TRAINERS EDDIE WILLIS, STACY CHARETTE-HILL GET TRAINING DOUBLES WITH JOCKEYS JUSTINE KLAIBER, CRISTIAN ESQUEDA, RESPECTIVELY
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 22, 2024 – Two trainers were responsible for winning four of the 10 races at Remington Park on Friday night – 12-time title holder here Eddie Willis and Stacy Charette-Hill.
They won their pair of races each with jockeys Justine Klaiber and Cristian Esqueda, respectively. It’s early yet, but Willis inched a little closer to being a strong contender for his unprecedented 13thtraining trophy, the Jack Brooks Award, at Remington Park. His two wins on Friday night moved him into a tie for fourth place in the current standings, totaling five trips to the winner’s circle this meet. He is deadlocked with Luz Chavira and they are only three wins behind Matt Whitekiller’s and Dee Keener’s seven victories.
Willis won the final two races of the night on Friday with Coronados Fate and Politiko, both in strong allowance company as Klaiber booted both home. Coronados Fate won the ninth race in a second level allowance race for 3-year-old colts and geldings at 330 yards. The sophomore colt by Coronado Cartel, out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Fate Cant Weight, was a winner for owner Reliance Ranches (Michah McKinney) of Guthrie, Okla., and earned $17,667 from the $29,825 purse. As the 9-5 favorite, he finished a neck in front of Ziggys Cartel (2-1). Coronados Fate stopped the timer in :16.543 on the fast track for a speed index of 97. Relentless Coronado (5-2) checked in third, another nose behind in the blanket finish. The colt, bred in Oklahoma by the owner, improved to eight starts, three wins, one second and two thirds for a bankroll of $90,424.
The Willis-Klaiber combo swept the late daily double, winning the 10th, another allowance event, with Politiko, a 3-year-old colt that had wintered on the West Coast, winning his last race of the year in 2023 in the $50,000 Los Alamitos Million Juvenile Stakes in California. He won that race on Dec. 10 by a neck for owner Edward B. Melzer Revocable Trust of Edmond, Okla. On Friday, Politiko won an open allowance race for 3-year-old colts and geldings at 250 yards. He got up to win by a half-length in impressive fashion. The son of Favorite Cartel, out of the Apollitical Jess mare Apolitical Pac, won $21,321 from the $37,850 purse and improved to nine starts, five wins and two thirds for total earnings of $97,619. He was bred in Texas by Bobby Cox.
Klaiber’s two wins on the night gave her four for the meet and moved her up in the standings to a tie for ninth with Ricky Ramirez and James Flores. Roman Cruz remained on top with 10 wins, one ahead Ali Rivera’s nine. They each won once on Friday night.
Willis finished third last year. He had won the title from 2004-07, 2010-14 and 2019-21. He is the only trainer to win 50 or more races in a meet, standing at the top with the most in a season all-time at 53 in 2011. No other trainer has won as many as 50 races in one meet here. Willis has done it three times. He also holds the record for most money earned in a meet with his $1,660,790 mark in 2014.
Charette-Hill is just glad to see her horses get their noses in front this year than the horrendous streak of second-itis she suffered through last year at Remington Park. She is already more than halfway to her seven wins last year with her four this meet. Last year, her horses were the runner-up in a race an incredible 19 times. She felt snake-bitten. Her seven wins put her in a tie for 20th place in the final standings. This year, her two trips to the winner’s circle on Friday put her into a tie for seventh with Jesus Ruiz and John Stinebaugh. They all have four wins. Whitekiller and Keener are three ahead of them.
Charette-Hill and Esqueda combined to win the third and seventh races on the Friday card, sending out Lightly Painted and Catchn Southern Rays, respectively. Esqueda won the third aboard the 2-year-old filly by The Marfa Lights, out of the Corona Cartel mare Paint Your Face. It was the career debut for Lightly Painted who is also owned and was bred in Oklahoma by Charette-Hill. Esqueda’s two victories moved him into a tie for eighth with Francisco Calderon and Edwin Escobedo, five wins each. The winner of the seventh race was also a first-timer for Charette-Hill, but she does not own this 2-year-old filly. Leann Burns of Edmond, Okla., is the owner-breeder who foaled the horse in Oklahoma.
