OKLAHOMA DERBY TRIALS SET FOR SUNDAY AT REMINGTON PARK, MULTIPLE 2-YEAR-OLD STAKES WINNERS SET FOR 3-YEAR-OLD DEBUTS

OKLAHOMA CITY – March 5, 2020 – The Opening Weekend of the 2020 Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season wraps up this Sunday with a 10-race program. Important trials for the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby headline the card, featuring plenty of futurity stars from a year ago, making their 3-year-old debuts.

Uptowne Babe, winner of the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity in her last start, will make her racing return in the first of six trials for the Oklahoma Derby. Owned and bred by Sam Green of Monett, Mo. and trained by Guillermo Valdivia, Uptowne Babe will have her regular jockey, Rolando Raudales, in the saddle. She will go to the starting gate for the first time since her triumph in Oklahoma’s richest race on June 1, 2019.

A 3-year-old filly by Mr Jess Perry from the FDD Dynasty mare Ms Southern Dynasty, the Oklahoma-bred qualified for both the Remington Park Futurity and Heritage Place Futurity last year. She was third in the Remington Park Futurity, beaten only a neck by Johnny De Capo on April 20. The Heritage Place Futurity saw her improve to the winner’s circle, scoring at 9-1 odds and winning by three-quarters of a length.

Johnny De Capo will return to the site of his largest career score when he starts in the sixth Oklahoma Derby trial Sunday. Owned and bred by Juan Contreras of Irving, Texas, Johnny De Capo will be ridden by Cristian Esqueda this Sunday. A 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred colt by Capo De Capi from the Make It Anywhere mare Dash For Ted, Johnny De Capo won only two races as a 2-year-old, his trial and then the final for the Remington Park Futurity.

A total of 57 entered the six Oklahoma Derby trials, to be contested in races three through eight, at 350 yards. The first race this Sunday is at 1:30pm.

Opening Night takes place Friday with racing underway at 6pm, featuring the Mighty Deck Three Stakes for older Oklahoma-breds. Saturday afternoon racing begins at 4pm with a 12-race program dedicated to trials for the historic Grade 2 Oklahoma Futurity. All times are Central.

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Tracked by more than 162,000 fans on Facebook and more than 10,100 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $242 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 host the 2020 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season from March 6 through May 30. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.