TWO TRAINERS, TWO JOCKEYS QUALIFY FOUR OF FIVE FINALISTS SATURDAY FOR OKLAHOMA FUTURITY ON SLOPPY NIGHT AT REMINGTON PARK

by Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – March 8, 2025 – A pair of trainers had the hot hand Saturday night at Remington Park as Trey Wood and James J. Gonzales III qualified four of the top five on the second night of trials for the Grade 2, $419,735 Oklahoma Futurity. Wood’s Flying Joy 1 producing the fastest time of the night in the seventh of eight trial heats.

Jockey Ricky Ramirez was aboard for both Wood horses on a cold night with the starting temperature for racing at 40-degrees. The rain was consistent and never-ending, forcing a sloppy track throughout the night. There was a dissipating tailwind that went from 14mph in the first trial to 7mph in the final trial. Flying Joy 1’s victory was impressive as it came in the seventh of eight trials on the night, with only an 8mph tailwind.

Ramirez and Wood also got Lareda into the finals as the bubble horse, the last of five that qualified Saturday. Gonzales used two different jocks on his two qualifiers. Francisco Calderon was in the saddle for the trainer’s fastest of the night, Gracefulchik, who was just .017 seconds off the time of Flying Joy 1, who beat that filly by a mere head in their trial. Christian Cardenas rode Gonzales’ other qualifier Tarzans Tarzi Lo in the first trial of the night.

Flying Joy 1 earned a speed index of 88, which was four points below the 92 put up by Ocho Rojo, the fastest qualifier from Friday’s top five. However, the two nights couldn’t have produced more different weather and conditions for racing. Friday night, there was a fast track and much warmer temperatures with much stronger tailwinds, ranging from 15-16mph.

Flying Joy 1, a 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred filly by Flying Cowboy 123, out of the First Moonflash mare Kylee Joy. She was purchased by owner David R. Rogers of Graham, Texas, for $49,000 at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City last year. She won her trial Saturday as the 2-1 second favorite and paid $6.20 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.10 to show.

Flying Joy 1 had won her training race at Remington Park on Feb. 25. She also has some excellent bloodlines from which to draw. Flying Cowboy 123 became a $5 million sire in progeny earnings in 2024 and is the leading First Crop Sire of All-Time in the American Quarter Horse industry. The dam of Flying Joy 1 – Kylee Joy – only won one race in her career, but she ran second as a 3-year-old in the All American Oaks trials at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. Flying Cowboy 123 won 8-of-13 starts lifetime on the track for earnings of $965,811. He was a multiple graded stakes winner.

Flying Joy 1 was bred in Oklahoma by Cuadra JM.

The five fastest qualifiers Saturday night on a cold night over a sloppy track were (with jockey, trainer, trial number (race number), times and speed index:

• Flying Joy 1, Ricky Ramirez, Trey Wood, trial seven (race nine), :15.573, 88
• Gracefulchik, Francisco Calderon, James J. Gonzales III, trial seven (race nine), :15.590, 87
• Train Station Tours, Mario Delgado, Clint Crawford, trial five (race seven), :15.610, 87
• Tarzans Tarzi Lo, Christian Cardenas, James J. Gonzales III, trial one (race three), :15.613, 86
• Lareda, Ricky Ramirez, Trey Wood, trial six (race eight), :15.660, 85

The five fastest Oklahoma Futurity qualifiers from Friday (with jockey, trainer, trial number (race number), times and speed index were:

• Ocho Rojo, Nestor Duran, Al Watson, trial six (race eight), :15.437, 92
• First Cash Boy, Jorge Mares, Jr., Juan Triana, trial six (race eight), :15.469, 91
• Britts Special Candy, Nestor Duran, Al Watson, trial two (race four), :15.566, 88
• Ruse Ticle Knockout, Edwin Escobedo, Luis Villafranco, trial eight (race 10), :15.572, 87
• Coronados 123, Mario Delgado, Juvenial Licona-Vazquez, trial one (race three), :15.618, 86

The historic 84^th edition of the Oklahoma Futurity will headline the program on Saturday, March 22.

Remington Park racing continues Sunday, March 9 with a first post time of 4pm-Central. Featured are trials for the Oklahoma Derby along with the SLM Big Daddy Stakes and the Mighty Deck Three Stakes.

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Remington Park has provided more than $376 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 historic 84^th edition of the Oklahoma Futurity on Saturday, March 22. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.