FRANCISCO CALDERON, GONZALES FAMILY WIN LIP CHIP JOCKEY, TRAINERS OF WEEK at REMINGTON PARK
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 2, 2025 – Francisco Calderon was smoking hot in the saddle, increasing his lead in the jockeys’ standings this past week at Remington Park. Equally hot was the entire Gonzales family of trainers who were virtually untouchable as they won this past week’s Lip Chip Jockey and Trainers of the Week Award.
Calderon and Edwin Escobedo were ding-donging out front in the jockeys’ race until Escobedo injured his foot in a morning workout last week. They were taking turns in the top spot, but with the latter out, Calderon put his stamp of success on the race, winning seven races (March 27-30) to take an eight-victory lead over three jockeys in second place – Escobedo, Roman Cruz and Ali Rivera, who all have 10 wins.
“Edwin won’t ride this weekend,” said his wife Kaylee. “The specialist said he needs two weeks off before he gets back on a horse.”
That leaves Escobedo without any mounts this weekend for the upcoming trials Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, to qualify for the estimated $800,000 Remington Park Futurity for 2-year-old Quarter Horses, Oklahoma-breds, at 330 yards.
Calderon won 7-of-20 starts this past week and ran second or third on six other mounts for 35 percent winners and 65 percent in-the-money horses. No other rider had more than three winners for the week. The closest jockeys, with at least nine mounts for the week in winning percentage were James Flores, Bryan Candanosa and Luis Maldonado. All three of them were at 22 percent (two-for-nine each).
The top five jockeys going into this week are Calderon (18 wins); Cruz, Escobedo and Rivera (tied for second at 10 each), and Juan Pulido in fifth with nine.
As far as trainers go, normally one trainer is given the award each week, but this week it goes to the Gonzales family because all three conditioning horses at Remington Park were winners at an incredible rate last week – James “JJ” Gonzales II and his sons James Gonzales III and Sebastian. It was a near perfect week of four racing days for them. James II won five-of-five starts, James III won three-of-six and had one second, and Sebastian went to the winner’s circle with the only horse he sent out.
Gonzales II won the feature race on Sunday, capping the week as last year’s $189,000 Remington Park Oaks winner, I Got Thiss, beat a strong stakes-caliber field in an allowance race. Cristian Esqueda was the winning rider for owner Bryton Dewald of Jamestown, N.D. She was bred in Oklahoma by Walter R. “Dick” Harrison.
James II won last Friday with Ten Bears in a claiming race and then had two wins each on Saturday and Sunday. His winners on the weekend were First Cartel Power and FDD Jess Speed on Saturday, both in maiden races. Gonzales’ winners on Sunday were I Got Thiss and FDD Coronado in a maiden event.
Gonzales III’s winners were Cyber de Capo and KJ Midnight Rider, breaking their maidens Friday and then Jessacorona Interest on Sunday, also winning for the first time. Sebastian’s winner was with Flying Chance taking down a maiden race on Saturday with Calderon in the saddle.
••••
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 – April 18, 2025 – Entice Me Ona Monday, the top qualifier from the first of two nights of trials, has been tabbed as the morning-line favorite for Saturday night’s $868,455 Remington Park Futurity.
Entice Me Ona Monday is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the restricted Grade 1 event, for eligible Oklahoma-bred 2-year-olds. Owned by Tejas Troubadours of Rhome, Texas and trained by Jason Olmstead, Entice Me Ona Monday put up the best time at 330 yards on Friday, April 4 to head a group of five from that first night of trials for the Remington Park Futurity. Jockey Ramiro Garcia was up for the trial and has chosen to stay on the gelding by Cyber Monday from the Make It Anywhere mare Enticilizeur.
Garcia also qualified three other Olmstead runners for the Remington Park Futurity in Illegal Cowgirl 123, Good Blue Candy and AJs Secret Cash but elected to stay with Entice Me Ona Monday.
The Oklahoma Futurity winner in March, Flying Joy 1, is the second morning-line favorite at 9-2 odds. She finished second on trials night to Entice Me Ona Monday, beaten a half-length. The placing was the first defeat for Flying Joy 1 from three starts this season. She posted victory in the Oklahoma Futurity on March 22 for owner David Rogers of Graham, Texas and trainer Trey Wood. Jockey Ricky Ramirez keeps his usual mount for the Remington Park Futurity.
