

“Yeah, I know how that feels,” he said. “They beat mine earlier tonight.”

Wood trains Apocalyptical Jess, the 2018 All American winner, who lost in the Sooner State Stakes earlier Saturday night.

“All American winners are like the Super Bowl champions,” he said. “Everyone wants to beat you.”

Fernweh was a $20,000 purchase for owner Rusty Allred of Graham, Texas, at the Heritage Place Yearling Sale in 2018

“A bargain?” Wood said. “Rusty sent me there to buy a couple. I wish I could buy a truckload like her for that much.”

Fernweh earned $107,480 for her victory in the derby on Saturday and now has won four-for-four, padding her wallet to $541,118 after only four tries, a return of 27 times on their money already.

Fernweh, a daughter of Favorite Cartel, out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess a Little Bit More, covered the 400 yards in :19.747 over a fast track for an 89 speed index under jockey Ricky Ramirez. It was the first Remington Park Derby win for all connections of this filly.

“We’ll probably take her to Ruidoso next, but the Heritage Place Derby is a possibility,” said Wood. “With this coronavirus situation, you never know what you’re going to do next. We’re all just waiting to see what the governors of each state are doing. We are just thankful that Remington Park has continued to run and done an amazing job of keeping us all racing and safe.”

Fernweh finished a half-length ahead of Mr Jess Jenkins, and she actually went off as the wagering favorite at 8-5 odds, just a tick better than the All American winner at 9-5. Finishing third was A Painted Dynasty (31-1), a half-length back of Mr Jess Jenkins.

Fernweh returned $5.20, $2.60 and $2.40 across the board.

Racing is scheduled to continue, with no public spectators, with Sunday’s 10-race card on tap with a new post time of 6 p.m. (Central) for the first race.

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Tracked by more than 163,000 fans on Facebook and more than 10,200 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $242 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 the 2020 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season through May 30. Visit remingtonpark.com for free racing selections for every program.