Live racing continues Saturday night with a stakes-filled card, including the Grade 2, $502,385 Oklahoma Futurity on a 12-race card. It is the oldest futurity in American Quarter Horse racing. First post time is 6 p.m.
•••••
Remington Park has provided more than $345 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 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through June 1. 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.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 20, 2025 – Shy Kisser wasn’t shy about showing her competition to losers alley as she won the $100,000 Dee Raper Sooner State Stakes on Saturday at Remington Park as a 22-1 longshot.
The race is a restricted Grade 1 for Oklahoma-breds, 3-years-old and older at 400 yards.
Jockey Mario Delgado used every ounce of energy encouraging the 6-year-old Oklahoma-bred mare to get there first. In the end, Shy Kisser slapped the kiss of fate on her opponents with a win by a head. She returned a healthy $47.80 to win, $27.80 to place and $7.40 to show.
Hooked N Gone, the class of the field with $570,323 earned, held the lead most of the race until Shy Kisser just nailed him at the wire. Hooked N Gone is a graded stakes winner and Shy Kisser’s only previous stakes win came in the $24,000 Miss Ellen Stakes at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., last fall.
Shy Kisser earned $57,600 for her efforts and improved her career running lines to 26 starts, five wins, six seconds and six thirds. The mare has made $234,364 in earnings for owner Leobardo Soria of Oklahoma City, who won the Sooner State for the first time. She was bought for $19,000 at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City. Trainer Juvenal Licona-Vazquez won this race for the first time, but it was the second time Delgado has made it to the winner’s circle in the Sooner State. He also won this race in 2020 with Eagles Fly Higher.
Running time for the winner was :19.574 for a speed-index of 96, over a sloppy track. The rest of the order of finish past the top two was Lucky Luke (21-1) third, One Stolin Eagle (7-2) fourth, Paint Your Lips P (32-1) fifth, Cardiac Cowboy (6-1) sixth, Heza Relentless Mess (21-1) seventh, Rare Roy (46-1) eighth and the even-money favorite RGs Gold Wagon was last after rearing up high at the start of the race.
The Sooner State Stakes honors influential Oklahoma horseman Dee Raper. He played a key role in helping Oklahoma pass pari-mutuel racing legislation in the early 1980s. Raper also served 14 years as president of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association, all while operating Belle Mere Farms in Norman, Okla. with his wife Betty. Belle Mere stood such top stallions Bully Bullion and Mr Eye Opener, while campaigning the likes of Eye Yin You to multiple stakes triumphs. Dee Raper was inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Remington Park in 2012.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $377 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on May 31, the final night of this meet. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
Photo: Shy Kisser (8) wins the Dee Raper Sooner State Stakes on Saturday, April 19, 2025 at Remington Park. Jockey Mario Delgado was up for the triumph. 📸: Dustin Orona Photography... ’Expand’See Less
𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐁 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐀𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐔𝐏 by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 20, 2025 – Heavens Uncle won for the fourth time in five starts at Remington Park as he cruised over a sloppy racing surface to win the Grade 2, $54,800 Bob Moore Memorial Stakes in a heavy downpour.
The 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Uncle D, out of the Streak and Dash mare Heavens Assured, sped to his second stakes victory here after winning the Grade 1 (restricted) $854,775 Remington Park Futurity on April 29, 2024 by a head. Bryan Candanosa was up for that futurity score and had the leg up from trainer Guillermo Valdivia again on Saturday night in the Bob Moore while sent off as the betting favorite at 2-1 odds. His only loss at Remington Park was a second-place finish in his first career start among maidens when he fell short by a neck on March 16, 2024. He has not lost at Remington Park since that initial attempt.
This was the first time Heavens Uncle had raced over an off track and he seemed to like it just fine. He won $34,500 from the purse, improving his career record to nine starts, five wins, two seconds and one third, getting ever closer to the half-million dollar mark in earnings with $497,519. Heavens Uncle was bred and is owned by Sherry Gilmore of Sallisaw, Okla.
Candanosa broke on top with Heavens Uncle and held onto his half-length margin from mid-stretch to the wire. The top four favorites in the race completed the superfecta in the exact order. AB Boogie (3-1) was the runner-up, a head in front of third-place finisher Apollitical Ike (5-1). Believe in Perry (6-1) ran fourth, one length behind the winner. The rest of the order of finish was The Swamp (13-1) fifth, Rustys Cowgirl (12-1) sixth, Eye Dynasty (30-1) seventh, Striking Breeze (34-1) eighth, and Liberty for Jess (24-1) ninth.
