FLYING JOY 1 BLASTS HER WAY TO OKLAHOMA FUTURITY VICTORY TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED AFTER TWO RACES
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY – Flying Joy 1 took advantage of the favorite Ocho Rojo’s tardy break, flying to the front in the Grade 2, $419,735 Oklahoma Futurity and holding off the rest of the field for a lucrative trip to the winner’s circle at Remington Park.
This was the 84th edition of the historic Oklahoma Futurity, first contested in 1947. It is the oldest futurity in the American Quarter Horse racing.
Going off at a generous 6-1 odds despite being the fastest qualifier on the second night of trials, March 8, veteran jockey Ricky Ramirez might have been the most surprised rider on the planet that Flying Joy 1 would win a race like this.
“I can’t lie; at the ranch, she just seemed like another horse to me,” Ramirez said from the winner’s circle after the race. “Once we got her to Remington Park, she matured and figured out what her job was.”
This Oklahoma-bred American Quarter Horse filly by Flying Cowboy 123, out of the First Moonflash mare Kylee Joy, won her trial by a head on a sloppy, cold night. Her time that evening was :15.573 with a tailwind of 11 mph. The night before, Ocho Rojo was the fastest at 300 yards in :15.437 with a tailwind of 13 mph, over a fast track. On Saturday night, Ocho Rojo balked at the start and never got into the mix, finishing last in the field of 10.
Trainer Trey Wood picked up his second Oklahoma Futurity triumph, having won with Revenant Moon in 2021. This was the first win for both Ramirez and owner David R. Rogers of Graham, Texas.
“All the credit for (Flying Joy 1) goes to my dad and my sisters,” said Wood. “Dad picked her out at the Heritage Place Yearling Sale (2024) and broke her.”
What a buy this was. Rogers bought her for $49,000. On Saturday night, she won $167,894 to improve her record to two-for-two and a bankroll of $173,786.
Trainer Al Watson, whose Ocho Rojo was late to the party when the gate opened, must have found some solace when his other qualifier, Britts Special Candy (9-1) got up for second, a half-length behind the winner and a neck in front of third-place finisher First Cash Boy (7-1). With the favorite out of the mix, that 50-cent trifecta was worth a hefty $343.50.
Flying Joy 1’s running time was :15.661 on the fast track for a speed-index of 85. Gracefulchik (8-1) finished fourth, followed by Coronados 123 (12-1) in fifth, Ruse Ticle Knockout (13-1) sixth, Lareda (15-1) seventh, Tarzans Tarzi Lo (7-2) eighth, Train Station Tours (16-1) ninth and Ocho Rojo (2-1).
Wood also qualified Lareda, ridden to her trial win on March 8 by Ramirez who had to make a choice for his Oklahoma Futurity final mount.
“I had a tough decision coming into this race between her and Trey’s other finalist, Lareda, but it looks like I made the right choice.”
Flying Joy 1 certainly has the bloodlines that shout success. Flying Cowboy 123 has become one of the most prominent sires among Quarter Horses, having thrown All American Futurity winner Cowboys Gun Z in 2023.
Remington Park racing continues Sunday, March 23 with a card that begins at 4pm-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 $800,000 (estimated) Remington Park Futurity on Saturday, April 19. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
𝘖𝘒𝘓𝘈𝘏𝘖𝘔𝘈 𝘊𝘐𝘛𝘠, 𝘖𝘒 – 𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 9, 2026 – The first training races of the upcoming Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Patin and Appaloosa Season will take place this week. There are 63 horses scheduled to run on Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 65 horses entered Thursday with the same starting time.
Nine races were drawn for each day and three-time defending champion trainer Dee Keener didn’t let the stall doors on his stable stay shut long, emptying the barn for these two days. Keener has entered 14 horses each day for a total of 28, prepping for the first starts of their careers. The next most of any trainer is Clint Crawford with 13 entered for the two days. The only other conditioners who will send out double-figures in horse totals for Wednesday and Thursday are Leo Alcala (12), Matt Whitekiller (10) and Jed Vane (10). Sixteen other trainers have entered for the schooling races with less than 10 running from each of those barns.
