JK WILDCAT RED WINS MAD RUSH TO WIRE IN THREE-HORSE PHOTO FOR BOYD MORRIS MEMORIAL STAKES VICTORY

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 22, 2022 – JK Wildcat Red, Charlies Fury and Juice is Loose all hit the wire together in the frantic finish of the restricted Grade 2, $73,400 Boyd Morris Memorial Stakes on Saturday. When the photo finish was sorted out, JK Wildcat Red was the winner by a neck.

Charlies Fury (5-2) and Juice is Loose (11-1) dead-heated for second. The heavy 6-5 favorite, JC Wild King, broke in the air as the gate opened and was left behind by the field, finishing dead last.

JK Wildcat Red, under jockey Cristian Esqueda, had a quick early lead but that lead began diminishing as the three horses approached the finish line. As they crossed the line as a trio, you could see the winner get his head down on the last bob. It was enough to make owner-breeder Regina Laymon’s heart jump.

“I’m going to have to breed for longer noses,” she laughed. “He’s come so far and I’m just so proud of him.”

Laymon’s late husband Kenny won this race as the trainer with Hooked on a Win in 2019. Since they lost Kenny, Jerry Livingston has become the trainer of record for her horses and was the winner Saturday. It was Regina’s second win as an owner.

This is the first win in the Boyd Morris Memorial for both Livingston and Esqueda.

The finish times for the 400 yards for the top three were :19.531, :19.542 and :19.542. All three received 96 speed indexes for their efforts. JK Wildcat Red went off at 6-1 odds and paid $14.20 to win, $5.60 to place and 4.20 to show.

The 7-year-old gelded son of One Dashing Eagle, out of the Embrujo FG mare Shaky Girl, was bred in Oklahoma by JK Running Horses. It was almost the horse’s second stakes win in a row. He had just lost by a neck to Candy Blood in the $100,000 Dee Raper Sooner Stakes. Oddly enough, it was only his second win 22 starts at Remington Park.

“I was just trying to hold on at the end,” said jockey Cristian Esqueda. “Those were some good horses. I was confident, though. I knew we could compete with them.”

JK Wildcat Red earned $41,640 for the win and improved his record to 40 starts, nine races, eight seconds and four thirds for $212,922 in his bankroll.
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The Boyd Morris Memorial is named after the famed Quarter Horse jockey who won the 1964 All American Futurity on Decketta. The Blanchard, Okla. jockey went on to be a prominent trainer of both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds once his successful riding career ended. He was a mainstay from the beginning at Remington Park prior to his passing.

Remington Park racing continues Sunday, beginning at 4 p.m. Central.

Tracked by more than 170,000 fans on Facebook and 10,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $290 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 will feature the $1,102,440 Heritage Place Futurity and the $250,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship on May 28. Simulcast horse racing is featured daily at Remington Park where the casino is always open! Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.