Running time for the winner at 300 yards was :15.049, the fastest time of the meet at that distance. Heavens Uncle earned a speed-index of 106 for the effort.
Heavens Uncle paid $4.40 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Cowboys Gun Z, the 5-2 morning line favorite, was an early scratch from the Bob Moore.
It was the second win in the Bob Moore for Valdivia, who also won this race in 2019 with Eye Captain. Candanosa and Gilmore won for the first time in this series.
The Bob Moore Memorial is named in honor of the Hall of Fame horseman who was prominent in American Quarter Horse racing for over four decades, operating from his Norman, Okla. farm. Bob Moore Farms continues to be a leader in breeding quality horses. ••••
Remington Park has provided more than $377 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on May 31, the final night of this meet. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
Photo: Heavens Uncle (7) wins the Bob Moore Memorial on Saturday, April 19, 2025 at Remington Park. Jockey Bryan Candanosa was up for the victory. 📸: Dustin Orona Photography... ’Expand’See Less
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 20, 2025 – Nearly everyone forgot that Alliekat Dynasty loves the Remington Park racetrack like she loves sweet feed on a day off. The 4-year-old mare didn’t forget how to win, however, as she flew to victory Saturday night in the Grade 2, $82,520 Easy Date Stakes at 13-1 odds.
The Easy Date is for fillies and mares, three and older, at 350 yards.
Alliekat Dynasty, an Oklahoma-bred mare by FDD Dynasty, out of the Apollitical Jess mare Pollitical Scorpion, won for the seventh time in 11 starts at Remington Park and pocketed $47,925 from the purse for owner Arrowhead Racing (Anita Ruiz) of Wapanucka, Okla. Alliekat Dynasty is trained by Jesus Ruiz.
Alliekat Dynasty has now won three stakes races in Oklahoma City – the FL Lady Bug Stakes in 2023; the Grade 2 Decketta Stakes in 2024, and now the Easy Date. She was bred by Jahree Standridge. Interestingly enough, Standridge won the Easy Date Stakes as an owner and it was done with Alliekat Dynasty’s dam (mother), Pollitical Scorpion in 2016.
Alliekat Dynasty provided the first win in the Easy Date Stakes for all her connections.
The reason Alliekat Dynasty may have been ignored at 13-1 odds, was that she had not won a race in almost a year (May 12, 2024) and was on a four-race non-winning streak going into the Easy Date. Jockey Roman Cruz put her on the lead over a sloppy track with rain falling and nothing bothered her as she battled to the wire for a win by a head over Curls Joyful Wagon.
Those who stayed loyal to Alliekat Dynasty on this night were rewarded with a return of $28 to win, $7.60 to place and $5.60 to show. Curls Joyful Wagon (the heavy 3-5 favorite), was coming hard at the winner in the latter stages, but couldn’t quite catch her. The favorite was a nose ahead of 43-1 longshot Paige. That 50-cent trifecta paid $541.50. The 10-cent superfecta with 13-1 longshot Hallmarke running fourth was worth $893.03.
The rest of the order of finish in the Easy date was BP Moonlight (10-1) fifth, First Time for Wine (6-1) sixth, Flying Sophia (5-1) seventh, I Got Thiss (20-1) eighth, and Relentless Diamond (27-1) ninth. Edelyns PYC was a gate scratch in the race.
Alliekat Dynasty improved her career record to 15 starts, nine wins, one second and two thirds for a bankroll of $299,867. The winner won for the sixth time in seven starts at 350 yards.
The Easy Date Stakes is named after the 1974 All American Futurity winner and 1975 American Quarter Horse World Champion who was bred, owned and trained by Walter Merrick of Sayre, Okla.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $377 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on May 31, the final night of this meet. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
Photo: Alliekat Dynasty (yellow shadow roll) wins the Easy Date Stakes on Saturday, April 19, 2025 at Remington Park. Jockey Roman Cruz was up for the score. 📸: Dustin Orona Photography... ’Expand’See Less
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TRAINERS EDDIE WILLIS, STACY CHARETTE-HILL GET TRAINING DOUBLES WITH JOCKEYS JUSTINE KLAIBER, CRISTIAN ESQUEDA, RESPECTIVELY
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 22, 2024 – Two trainers were responsible for winning four of the 10 races at Remington Park on Friday night – 12-time title holder here Eddie Willis and Stacy Charette-Hill.
