FOX NEWS DOMINATES HEADLINES AS 3YO FILLY UPSETS ALLOWANCE FIELD IN OPENING NIGHT FEATURE AT REMINGTON PARK

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — March 9, 2023 – The 3-year-old filly Fox News made a big splash over a sloppy Remington Park track on Opening Night of the 2023 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season. The effort Thursday also upset the heavy favorite in an open allowance race at 12-1 odds.

Sheza Freighttrain T came into the race having won 12-of-24 races in her career with $547,375 in career earnings. The 5-year-old mare had even won two of her last three stakes races. She was sent off at 4-5 odds but could only check in third.

Trainer Jason Olmstead and jockey Edwin Escobedo combined their longshot expertise to bring home Fox News for an easy victory by a length and scoring with a 103 speed index. She covered the 300-yard distance in a swift :15.104 and paid $26.80 to win, $9.20 to place and $4.40 to show. During the 2022 season, Escobedo tied for first place among jockeys that brought in horses from 10-1 to 19-1. He did it six times. He was tied with Cristian Esqueda and Gonzalo Gutierrez, who also had six horses that fit that angle.

Among trainers, Olmstead was tied for third in most longshot winners (10-1 to 19-1) with four winners. This combo is well on its way to securing a spot among the best longshot teams again this year. Dee Keener and Eddie Willis led the way in this category last year with six wins apiece. Willis, who has won an unprecedented 12 training titles at Remington Park in his career, got off to a tremendous start, winning with three horses on Opening Night. No other trainer had more than one victory. Jockey Jimmy Brooks won twice for Willis and Justine Klaiber rode the other winner.

Fox News is a daughter of FDD Dynasty, out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Summer Love Song, and is owned by Tom Maher of Pierre, S.D. She earned $16,809 from the purse of $32,275. Coming into the race, she had earned $47,381, almost $500,000 less than the favorite. She couldn’t have cared less as Escobedo popped the gate on top early and had a full length on the field halfway through the race and did not let up.

The winner was bred in Missouri by Jim Streelman and Bill Dale.

Fox News finished one length in front of runner-up Candy Going Grand (3-1), who was another nose ahead of Sheza Freighttrain T.

Winner of Season’s First Race
Wired BB got the meet off to a rousing start, winning the first race of the 2023 season at 4-5 odds. This 2-year-old Paint colt won a maiden race for owner Austin Watterson and Brayden Bass of Pleasant Hill, Mo., trainer Durk Peery and rider Gonzalo Gutierrez. The son of CRM Livewire, out of the Awesome Chrome mare Biker Babe, was bred in Oklahoma by Dan and Kaye Jones.

The 2023 Remington Park Opening Weekend continues with a 12-race card beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday night, followed by 17 races for the Oklahoma Futurity trials on Saturday starting at 3 p.m., then concluding with 10 races on Sunday, beginning with a 4 p.m. first post.

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Tracked by more than 172,000 fans on Facebook and 10,700 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $316 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 features the 2023 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa season through June 3. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.