Keener’s barn is jumping and ready to go, searching for that fourth training title in a row at Remington Park for the Inola, Okla., native.
“I have some really good 2-year-olds that have been working well on the farm,” Keener, 59, said.
His three titles in a row is well short of the record set by Rodney Reed when the late top trainer here won the trophy for nine consecutive years from 1995-2003.
Keener set a meet record when he won his third training title in a row last year with 54 winners. He needed two victories on Champions Night, Saturday, May 31, 2025, to pass Eddie Willis, who had the record at 53. Keener solved the problem in a hurry on that night, winning the first race of the evening with Vesper Martini in the Grade 1, $20,000 Speedhorse Graham Paint and Appaloosa Stakes and then established a new record by winning the second race with JC Speeding, a double-registered Quarter Horse/Paint. Keener finished 26 wins ahead of runner-up Matt Whitekiller in the trainers’ race.
Many of Remington Park’s top jockeys are named to ride in the training races this week, including Juan Pulido, Francisco Calderon, James Flores, Roman Cruz, Mario Delgado and Cody Smith. Pulido won last year’s jockeys’ race for the riding title with 67 wins, well ahead of runner-up Calderon at 43 victories. In comparison to Pulido’s first riding title here in 2021, he had only 46 trips to the winner’s circle that year. Pulido’s 67 wins last year were the most since G.R. Carter’s 68 in 2014.
Training, or schooling, races are used by many trainers to gain approval by Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission stewards for 2-year-olds to make their first pari-mutuel attempt. All training races at Remington Park are contested at 250 yards.
The Remington Park stable are continues to grow in equine population with 601 horses on the grounds as of Monday morning.
The 2026 Spring Season begins March 5 and continues through May 30.
•••••
Remington Park has provided more than $407 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. The 2026 Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season begins March 5. Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. Guests must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information. ... ’Expand’See Less
𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 ✔️ Funds must be in the owner’s account at the time of entry for schooling races ✔️ Horse registration papers must be on file in the office at the time of entry ✔️ Schooling race fee: $125.00 per horse
💰 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀: • Personal check • Cashier’s check • Cash • Bank wire transfer 🚫 Credit cards are NOT accepted
📬 If you are mailing funds, please allow adequate time for postal delivery. Funds must be posted to the specific owner account that owns the schooling horse at the time of entry.
🤝 Partnerships: If the horse is owned by a partnership, please be sure the bookkeeper knows which partnership account the funds should be deposited into.
For questions or to coordinate deposits, please contact: Gedda Quinonez, Horsemen’s Bookkeeper One Remington Place, Oklahoma City, OK 73111 📞 405-419-4424 (Direct) 📧horsemensbookkeeper@remingtonpark.com ... ’Expand’See Less
✔️ Funds must be in the owner’s account at the time of entry for schooling races ✔️ Horse registration papers must be on file in the office at the time of entry ✔️ Schooling race fee: $125.00 per horse
💰 Accepted payment methods: • Personal check • Cashier’s check • Cash • Bank wire transfer 🚫 Credit cards are NOT accepted
📬 If you are mailing funds, please allow adequate time for postal delivery. Funds must be posted to the specific owner account that owns the schooling horse at the time of entry.
🤝 Partnerships: If the horse is owned by a partnership, please be sure the bookkeeper knows which partnership account the funds should be deposited into.
For questions or to coordinate deposits, please contact: Gedda Quinonez Horsemen’s Bookkeeper One Remington Place Oklahoma City, OK 73111 📞 405-419-4424 (Direct) Horsemensbookkeeper@remingtonpark.com ... ’Expand’See Less
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: OQHRA. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
FLYING JOY 1 BLASTS HER WAY TO OKLAHOMA FUTURITY VICTORY TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED AFTER TWO RACES
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY – Flying Joy 1 took advantage of the favorite Ocho Rojo’s tardy break, flying to the front in the Grade 2, $419,735 Oklahoma Futurity and holding off the rest of the field for a lucrative trip to the winner’s circle at Remington Park.