They won their pair of races each with jockeys Justine Klaiber and Cristian Esqueda, respectively. It’s early yet, but Willis inched a little closer to being a strong contender for his unprecedented 13thtraining trophy, the Jack Brooks Award, at Remington Park. His two wins on Friday night moved him into a tie for fourth place in the current standings, totaling five trips to the winner’s circle this meet. He is deadlocked with Luz Chavira and they are only three wins behind Matt Whitekiller’s and Dee Keener’s seven victories.
Willis won the final two races of the night on Friday with Coronados Fate and Politiko, both in strong allowance company as Klaiber booted both home. Coronados Fate won the ninth race in a second level allowance race for 3-year-old colts and geldings at 330 yards. The sophomore colt by Coronado Cartel, out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Fate Cant Weight, was a winner for owner Reliance Ranches (Michah McKinney) of Guthrie, Okla., and earned $17,667 from the $29,825 purse. As the 9-5 favorite, he finished a neck in front of Ziggys Cartel (2-1). Coronados Fate stopped the timer in :16.543 on the fast track for a speed index of 97. Relentless Coronado (5-2) checked in third, another nose behind in the blanket finish. The colt, bred in Oklahoma by the owner, improved to eight starts, three wins, one second and two thirds for a bankroll of $90,424.
The Willis-Klaiber combo swept the late daily double, winning the 10th, another allowance event, with Politiko, a 3-year-old colt that had wintered on the West Coast, winning his last race of the year in 2023 in the $50,000 Los Alamitos Million Juvenile Stakes in California. He won that race on Dec. 10 by a neck for owner Edward B. Melzer Revocable Trust of Edmond, Okla. On Friday, Politiko won an open allowance race for 3-year-old colts and geldings at 250 yards. He got up to win by a half-length in impressive fashion. The son of Favorite Cartel, out of the Apollitical Jess mare Apolitical Pac, won $21,321 from the $37,850 purse and improved to nine starts, five wins and two thirds for total earnings of $97,619. He was bred in Texas by Bobby Cox.
Klaiber’s two wins on the night gave her four for the meet and moved her up in the standings to a tie for ninth with Ricky Ramirez and James Flores. Roman Cruz remained on top with 10 wins, one ahead Ali Rivera’s nine. They each won once on Friday night.
Willis finished third last year. He had won the title from 2004-07, 2010-14 and 2019-21. He is the only trainer to win 50 or more races in a meet, standing at the top with the most in a season all-time at 53 in 2011. No other trainer has won as many as 50 races in one meet here. Willis has done it three times. He also holds the record for most money earned in a meet with his $1,660,790 mark in 2014.
Charette-Hill is just glad to see her horses get their noses in front this year than the horrendous streak of second-itis she suffered through last year at Remington Park. She is already more than halfway to her seven wins last year with her four this meet. Last year, her horses were the runner-up in a race an incredible 19 times. She felt snake-bitten. Her seven wins put her in a tie for 20th place in the final standings. This year, her two trips to the winner’s circle on Friday put her into a tie for seventh with Jesus Ruiz and John Stinebaugh. They all have four wins. Whitekiller and Keener are three ahead of them.
Charette-Hill and Esqueda combined to win the third and seventh races on the Friday card, sending out Lightly Painted and Catchn Southern Rays, respectively. Esqueda won the third aboard the 2-year-old filly by The Marfa Lights, out of the Corona Cartel mare Paint Your Face. It was the career debut for Lightly Painted who is also owned and was bred in Oklahoma by Charette-Hill. Esqueda’s two victories moved him into a tie for eighth with Francisco Calderon and Edwin Escobedo, five wins each. The winner of the seventh race was also a first-timer for Charette-Hill, but she does not own this 2-year-old filly. Leann Burns of Edmond, Okla., is the owner-breeder who foaled the horse in Oklahoma.
Live racing continues Saturday night with a stakes-filled card, including the Grade 2, $502,385 Oklahoma Futurity on a 12-race card. It is the oldest futurity in American Quarter Horse racing. First post time is 6 p.m.
