REIGNING WORLD CHAMPION DANJER, MAKES HIS 2022 DEBUT IN LEO STAKES AT REMINGTON PARK
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 27, 2022 – A field of 11 horses boasting career earnings in excess of $5 million will line up Saturday night in the $100,000 Leo Stakes that features last year’s American Quarter Horse Association World Champion, Danjer.
A total of $5,175,117 has been earned on the racetrack by the 11 Quarter Horses entered in one of the toughest races Remington Park has ever hosted. The Leo is for 3-year-olds-and-older, will roll at 400 yards.
Danjer is bred and trained by Dean Frey and owned by Downtime Enterprises (Patrick Guthrie), and Billy G. Smith of Rancho Mirage, Calif., in conjunction with Frey. Danjer is the top money earner in the field at $1,503,885, but not far behind him is Instygator at $1,450,239. This Leo Stakes field is loaded with multiple stakes winners and horses that have made a name for themselves on the national level.
Danjer, a 6-year-old gelded son of FDD Dynasty, out of the Take Off Jess mare Shez Jess Toxic, has been made the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday night’s Leo Stakes. He won five stakes races from seven starts in 2021, at five different tracks. He took down the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship, followed by the Championship Challenge at Canterbury in Minnesota; the All American Gold Cup at Ruidoso Downs and the Challenge Championship at the Downs at Albuquerque, both in New Mexico, and finished the year with a victory in the Refrigerator Stakes at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. He was bred in Oklahoma. Danjer’s record now is 26 starts, 15 wins, six seconds and three thirds.
Danjer’s regular jockey, Cody Smith, will not ride him in the Leo Stakes. Francisco Calderon gets the call instead. Smith is, however, named to ride one horse on Saturday night, the favorite, Livewires Turnpike, in the $153,000 American Paint Classic Futurity, the race before the Leo.
Smith is attempting to return from an ankle injury he incurred on April 10. That evening, jockey Jorge Torres was transported to the hospital when one of his horses fell in an early race on the card. Smith picked up one of Torres’ mounts later on that program and won with Ms Kiddy. Oddly enough, two races later, Smith was injured when El Grande Papi reared in the gate, banging the top-three rider at the time, against the unforgiving apparatus. Smith broke a bone in his left ankle and tried to come back the next Thursday, April 14. He rode one race, but was scratched for the rest of the card. The following Monday, he had surgery to have a pin inserted in his ankle.
The rest of the monsters lined up to try to take down Danjer (pictured #2) in the Leo includes a power pair from trainer Michelle Hurdle’s barn. She will send out multiple stakes winners Charlies Fury and Jess My Hocks (pictured #1), the defending champion of the Leo Stakes, one of only two horses that actually beat Danjer last year. In the past two years, Jess My Hocks has won the Leo last year, the Derby Challenge at Will Rogers Down in Claremore, Okla., in 2020; the Challenge Derby Championship at the Downs at Albuquerque, also 2020; and the Bank of America Challenge at Remington Park on April 3 of this year. His stablemate and half-brother, Charlies Fury, is a five-time stakes winner in his career. The 6-year-old gelded son of Furyofthewind, out of the Take Off Jess mare Jess Charlena, has been established at 12-1 odds in the morning line while Jess My Hocks is the defending champion and sits at 10-1 in the odds.
Tom and Kathleen McNally of Guthrie, Okla., own both Charlies Fury and Jess My Hocks. The McNallys bred both in Oklahoma. Jess My Hocks’ record is 18-9-0-4 with earnings of $338,876. Charlie’s is 27-11-7-5 for $405,801. Mario Delgado will get a leg up on Jess My Hocks from Hurdle while Agustin Silva stays with Charlies Fury for this race. He has ridden both in the past.
The second morning-line favorite in the Leo, at 2-1 odds, is Instygator. The 4-year-old gelding by Ivory James, out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Eye Popping, will be sent out by leading trainer Santos Carrizales, Jr.