This was the 84th edition of the historic Oklahoma Futurity, first contested in 1947. It is the oldest futurity in the American Quarter Horse racing.
Going off at a generous 6-1 odds despite being the fastest qualifier on the second night of trials, March 8, veteran jockey Ricky Ramirez might have been the most surprised rider on the planet that Flying Joy 1 would win a race like this.
“I can’t lie; at the ranch, she just seemed like another horse to me,” Ramirez said from the winner’s circle after the race. “Once we got her to Remington Park, she matured and figured out what her job was.”
This Oklahoma-bred American Quarter Horse filly by Flying Cowboy 123, out of the First Moonflash mare Kylee Joy, won her trial by a head on a sloppy, cold night. Her time that evening was :15.573 with a tailwind of 11 mph. The night before, Ocho Rojo was the fastest at 300 yards in :15.437 with a tailwind of 13 mph, over a fast track. On Saturday night, Ocho Rojo balked at the start and never got into the mix, finishing last in the field of 10.
Trainer Trey Wood picked up his second Oklahoma Futurity triumph, having won with Revenant Moon in 2021. This was the first win for both Ramirez and owner David R. Rogers of Graham, Texas.
“All the credit for (Flying Joy 1) goes to my dad and my sisters,” said Wood. “Dad picked her out at the Heritage Place Yearling Sale (2024) and broke her.”
What a buy this was. Rogers bought her for $49,000. On Saturday night, she won $167,894 to improve her record to two-for-two and a bankroll of $173,786.
Trainer Al Watson, whose Ocho Rojo was late to the party when the gate opened, must have found some solace when his other qualifier, Britts Special Candy (9-1) got up for second, a half-length behind the winner and a neck in front of third-place finisher First Cash Boy (7-1). With the favorite out of the mix, that 50-cent trifecta was worth a hefty $343.50.
Flying Joy 1’s running time was :15.661 on the fast track for a speed-index of 85. Gracefulchik (8-1) finished fourth, followed by Coronados 123 (12-1) in fifth, Ruse Ticle Knockout (13-1) sixth, Lareda (15-1) seventh, Tarzans Tarzi Lo (7-2) eighth, Train Station Tours (16-1) ninth and Ocho Rojo (2-1).
Wood also qualified Lareda, ridden to her trial win on March 8 by Ramirez who had to make a choice for his Oklahoma Futurity final mount.
“I had a tough decision coming into this race between her and Trey’s other finalist, Lareda, but it looks like I made the right choice.”
Flying Joy 1 certainly has the bloodlines that shout success. Flying Cowboy 123 has become one of the most prominent sires among Quarter Horses, having thrown All American Futurity winner Cowboys Gun Z in 2023.
Remington Park racing continues Sunday, March 23 with a card that begins at 4pm-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 $800,000 (estimated) Remington Park Futurity on Saturday, April 19. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
Facebook Feed
𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝟏𝟐𝟖 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐄𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘
𝘖𝘒𝘓𝘈𝘏𝘖𝘔𝘈 𝘊𝘐𝘛𝘠, 𝘖𝘒 – 𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 9, 2026 – The first training races of the upcoming Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Patin and Appaloosa Season will take place this week. There are 63 horses scheduled to run on Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 65 horses entered Thursday with the same starting time.
Nine races were drawn for each day and three-time defending champion trainer Dee Keener didn’t let the stall doors on his stable stay shut long, emptying the barn for these two days. Keener has entered 14 horses each day for a total of 28, prepping for the first starts of their careers. The next most of any trainer is Clint Crawford with 13 entered for the two days. The only other conditioners who will send out double-figures in horse totals for Wednesday and Thursday are Leo Alcala (12), Matt Whitekiller (10) and Jed Vane (10). Sixteen other trainers have entered for the schooling races with less than 10 running from each of those barns.
Keener’s barn is jumping and ready to go, searching for that fourth training title in a row at Remington Park for the Inola, Okla., native.