•••••
Remington Park has provided more than $345 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 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through June 1. 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.
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𝐒𝐇𝐘 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐏𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒, 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊
By Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 20, 2025 – Shy Kisser wasn’t shy about showing her competition to losers alley as she won the $100,000 Dee Raper Sooner State Stakes on Saturday at Remington Park as a 22-1 longshot.
The race is a restricted Grade 1 for Oklahoma-breds, 3-years-old and older at 400 yards.
Jockey Mario Delgado used every ounce of energy encouraging the 6-year-old Oklahoma-bred mare to get there first. In the end, Shy Kisser slapped the kiss of fate on her opponents with a win by a head. She returned a healthy $47.80 to win, $27.80 to place and $7.40 to show.
Hooked N Gone, the class of the field with $570,323 earned, held the lead most of the race until Shy Kisser just nailed him at the wire. Hooked N Gone is a graded stakes winner and Shy Kisser’s only previous stakes win came in the $24,000 Miss Ellen Stakes at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., last fall.
Shy Kisser earned $57,600 for her efforts and improved her career running lines to 26 starts, five wins, six seconds and six thirds. The mare has made $234,364 in earnings for owner Leobardo Soria of Oklahoma City, who won the Sooner State for the first time. She was bought for $19,000 at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City. Trainer Juvenal Licona-Vazquez won this race for the first time, but it was the second time Delgado has made it to the winner’s circle in the Sooner State. He also won this race in 2020 with Eagles Fly Higher.
Running time for the winner was :19.574 for a speed-index of 96, over a sloppy track. The rest of the order of finish past the top two was Lucky Luke (21-1) third, One Stolin Eagle (7-2) fourth, Paint Your Lips P (32-1) fifth, Cardiac Cowboy (6-1) sixth, Heza Relentless Mess (21-1) seventh, Rare Roy (46-1) eighth and the even-money favorite RGs Gold Wagon was last after rearing up high at the start of the race.
The Sooner State Stakes honors influential Oklahoma horseman Dee Raper. He played a key role in helping Oklahoma pass pari-mutuel racing legislation in the early 1980s. Raper also served 14 years as president of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association, all while operating Belle Mere Farms in Norman, Okla. with his wife Betty. Belle Mere stood such top stallions Bully Bullion and Mr Eye Opener, while campaigning the likes of Eye Yin You to multiple stakes triumphs. Dee Raper was inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Remington Park in 2012.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $377 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on May 31, the final night of this meet. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
Photo: Shy Kisser (8) wins the Dee Raper Sooner State Stakes on Saturday, April 19, 2025 at Remington Park. Jockey Mario Delgado was up for the triumph. 📸: Dustin Orona Photography ... ’Expand’See Less
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𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐁 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐀𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐔𝐏
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 20, 2025 – Heavens Uncle won for the fourth time in five starts at Remington Park as he cruised over a sloppy racing surface to win the Grade 2, $54,800 Bob Moore Memorial Stakes in a heavy downpour.
The 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Uncle D, out of the Streak and Dash mare Heavens Assured, sped to his second stakes victory here after winning the Grade 1 (restricted) $854,775 Remington Park Futurity on April 29, 2024 by a head. Bryan Candanosa was up for that futurity score and had the leg up from trainer Guillermo Valdivia again on Saturday night in the Bob Moore while sent off as the betting favorite at 2-1 odds. His only loss at Remington Park was a second-place finish in his first career start among maidens when he fell short by a neck on March 16, 2024. He has not lost at Remington Park since that initial attempt.
This was the first time Heavens Uncle had raced over an off track and he seemed to like it just fine. He won $34,500 from the purse, improving his career record to nine starts, five wins, two seconds and one third, getting ever closer to the half-million dollar mark in earnings with $497,519. Heavens Uncle was bred and is owned by Sherry Gilmore of Sallisaw, Okla.
Candanosa broke on top with Heavens Uncle and held onto his half-length margin from mid-stretch to the wire. The top four favorites in the race completed the superfecta in the exact order. AB Boogie (3-1) was the runner-up, a head in front of third-place finisher Apollitical Ike (5-1). Believe in Perry (6-1) ran fourth, one length behind the winner. The rest of the order of finish was The Swamp (13-1) fifth, Rustys Cowgirl (12-1) sixth, Eye Dynasty (30-1) seventh, Striking Breeze (34-1) eighth, and Liberty for Jess (24-1) ninth.