Among Instygator’s big scores are a win in the All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs as a 3-year-old last year. He races for owners Barboza Racing (Francisco Barboza) of Seagoville, Texas. Instygator’s record is 12-8-3-1. This gelding has won three races in a row, a streak that might be five in a row if not for Relentlessly breaking it up when he won the Heritage Place Derby at Remington Park in 2021, with Instygator finishing second.
Relentlessly is the third morning-line favorite in the Leo at 5-1 odds. Relentlessly is owned by Aguila Negra Racing (Jose Huerta) of Fairview Heights, Ill., and trained by Huerta. He was bred in Texas by Randy or Sandy Coleman. His racing record is 14-8-3-1, $340,400. He is a 4-year-old horse by Hes Relentless, out of the Carters Cartel mare Runaway Renata.
The field of 11 looks like this with post position, horse, odds, jockey and trainer:
BP Primetime, 50-1, Roman Cruz, Buddy Clay
Instygator, 2-1, Juan Pulido, Santos Carrizales, Jr.
Hooked On a Win, 30-1, Cristian Esqueda, Jerry Livingston
Danjer, 9-5, Francisco Calderon, Dean Frey
Famous Chief, 30-1, Bryan Candanosa, Duke Shults
Jess My Hocks, 10-1, Mario Delgado, Michelle Hurdle
Giant Courage, 50-1, Ricky Ramirez, Felesha Gold
Jettz, 12-1, James Flores, Juan Vazquez
Relentlessly, 5-1, Raul Valenzuela, Jose Huerta
The Leo Stakes is named in honor of one of Quarter Horse racing’s foundation sires. Leo, an AQHA Hall of Fame member, stood the bulk of his long stallion career in Perry, Okla., where a life-size statue commemorates him to this day. Leo was owned for the final decades of his life by Bud Warren.
Live racing continues this week with a Thursday–Sunday schedule. First post time Thursday, Friday and Saturday is 6 p.m. Sunday racing starts at 4 p.m.
•••••
Tracked by more than 168,000 fans on Facebook and 10,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $288 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 $1,000,000 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.
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Fair Meadows Overnight Wednesday, July 16: bit.ly/FMT-071625 *(𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝟷 & 𝟸 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙷𝚘𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚜)* Post time 6:00PM ... ’Expand’See Less
The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission has discontinued processing award deductions for the transfer of ownership on OK Bred registered horses. You will need to submit your Transfer of Ownership application, W-9 (these are required annually), with a check, money order, or completed credit card authorization form, as well as a copy of the horse’s breed registration certificate, to update our records and have the award released.
You have one year from the date of the race to collect your award.
You can send your documents or any questions to the OKB Registry Department at OKBRED@OHRC.OK.GOV. ... ’Expand’See Less
In partnership with the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA), all Oklahoma racetracks—Remington Park, Fair Meadows at Tulsa, and Will Rogers Downs—have announced expanded hair testing measures for the 2026 Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa race meets. While pre-entry hair testing has been a condition of entry since 2018, the updated policy builds on that foundation by introducing new layers of accountability and a unified approach across all tracks.
“We are expanding our integrity efforts and working to hold everyone accountable for the horses in their care,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “This is a collective effort among all Oklahoma tracks to protect the integrity of the sport and the welfare of the horse.”
The 2026 updates include a new provision that will exclude any trainer from participating at Oklahoma tracks for the remainder of a meet if three or more horses in their care test positive through official pre-entry hair tests for any prohibited substance. In addition, any owner with three or more positive tests during the meet will also be deemed ineligible to participate for the remainder of that meet.