Jamies Sin Tacha, the top qualifier from the second evening of trials on Saturday, April 5, is the third morning-line favorite at 5-1 odds. Jamies Sin Tacha is owned by Miguel Vargas of Grand Prairie, Texas and trained by James J. Gonzales III. He will be ridden again by Christian Cardenas.
The field of 10, by post-position and program order, for the Remington Park Futurity with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:
• Illegal Cowgirl 123: Jason Olmstead, Armando Alvidrez, 6-1 • Jamies Sin Tacha: James J. Gonzales III, Christian Cardenas, 5-1 • MM Rampage: Trey Wood, Angel O. Ramirez, 10-1 • Entice Me Ona Monday: Jason Olmstead, Ramiro Garcia, 2-1 • Maverykk: Michael Joiner, Francisco Calderon, 20-1 • Eyem D Prince: Salimm Hernandez, Agustin Silva, 20-1 • Good Blue Candy: Jason Olmstead, Eugenio Navarrete, 20-1 • AJs Secret Cash: Jason Olmstead, Francisco Ramirez, Jr., 8-1 • Ima Bigg Flash: John Stinebaugh, Ali Rivera, 8-1 • Flying Joy 1: Trey Wood, Ricky Ramirez, 9-2
The Remington Park Futurity, at 330 yards, is the 10th of 12 races on Saturday night and is scheduled to leave the gate at 10:03pm. The racing program for the evening also boasts eight other stakes events, including: $100,000 Dee Raper Sooner State Stakes; the $160,670 Remington Park Oaks and the $185,420 Remington Park Derby, among the others. The total purses for the 12-race program stand at more than $1.6 million.
The first race on Saturday is at 6pm. All times are Central.
Remington Park racing resumes tonight through Saturday, April 17-19. Saturday, April 19 is Remington Park Futurity Night. First race nightly is 6pm-Central. There is no Remington Park racing on Easter.
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FRANCISCO CALDERON, GONZALES FAMILY WIN LIP CHIP JOCKEY, TRAINERS OF WEEK at REMINGTON PARK
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 2, 2025 – Francisco Calderon was smoking hot in the saddle, increasing his lead in the jockeys’ standings this past week at Remington Park. Equally hot was the entire Gonzales family of trainers who were virtually untouchable as they won this past week’s Lip Chip Jockey and Trainers of the Week Award.
Calderon and Edwin Escobedo were ding-donging out front in the jockeys’ race until Escobedo injured his foot in a morning workout last week. They were taking turns in the top spot, but with the latter out, Calderon put his stamp of success on the race, winning seven races (March 27-30) to take an eight-victory lead over three jockeys in second place – Escobedo, Roman Cruz and Ali Rivera, who all have 10 wins.
“Edwin won’t ride this weekend,” said his wife Kaylee. “The specialist said he needs two weeks off before he gets back on a horse.”
That leaves Escobedo without any mounts this weekend for the upcoming trials Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, to qualify for the estimated $800,000 Remington Park Futurity for 2-year-old Quarter Horses, Oklahoma-breds, at 330 yards.
Calderon won 7-of-20 starts this past week and ran second or third on six other mounts for 35 percent winners and 65 percent in-the-money horses. No other rider had more than three winners for the week. The closest jockeys, with at least nine mounts for the week in winning percentage were James Flores, Bryan Candanosa and Luis Maldonado. All three of them were at 22 percent (two-for-nine each).
The top five jockeys going into this week are Calderon (18 wins); Cruz, Escobedo and Rivera (tied for second at 10 each), and Juan Pulido in fifth with nine.
As far as trainers go, normally one trainer is given the award each week, but this week it goes to the Gonzales family because all three conditioning horses at Remington Park were winners at an incredible rate last week – James “JJ” Gonzales II and his sons James Gonzales III and Sebastian. It was a near perfect week of four racing days for them. James II won five-of-five starts, James III won three-of-six and had one second, and Sebastian went to the winner’s circle with the only horse he sent out.
