TRAINER DEE KEENER MAKES IT A 50-50 SHOT THAT HE WINS GRADE 1 $230,475 SPEEDHORSE GRAHAM PAINT & APPALOOSA FUTURITY

by Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – May 31, 2024 – There are nine Paints and one Appaloosa entered in closing night, Saturday’s Grade 1, $230,475 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity. Trainer Dee Keener qualified half of this 10-horse field, including the four fastest in the trials.

The race is one of 12 races, and nine stakes events, that make up Champions Night to conclude the Remington Park season.

That gives him a 50-50 chance to win the richest race for these breeds in the world, although it’s probably higher than that since the majority of his contenders proved fastest in the trials. Keener’s top four include the fastest qualifier WF Jess Candy, who has been made the lukewarm 7-2 morning-line favorite.

Oddly enough, of Keener’s five horses, there were five different jockeys that qualified them. James Flores was aboard WF Jess Candy (Paint) when he posted a time of :17:738 for this 350-yard race for 2-year-old Paints/Apps in his trial. He was followed by stablemates PFR Road Rage (Paint), OG Nikki Sixx (Paint) and Vesper Martini, who posted times of :17.757, :17.782, and :17.869, respectively. Those speed-indexes range from 88 for WF Jess Candy down to Vesper Martini’s 84. Keener is responsible for the only Appaloosa in the race with ninth-fastest qualifier Cowgirl Chaos.

PT Kaileigh (Paint), who qualified 10^th for the finals, was not entered back in this race by owner Bryan Hawk and trainer Matt Whitekiller. That gave the 11^th fastest qualifier, Painted to Be Quick (Paint) the opportunity to get into the race. That filly is also owned by Hawk and trained by Whitekiller. Painted to Be Quick was the longest shot in the field for the Grade 1, $161,600 American Paint Classic Futurity on April 28 and won at 40-1 odds.

WF Jess Candy gets in as the favorite with two wins under his belt. This 2-year-old colt by PHQ Apollitical Jess, out of the Country Chicks Man (QH) mare SW Eye Candy, won the $40,000 Oklahoma Paint and Appaloosa Juvenile Stakes on March 23 at Remington Park. He also was a winner in his trial for the Speedhorse Graham. His record going into this huge race is 5-2-0-1 with $26,643 in earnings. James Flores retains the mount after getting back aboard him for the trials. Flores had ridden him in a trial on March 7 when he ran fourth, but Ricky Ramirez took over the next three races, including an eighth-place run in the American Paint Classic.

Painted to Be Quick is the second favorite in the line at 4-1 off that futurity win and regular rider Bryan Candanosa will again be in the saddle. This 2-year-old filly Paint by multiple World Champion Painted Turnpike, out of the CRM Livewire mare Quick to the Wire, is 4-2-1-0 with $66,328 bankrolled. She is easily the top money earner in the field.

PFR Road Rage, the second-fastest in the trials, is the third favorite at 9-2 odds with Rolando Raudales retaining the mount. This 2-year-old filly by Painted Turnpike, out of the Dos Poruno mare Domestic Diva, has won 2-of-4 starts for $16,146 earned. She is owned by Painted Faith Racing of Inola, Okla.

Here’s a look at the field for the Speedhorse Graham Futurity with post position, jockey, trainer and odds (all Paints except Cowgirl Chaos, only App):

1. WF Jess Candy, James Flores, Dee Keener, 7-2
2. Cowgirl Chaos, Juan Pulido, Keener, 12-1
3. Painted to Be Quick, Bryan Candanosa, Matt Whitekiller, 4-1
4. OG Nikki Sixx, Roman Cruz, Keener, 8-1
5. PFR Road Rage, Rolando Raudales, Keener, 9-2
6. MH Cold Nights, Justine Klaiber, Eddie Willis, 20-1
7. Straightaway Turnpike, Jose Vega, Michelle Hurdle, 30-1
8. Baileys N Blood, Francisco Calderon, Jed Vane, 10-1
9. Cowboy On the Fly, Gonzalo Gutierrez, Kasey Willis, 5-1
10. Vesper Martini, Ali Rivera, Keener, 6-1

The Speedhorse Graham Futurity is the fifth of 12 races on Champions Night to conclude the 2024 spring season. Total purses on the evening are $2,442,555 with the final nine events all stakes races. The other Grade 1 races on the program include:

Race 4: $35,000 Speedhorse Graham Paint/Appaloosa Stakes, 3-year-olds, 350 yards

Race 7: $50,000 Remington Park Distance Championship, 3 and older, 870 yards

Race 8: $100,000 Junos Request Stakes, fillies and mares, 3 and older, 400 yards

Race 9: $250,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Championship, 3 and older, 440 yards

Race 12: $1,081,820 Heritage Place Futurity, 2-year-olds, 350 yards

The final two nights of the Remington Park season are Friday, May 31 at 6pm, with the Champions Night on Saturday, June 1 underway at 5pm. All times are Central.
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Remington Park has provided more than $349 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 simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The Remington Park 2024 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through June 1 with the biggest racing program of the season. The Champions Night boasts total purses in excess of $2,000,000, led by the $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity. Parking and admission are always free. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.