Another upgrade to the policy is the expansion of unofficial testing. This informational hair-testing option will be available beginning with the fall yearling sales. These test kits can be requested through OQHRA. The hair samples can be collected by the owner or trainer and submitted to the lab for testing; results of these unofficial tests will not be considered official for entry purposes, but they will allow owners or trainers who have acquired horses from other barns to voluntarily test them in advance of entry to ensure they are clear of prohibited substances. It offers peace of mind, particularly before making financial commitments such as nomination fees, training investments, or early race preparations. It is important to note that many Sale Companies offer hair testing as a buyer protection within 24 hours of the sale; buyers are encouraged to contact the sales companies about the options available.
“Integrity is the backbone of everything we do,” said Matt Vance, Executive Vice President at Remington Park. “These policies help preserve the integrity of the sport by holding those who choose not to play by the rules accountable. We are proud to work with other Oklahoma tracks and OQHRA to lead the way in promoting fair competition in Quarter Horse racing.”
The core hair testing requirement remains in place: every Quarter Horse, Paint, or Appaloosa must submit to a one-time, pre-entry hair test before starting at any Oklahoma track. Official test results are sent directly to the racetrack, and positive results will lead to exclusion for the duration of that meet. These exclusions are track-specific only and do not constitute regulatory suspensions; participants remain eligible at other tracks unless a separate jurisdiction elects to take action. All horses with official positive tests will be listed publicly at www.OQHRA.com, and test results may be shared with other jurisdictions upon request.
To make the process easier for horsemen, farm visits for hair testing will be available in January and early February for Oklahoma-based trainers with 40 or more horses.
All details of the 2026 hair testing policy, including the unofficial testing option, are available at www.OQHRA.com or by calling (405) 881-5120. ... ’Expand’See Less
Won't matter Justin is so far ahead of the tracks, everyone knows you can't win a big race without the JRJ.
Thank you,
However we have got to get the results back presale from these yearlings sales at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino select sale and the New Mexico bred.
The Texas Quarter Horse sale needs it as well.
Oklahoma QHRA should at least mandate that the horse that are breeders and fitters are marketing for it be tested pre sale date with the horse .
Think of how Heritage Place would not want any part of a horse owner wanting his money back on a horse he bought from similar to large sale horse provider like the Flag Ranches size.
He would have to choose to do the right thing and force the return of the large ranch for illegal substances.
If we could get one sale barn to step up and require this
, we would owe it to them to get the others to follow suit to with the presale testing.
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: OQHRA. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
REIGNING WORLD CHAMPION DANJER, MAKES HIS 2022 DEBUT IN LEO STAKES AT REMINGTON PARK
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 27, 2022 – A field of 11 horses boasting career earnings in excess of $5 million will line up Saturday night in the $100,000 Leo Stakes that features last year’s American Quarter Horse Association World Champion, Danjer.
A total of $5,175,117 has been earned on the racetrack by the 11 Quarter Horses entered in one of the toughest races Remington Park has ever hosted. The Leo is for 3-year-olds-and-older, will roll at 400 yards.
Danjer is bred and trained by Dean Frey and owned by Downtime Enterprises (Patrick Guthrie), and Billy G. Smith of Rancho Mirage, Calif., in conjunction with Frey. Danjer is the top money earner in the field at $1,503,885, but not far behind him is Instygator at $1,450,239. This Leo Stakes field is loaded with multiple stakes winners and horses that have made a name for themselves on the national level.
Danjer, a 6-year-old gelded son of FDD Dynasty, out of the Take Off Jess mare Shez Jess Toxic, has been made the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday night’s Leo Stakes. He won five stakes races from seven starts in 2021, at five different tracks. He took down the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship, followed by the Championship Challenge at Canterbury in Minnesota; the All American Gold Cup at Ruidoso Downs and the Challenge Championship at the Downs at Albuquerque, both in New Mexico, and finished the year with a victory in the Refrigerator Stakes at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. He was bred in Oklahoma. Danjer’s record now is 26 starts, 15 wins, six seconds and three thirds.
Danjer’s regular jockey, Cody Smith, will not ride him in the Leo Stakes. Francisco Calderon gets the call instead. Smith is, however, named to ride one horse on Saturday night, the favorite, Livewires Turnpike, in the $153,000 American Paint Classic Futurity, the race before the Leo.