Gonzales II won the feature race on Sunday, capping the week as last year’s $189,000 Remington Park Oaks winner, I Got Thiss, beat a strong stakes-caliber field in an allowance race. Cristian Esqueda was the winning rider for owner Bryton Dewald of Jamestown, N.D. She was bred in Oklahoma by Walter R. “Dick” Harrison.
James II won last Friday with Ten Bears in a claiming race and then had two wins each on Saturday and Sunday. His winners on the weekend were First Cartel Power and FDD Jess Speed on Saturday, both in maiden races. Gonzales’ winners on Sunday were I Got Thiss and FDD Coronado in a maiden event.
Gonzales III’s winners were Cyber de Capo and KJ Midnight Rider, breaking their maidens Friday and then Jessacorona Interest on Sunday, also winning for the first time. Sebastian’s winner was with Flying Chance taking down a maiden race on Saturday with Calderon in the saddle.
••••
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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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 18, 2025 – Entice Me Ona Monday, the top qualifier from the first of two nights of trials, has been tabbed as the morning-line favorite for Saturday night’s $868,455 Remington Park Futurity.
Entice Me Ona Monday is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the restricted Grade 1 event, for eligible Oklahoma-bred 2-year-olds. Owned by Tejas Troubadours of Rhome, Texas and trained by Jason Olmstead, Entice Me Ona Monday put up the best time at 330 yards on Friday, April 4 to head a group of five from that first night of trials for the Remington Park Futurity. Jockey Ramiro Garcia was up for the trial and has chosen to stay on the gelding by Cyber Monday from the Make It Anywhere mare Enticilizeur.
Garcia also qualified three other Olmstead runners for the Remington Park Futurity in Illegal Cowgirl 123, Good Blue Candy and AJs Secret Cash but elected to stay with Entice Me Ona Monday.
The Oklahoma Futurity winner in March, Flying Joy 1, is the second morning-line favorite at 9-2 odds. She finished second on trials night to Entice Me Ona Monday, beaten a half-length. The placing was the first defeat for Flying Joy 1 from three starts this season. She posted victory in the Oklahoma Futurity on March 22 for owner David Rogers of Graham, Texas and trainer Trey Wood. Jockey Ricky Ramirez keeps his usual mount for the Remington Park Futurity.
Jamies Sin Tacha, the top qualifier from the second evening of trials on Saturday, April 5, is the third morning-line favorite at 5-1 odds. Jamies Sin Tacha is owned by Miguel Vargas of Grand Prairie, Texas and trained by James J. Gonzales III. He will be ridden again by Christian Cardenas.
The field of 10, by post-position and program order, for the Remington Park Futurity with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:
• Illegal Cowgirl 123: Jason Olmstead, Armando Alvidrez,
6-1
• Jamies Sin Tacha: James J. Gonzales III, Christian Cardenas,
5-1
• MM Rampage: Trey Wood, Angel O. Ramirez,
10-1
• Entice Me Ona Monday: Jason Olmstead, Ramiro Garcia,
2-1
• Maverykk: Michael Joiner, Francisco Calderon,
20-1
• Eyem D Prince: Salimm Hernandez, Agustin Silva,
20-1
• Good Blue Candy: Jason Olmstead, Eugenio Navarrete,
20-1
• AJs Secret Cash: Jason Olmstead, Francisco Ramirez, Jr.,
8-1
• Ima Bigg Flash: John Stinebaugh, Ali Rivera,
8-1
• Flying Joy 1: Trey Wood, Ricky Ramirez,
9-2
The Remington Park Futurity, at 330 yards, is the 10th of 12 races on Saturday night and is scheduled to leave the gate at 10:03pm. The racing program for the evening also boasts eight other stakes events, including: $100,000 Dee Raper Sooner State Stakes; the $160,670 Remington Park Oaks and the $185,420 Remington Park Derby, among the others. The total purses for the 12-race program stand at more than $1.6 million.
The first race on Saturday is at 6pm. All times are Central.
Remington Park racing resumes tonight through Saturday, April 17-19. Saturday, April 19 is Remington Park Futurity Night. First race nightly is 6pm-Central. There is no Remington Park racing on Easter.
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