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.
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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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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.
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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
3 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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