Running time for the winner at 300 yards was :15.049, the fastest time of the meet at that distance. Heavens Uncle earned a speed-index of 106 for the effort.
Heavens Uncle paid $4.40 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Cowboys Gun Z, the 5-2 morning line favorite, was an early scratch from the Bob Moore.
It was the second win in the Bob Moore for Valdivia, who also won this race in 2019 with Eye Captain. Candanosa and Gilmore won for the first time in this series.
The Bob Moore Memorial is named in honor of the Hall of Fame horseman who was prominent in American Quarter Horse racing for over four decades, operating from his Norman, Okla. farm. Bob Moore Farms continues to be a leader in breeding quality horses.
••••
Remington Park has provided more than $377 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on May 31, the final night of this meet. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
Photo: Heavens Uncle (7) wins the Bob Moore Memorial on Saturday, April 19, 2025 at Remington Park. Jockey Bryan Candanosa was up for the victory. 📸: Dustin Orona Photography ... ’Expand’See Less
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𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐊𝐀𝐓 𝐃𝐘𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐘, 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝟏𝟑-𝟏 𝐎𝐃𝐃𝐒, 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐀𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒
by Richard Linihan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 20, 2025 – Nearly everyone forgot that Alliekat Dynasty loves the Remington Park racetrack like she loves sweet feed on a day off. The 4-year-old mare didn’t forget how to win, however, as she flew to victory Saturday night in the Grade 2, $82,520 Easy Date Stakes at 13-1 odds.
The Easy Date is for fillies and mares, three and older, at 350 yards.
Alliekat Dynasty, an Oklahoma-bred mare by FDD Dynasty, out of the Apollitical Jess mare Pollitical Scorpion, won for the seventh time in 11 starts at Remington Park and pocketed $47,925 from the purse for owner Arrowhead Racing (Anita Ruiz) of Wapanucka, Okla. Alliekat Dynasty is trained by Jesus Ruiz.
Alliekat Dynasty has now won three stakes races in Oklahoma City – the FL Lady Bug Stakes in 2023; the Grade 2 Decketta Stakes in 2024, and now the Easy Date. She was bred by Jahree Standridge. Interestingly enough, Standridge won the Easy Date Stakes as an owner and it was done with Alliekat Dynasty’s dam (mother), Pollitical Scorpion in 2016.
Alliekat Dynasty provided the first win in the Easy Date Stakes for all her connections.
The reason Alliekat Dynasty may have been ignored at 13-1 odds, was that she had not won a race in almost a year (May 12, 2024) and was on a four-race non-winning streak going into the Easy Date. Jockey Roman Cruz put her on the lead over a sloppy track with rain falling and nothing bothered her as she battled to the wire for a win by a head over Curls Joyful Wagon.
Those who stayed loyal to Alliekat Dynasty on this night were rewarded with a return of $28 to win, $7.60 to place and $5.60 to show. Curls Joyful Wagon (the heavy 3-5 favorite), was coming hard at the winner in the latter stages, but couldn’t quite catch her. The favorite was a nose ahead of 43-1 longshot Paige. That 50-cent trifecta paid $541.50. The 10-cent superfecta with 13-1 longshot Hallmarke running fourth was worth $893.03.
The rest of the order of finish in the Easy date was BP Moonlight (10-1) fifth, First Time for Wine (6-1) sixth, Flying Sophia (5-1) seventh, I Got Thiss (20-1) eighth, and Relentless Diamond (27-1) ninth. Edelyns PYC was a gate scratch in the race.
Alliekat Dynasty improved her career record to 15 starts, nine wins, one second and two thirds for a bankroll of $299,867. The winner won for the sixth time in seven starts at 350 yards.
The Easy Date Stakes is named after the 1974 All American Futurity winner and 1975 American Quarter Horse World Champion who was bred, owned and trained by Walter Merrick of Sayre, Okla.
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Remington Park has provided more than $377 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on May 31, the final night of this meet. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
Photo: Alliekat Dynasty (yellow shadow roll) wins the Easy Date Stakes on Saturday, April 19, 2025 at Remington Park. Jockey Roman Cruz was up for the score. 📸: Dustin Orona Photography ... ’Expand’See Less
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