FLYING WRANGLER RECORDS TOP TIME ON SECOND NIGHT OF REMINGTON PARK FUTURITY TRIALS

by Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 12, 2024 – Flying Wrangler took advantage of a non-existent wind by the time his Remington Park Futurity trial came around on Friday, April 12, posting the fastest time of the night of 11 trials for the $854,775 final. The event, restricted to eligible Oklahoma-bred 2-year-old American Quarter Horses, will be run on Saturday, April 27.

When the trials began on Friday night, there was a headwind of 17 mph that the horses in the early races had to battle. Make no mistake, however, Flying Wrangler’s performance was more than impressive. It wasn’t all the dying wind and the outside post that defined this race. The 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Flying Cowboy 123, out of the Okey Dokey Dale mare Docs Dusty Dale, rocketed out of the gate and had a half-length lead before the blink of an eye. When the gelding hit the wire, he had won by 1-3/4 lengths. The difference in speed-indexes from him to the second horse in his trial was 93-84.

Flying Wrangler’s win was the second in as many tries for the Stacey Capps-trained gelding. On March 24, Flying Wrangler broke his maiden at Remington Park by a half-length into a headwind of 25 mph. Dusty Rose Ranch bred this horse and own him. It was Capps’ fifth win in 25 starts this meet for a solid 20 percent win rate.

Trainer-owner-breeder Leonardo Alcala qualified his third finalist for the Remington Park Futurity as he got Js Freightrain into the hunt, finishing with the fourth-fastest time of the night Friday. He also had two others make the top five on the first night of trials on April 11. Alcala owns, trains and bred two of the three, both from the multiple Remington Park stakes winning broodmare As and Js.

Jockey Francisco Calderon is the only rider to have qualified two horses in the finals, both on the first night of trials Thursday. He had the fastest qualifier Thursday with Cowgirls Can Fly for Alcala.

The following were the five fastest qualifiers with times from Friday, trial number, trainer, jockey, time, speed index:

• 1) Flying Wrangler, trial 7, Stacey Capps, Eugenio Navarrete, :16.694, 93
• 2) Heavens Uncle, trial 10, Guillermo Valdivia, Bryan Candanosa, :16.752, 91
• 3) Flirtacious Showboat, trial 5, Clint Crawford, Jorge Torres, :16.881, 87
• 4) Js Freightrain, trial 11, Leonardo Alcala, Ali Rivera, :16.889, 87
• 5) RR Eagles Path, trial 4, Erik Rodriguez-Garcia, Roman Cruz, :16.988, 84

These are the five fastest from Thursday’s trials and they will join Friday’s qualifiers as the final 10:

• 1) Cowgirls Can Fly, trial 2, Leonardo Alcala, Francisco Calderon, :16.614, 95
• 2) My Fancy Corona, trial 3, Michelle Hurdle, Javier Hernandez-Gallardo, :16.737, 91
• 3) Coronita KO, trial 5, Alcala, Edwin Escobedo, :16.763, 91
• 4) Apocalyptical Moon, trial 1, James Gonzales III, Calderon, :16.782, 90
• 5) Iteas Jessy, trial 2, Guillermo Valdivia, James Flores, :16.849, 88

Remington Park racing continues Saturday with trials for the Remington Park Oaks and Remington Park Derby featured. The first race Saturday is at 6pm-Central.
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Remington Park has provided more than $345 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 simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The Remington Park Futurity for Oklahoma-breds is featured on April 27. The 2024 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through June 1. starts its 50-date season. Parking and admission are always free. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.