GONZALES III HAS BARN OF SPEEDY 2-YEAR-OLDS, THREE FASTEST TRAINING RACE WINNERS FROM 16 HEATS AT REMINGTON PARK

by Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 12, 2025 – It appears trainer James J. Gonzales III has a parcel of 2-year-old American Quarter Horses that he can pick and choose from for the Remington Park Futurity and Heritage Place Futurity trials.

Gonzales had the three fastest training race winners of the day Wednesday and his assistant trainer, Christian Venzor of Dallas, said they were looking to try to qualify them for the Remington Park Futurity on April 19 or the Heritage Place Futurity on the final night of the season, May 31.

The barn’s top two runners on Wednesday were Rovos Rail in the 13^th of 16 training races with a time of :13.441 at 250 yards on the fast track, earning a speed index of 83. That was just two-hundredths of a second faster than his stablemate in the fourth training race, Jamies Sin Tacha, who was timed in :13.461 for an 82. Joseph Belloc, Jr., rode Rovos Rail to victory and jockey Christian Cardenas was aboard Jamies Sin Tacha.

Cardenas has already had some success this season as he qualified Tarzans Tarzi Lo for the Oklahoma Futurity for Gonzales on March 8. That futurity final is set for Saturday, March 22.

“I knew this horse could run,” said Venzor, 19. “His brother qualified for the All American Derby this past year (Vegas Trick). We have some good ones. I’ve been working for (Gonzales) for about three years, since I dropped out of high school to do this.”

Venzor handled all 20 of the Gonzales horses that went to post in these training races. Not only did their barn produce the three fastest winners of the session, but also won a fourth and fifth training race. The third-fastest of the day was Cyber de Capo, who ran a :13.587 in race nine and earned a 77-speed index. Gonzales’ fourth and fifth winners were AJ Gold Player in the 10^th race of the day (:13.744, 71) and Legendary Golddigger (:13.931, 63) in the 16^th, the final race of the day.

The two fastest horses – Rovos Rail and Jamies Sin Tacha – couldn’t be any more different, at least in the sales ring. Rovos Rail, a 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred colt by Freighttrain B, out of the FDD Dynasty mare Mavara Vegas, was purchased by owner R and C Partnership of Midland, Texas for $100,000 out of the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale in 2024. Jamies Sin Tacha, a 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding by Dulce Sin Tacha, out of the Ivory James mare Specials Jamie, was bought for a mere $15,000 by owner Miguel Vargas from the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City last year.

“You know, $100,000…$15,000, they don’t know,” Venzor said. “You can never really tell. I knew (Jamies Sin Tacha) was a runner when we sent him to the track in February for that 250-yard work. He made a pretty good move in that workout.”

Rovos Rail’s sire Freighttrain B was quite the runner in his career, winning 9-of-16 for career earnings of $421,761. He also has sired such lucrative runners as AQHA World Champion Whistle Stop Café, winner of $2.3 million and the 2020 All American Futurity. She retired undefeated, winning all 10 of her races. The sire has also thrown Eyesa Freighttrain B, who won the 2024 Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park, and concluded his career winning 5-of-12 for $609,297.

Trainer Fernando Manriquez also had a stellar day on Wednesday as the temperatures were mild in the 70s, but his horses were on fire, winning the seventh, eighth and 14^th schooling races for 2-year-olds preparing for their career debuts.

Other than the fastest three training race winners, the other winners (2-year-old Quarter Horses unless otherwise noted), their times (in order from fastest to slowest winners), speed index, trainers and race number were:

• Merkaba, :13.602, 76, Clint Crawford, race three
• Fasterthanmybrothers, :13.647, 75, Cruz Villafranco, race 15
• Eehdith, :13.663, 74, Fernando Manriquez, race eight
• Blowin in the Wind, :13.709, Josue Garcia, race 11
• Border Buckaroo, :13.711, Dee Keener, race six
• Anasyasia, :13.727, Fernando Manriquez, race seven
• Uncle Redheads, :13.740, 71, Jason Olmstead, race five
• AJ Gold Player, :13.744, 71, James J. Gonzales III, race 10
• Jess Kickin Up Dust, :13.770, Fernando Manriquez, race 14
• Miss Sassy Perry, :13.870, 66, Juan Triana, race 12
• Manhattan At Sunset (Paint), :13.958, 62, Matt Whitekiller, race two
• Criminal Streak (Paint), :13.991, 61, Matt Whitekiller, race one

Remington Park racing continues Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16 with the first race nightly at 6pm. Sunday racing begins at 4pm. All times are Central.

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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 historic 84^th edition of the Oklahoma Futurity on Saturday, March 22. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.