Smith is attempting to return from an ankle injury he incurred on April 10. That evening, jockey Jorge Torres was transported to the hospital when one of his horses fell in an early race on the card. Smith picked up one of Torres’ mounts later on that program and won with Ms Kiddy. Oddly enough, two races later, Smith was injured when El Grande Papi reared in the gate, banging the top-three rider at the time, against the unforgiving apparatus. Smith broke a bone in his left ankle and tried to come back the next Thursday, April 14. He rode one race, but was scratched for the rest of the card. The following Monday, he had surgery to have a pin inserted in his ankle.
The rest of the monsters lined up to try to take down Danjer (pictured #2) in the Leo includes a power pair from trainer Michelle Hurdle’s barn. She will send out multiple stakes winners Charlies Fury and Jess My Hocks (pictured #1), the defending champion of the Leo Stakes, one of only two horses that actually beat Danjer last year. In the past two years, Jess My Hocks has won the Leo last year, the Derby Challenge at Will Rogers Down in Claremore, Okla., in 2020; the Challenge Derby Championship at the Downs at Albuquerque, also 2020; and the Bank of America Challenge at Remington Park on April 3 of this year. His stablemate and half-brother, Charlies Fury, is a five-time stakes winner in his career. The 6-year-old gelded son of Furyofthewind, out of the Take Off Jess mare Jess Charlena, has been established at 12-1 odds in the morning line while Jess My Hocks is the defending champion and sits at 10-1 in the odds.
Tom and Kathleen McNally of Guthrie, Okla., own both Charlies Fury and Jess My Hocks. The McNallys bred both in Oklahoma. Jess My Hocks’ record is 18-9-0-4 with earnings of $338,876. Charlie’s is 27-11-7-5 for $405,801. Mario Delgado will get a leg up on Jess My Hocks from Hurdle while Agustin Silva stays with Charlies Fury for this race. He has ridden both in the past.
The second morning-line favorite in the Leo, at 2-1 odds, is Instygator. The 4-year-old gelding by Ivory James, out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Eye Popping, will be sent out by leading trainer Santos Carrizales, Jr.
Among Instygator’s big scores are a win in the All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs as a 3-year-old last year. He races for owners Barboza Racing (Francisco Barboza) of Seagoville, Texas. Instygator’s record is 12-8-3-1. This gelding has won three races in a row, a streak that might be five in a row if not for Relentlessly breaking it up when he won the Heritage Place Derby at Remington Park in 2021, with Instygator finishing second.
Relentlessly is the third morning-line favorite in the Leo at 5-1 odds. Relentlessly is owned by Aguila Negra Racing (Jose Huerta) of Fairview Heights, Ill., and trained by Huerta. He was bred in Texas by Randy or Sandy Coleman. His racing record is 14-8-3-1, $340,400. He is a 4-year-old horse by Hes Relentless, out of the Carters Cartel mare Runaway Renata.
The field of 11 looks like this with post position, horse, odds, jockey and trainer:
The Leo Stakes is named in honor of one of Quarter Horse racing’s foundation sires. Leo, an AQHA Hall of Fame member, stood the bulk of his long stallion career in Perry, Okla., where a life-size statue commemorates him to this day. Leo was owned for the final decades of his life by Bud Warren.
Live racing continues this week with a Thursday–Sunday schedule. First post time Thursday, Friday and Saturday is 6 p.m. Sunday racing starts at 4 p.m.
•••••
Tracked by more than 168,000 fans on Facebook and 10,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $288 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 $1,000,000 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.
Facebook Feed
Fair Meadows Overnight
Wednesday, July 16: bit.ly/FMT-071625
*(𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝟷 & 𝟸 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙷𝚘𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚜)*
Post time 6:00PM ... ’Expand’See Less
14 hours ago
Comment on Facebook
The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission has discontinued processing award deductions for the transfer of ownership on OK Bred registered horses. You will need to submit your Transfer of Ownership application, W-9 (these are required annually), with a check, money order, or completed credit card authorization form, as well as a copy of the horse’s breed registration certificate, to update our records and have the award released.
You have one year from the date of the race to collect your award.
You can send your documents or any questions to the OKB Registry Department at OKBRED@OHRC.OK.GOV. ... ’Expand’See Less
21 hours ago
Comment on Facebook
𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐫-𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲
In partnership with the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA), all Oklahoma racetracks—Remington Park, Fair Meadows at Tulsa, and Will Rogers Downs—have announced expanded hair testing measures for the 2026 Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa race meets. While pre-entry hair testing has been a condition of entry since 2018, the updated policy builds on that foundation by introducing new layers of accountability and a unified approach across all tracks.
“We are expanding our integrity efforts and working to hold everyone accountable for the horses in their care,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “This is a collective effort among all Oklahoma tracks to protect the integrity of the sport and the welfare of the horse.”
The 2026 updates include a new provision that will exclude any trainer from participating at Oklahoma tracks for the remainder of a meet if three or more horses in their care test positive through official pre-entry hair tests for any prohibited substance. In addition, any owner with three or more positive tests during the meet will also be deemed ineligible to participate for the remainder of that meet.
Another upgrade to the policy is the expansion of unofficial testing. This informational hair-testing option will be available beginning with the fall yearling sales. These test kits can be requested through OQHRA. The hair samples can be collected by the owner or trainer and submitted to the lab for testing; results of these unofficial tests will not be considered official for entry purposes, but they will allow owners or trainers who have acquired horses from other barns to voluntarily test them in advance of entry to ensure they are clear of prohibited substances. It offers peace of mind, particularly before making financial commitments such as nomination fees, training investments, or early race preparations. It is important to note that many Sale Companies offer hair testing as a buyer protection within 24 hours of the sale; buyers are encouraged to contact the sales companies about the options available.
“Integrity is the backbone of everything we do,” said Matt Vance, Executive Vice President at Remington Park. “These policies help preserve the integrity of the sport by holding those who choose not to play by the rules accountable. We are proud to work with other Oklahoma tracks and OQHRA to lead the way in promoting fair competition in Quarter Horse racing.”
The core hair testing requirement remains in place: every Quarter Horse, Paint, or Appaloosa must submit to a one-time, pre-entry hair test before starting at any Oklahoma track. Official test results are sent directly to the racetrack, and positive results will lead to exclusion for the duration of that meet. These exclusions are track-specific only and do not constitute regulatory suspensions; participants remain eligible at other tracks unless a separate jurisdiction elects to take action. All horses with official positive tests will be listed publicly at www.OQHRA.com, and test results may be shared with other jurisdictions upon request.
To make the process easier for horsemen, farm visits for hair testing will be available in January and early February for Oklahoma-based trainers with 40 or more horses.
All details of the 2026 hair testing policy, including the unofficial testing option, are available at www.OQHRA.com or by calling (405) 881-5120. ... ’Expand’See Less
2 days ago
Comment on Facebook
Won't matter Justin is so far ahead of the tracks, everyone knows you can't win a big race without the JRJ.
Thank you, However we have got to get the results back presale from these yearlings sales at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino select sale and the New Mexico bred. The Texas Quarter Horse sale needs it as well. Oklahoma QHRA should at least mandate that the horse that are breeders and fitters are marketing for it be tested pre sale date with the horse . Think of how Heritage Place would not want any part of a horse owner wanting his money back on a horse he bought from similar to large sale horse provider like the Flag Ranches size. He would have to choose to do the right thing and force the return of the large ranch for illegal substances. If we could get one sale barn to step up and require this , we would owe it to them to get the others to follow suit to with the presale testing.
Who get the samples from the horses and when
How actual fuck did we ever get to this point?
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