“I have some really good 2-year-olds that have been working well on the farm,” Keener, 59, said.
His three titles in a row is well short of the record set by Rodney Reed when the late top trainer here won the trophy for nine consecutive years from 1995-2003.
Keener set a meet record when he won his third training title in a row last year with 54 winners. He needed two victories on Champions Night, Saturday, May 31, 2025, to pass Eddie Willis, who had the record at 53. Keener solved the problem in a hurry on that night, winning the first race of the evening with Vesper Martini in the Grade 1, $20,000 Speedhorse Graham Paint and Appaloosa Stakes and then established a new record by winning the second race with JC Speeding, a double-registered Quarter Horse/Paint. Keener finished 26 wins ahead of runner-up Matt Whitekiller in the trainers’ race.
Many of Remington Park’s top jockeys are named to ride in the training races this week, including Juan Pulido, Francisco Calderon, James Flores, Roman Cruz, Mario Delgado and Cody Smith. Pulido won last year’s jockeys’ race for the riding title with 67 wins, well ahead of runner-up Calderon at 43 victories. In comparison to Pulido’s first riding title here in 2021, he had only 46 trips to the winner’s circle that year. Pulido’s 67 wins last year were the most since G.R. Carter’s 68 in 2014.
Training, or schooling, races are used by many trainers to gain approval by Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission stewards for 2-year-olds to make their first pari-mutuel attempt. All training races at Remington Park are contested at 250 yards.
The Remington Park stable are continues to grow in equine population with 601 horses on the grounds as of Monday morning.
The 2026 Spring Season begins March 5 and continues through May 30.
•••••
Remington Park has provided more than $407 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. The 2026 Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season begins March 5. Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. Guests must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information. ... ’Expand’See Less
2 minutes ago
Comment on Facebook
𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
Wednesday, February 11 ↠ bit.ly/TROvernight-021126
Thursday, February 12 ↠ bit.ly/TROvernight-021226
(𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 11:00𝘢𝘮)
𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒
✔️ Funds must be in the owner’s account at the time of entry for schooling races
✔️ Horse registration papers must be on file in the office at the time of entry
✔️ Schooling race fee: $125.00 per horse
💰 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀:
• Personal check
• Cashier’s check
• Cash
• Bank wire transfer
🚫 Credit cards are NOT accepted
📬 If you are mailing funds, please allow adequate time for postal delivery. Funds must be posted to the specific owner account that owns the schooling horse at the time of entry.
🤝 Partnerships:
If the horse is owned by a partnership, please be sure the bookkeeper knows which partnership account the funds should be deposited into.
For questions or to coordinate deposits, please contact:
Gedda Quinonez, Horsemen’s Bookkeeper
One Remington Place, Oklahoma City, OK 73111
📞 405-419-4424 (Direct)
📧horsemensbookkeeper@remingtonpark.com ... ’Expand’See Less
51 minutes ago
Comment on Facebook
Schooling Race Reminder for Owners and Trainers
✔️ Funds must be in the owner’s account at the time of entry for schooling races
✔️ Horse registration papers must be on file in the office at the time of entry
✔️ Schooling race fee: $125.00 per horse
💰 Accepted payment methods:
• Personal check
• Cashier’s check
• Cash
• Bank wire transfer
🚫 Credit cards are NOT accepted
📬 If you are mailing funds, please allow adequate time for postal delivery. Funds must be posted to the specific owner account that owns the schooling horse at the time of entry.
🤝 Partnerships:
If the horse is owned by a partnership, please be sure the bookkeeper knows which partnership account the funds should be deposited into.
For questions or to coordinate deposits, please contact:
Gedda Quinonez
Horsemen’s Bookkeeper
One Remington Place
Oklahoma City, OK 73111
📞 405-419-4424 (Direct)
Horsemensbookkeeper@remingtonpark.com ... ’Expand’See Less
4 hours ago
Comment on Facebook
Sign Up For OQHRA News & Updates
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: OQHRA. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact