VALIANT TIBERIAS EXTENDS HIS WINNING STREAK TO THREE, CAPTURING SOONER STATE STAKES

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – April 18, 2021 – Valiant Tiberias has quickly become one of the toughest older American Quarter Horses in the country, and he proved it again on Saturday night, winning the $100,000 Sooner State Stakes at Remington Park.

The Sooner State is a restricted Grade 1 event at 400 yards for older Oklahoma-breds.

Valiant Tiberias won his third graded stakes in a row and now is 10-for-21 lifetime after competing against some of the best horses in the nation all last year. Among those champion horses he raced against were All American Futurity winner Apocalyptical Jess and AQHA Champion Aged Horse and Champion Aged Gelding Danjer. Others he has faced include Dexxter, Mi Amor Secreto, Apollitical Pence, and Eagles Fly Higher, all multiple stakes winners. So it was no surprise when Valiant Tiberias popped out of the gate on top and cruised to an easy victory in the Sooner State Stakes.

Valiant Tiberias, a 5-year-old gelding by Valiant Hero, out of the Feature Mr Jess mare American Feature, was sent off as the 4-5 post-time favorite. He finished one length ahead of Oatman Creek Senator (15-1), who was another head in front of third-place finisher Jess My Hocks (5-1). The winner returned $3.80 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.20 across the board. His winning time for the 400 yards was :19.503 over the fast track, good for a 95-speed index.

The remaining finishers in the Sooner State Stakes were: Eagles Fly Higher (4^th), Jesse D (5^th), HR Storm On In (6^th), Mr Dillard (7^th), Hooked On A Win (8^th) and Regards To Cartel (9^th).

James Flores, the three-time defending jockey champion at Remington Park, was aboard for the ride and never had to ask much from this horse. Marco Chavez-Gutierrez trains for owners Sergio Holguin, Cliften Nielsen and Felix Rodriguez of Odessa, Texas. Valiant Tiberias earned $57,600 from the purse and improved his record to 21 starts, 10 wins, three seconds and three thirds for a lifetime bankroll of $661,593. The winner was bred in Oklahoma by Reliance Ranches.

“I just kept him busy the whole race and he is just super good,” said Flores.

It was the fourth time Flores has won this race and with the fourth different trainer. He dead-heated for the win in 2019 for trainer Rick Robinson with Political Attraction; won in 2017 with VF Red Sunrise for trainer Stuart Steele and in 2015 for trainer Ty Blackwell aboard Gold Digging Ashley.

Valiant Tiberias has won six of his last 12 starts, including the following prestigious races – the Grade 1 Sooner State, the Grade 1 Refrigerator Stakes at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas; the Grade 1 Championship at Sunland Park in New Mexico; the Grade 2 Challenge Championship at Remington Park; the Grade 2 Mr Jet Moore at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico and ran third, beaten a neck in the Grade 1 All American Derby at Ruidoso.

Remington Park racing continues on Sunday, April 18, with the first of 11 events at 6pm-Central.

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Tracked by more than 165,000 fans on Facebook and 10,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $260 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 is home to the $1 million Heritage Place Futurity on May 29. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.