FIRE EAT N COWBOY TRYING TO PAD HIS RESUME AS FASTEST QUALIFIER FOR GRADE 3 OKLAHOMA DERBY
Generally, the fastest qualifier for a race such as the Grade 3, $217,678 Oklahoma Derby scheduled for March 23, has already built a list of accolades from his 2-year-old year, but that is not the case for Fire Eat N Cowboy.
Trainer Trey Wood sent out this gelded son of Flying Cowboy 123 for the Oklahoma Derby trials at Remington Park on Sunday and he returned to his stall as the fastest 3-year-old going to this final. He stopped the timer in his 350-yard heat in :17.620, winning his trial by a neck over Thunder Cartel, the second-fastest of the day.
Under jockey Ricky Ramirez, Fire Eat N Cowboy, out of the Corona Cartel mare She Eat Fire, stormed out of the gate in perfect order and beat them all to the wire. It was only the fourth start of the gelding’s career. He appeared extremely talented when he broke his maiden at first asking last year in the Rainbow Futurity trials at Ruidoso Downs, N.M., scooting away to a one-length victory on May 27. Unfortunately, Fire Eat N Cowboy came away from that huge effort with an injury and had to be vanned off. He was laid off from May to September and then resurfaced at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. When he was trying to win for the second time in a row, this time in a softer allowance race for non-winners of two races lifetime. He lost all chance when he hopped at the start, giving the field a head start. He finished fifth.
In his only other start before today, Fire Eat N Cowboy tried a futurity trial at Lone Star Park on Oct. 27 and got bumped, running a distant third in that event. After five more months off, the swift gelding appears to be back to his old self that showed up in his first career race. Ramirez rode him perfectly for owner Paragon Farms (Tom Lipar) of Conroe, Texas. Fire Eat N Cowboy was sent off at 5-1 odds and paid $12.80 to win, $6 to place and 4.20 to show.
Fire Eat N Cowboy is a Texas home-bred for Paragon Farms.
The top 10 qualifiers for the finals of the Oklahoma Derby were with their jockey, trainer, trial number (race number), times and speed index were:
Fire Eat N Cowboy, Ricky Ramirez, Trey Wood, trial three (race five), :17.620, 91
Thunder Cartel, Alexis Ramirez, Jose Huerta, trial three (race five), :17.674, 89
B Second Cowboy, Francisco Calderon, Mauricio Lopez, trial two (race four), :17.720, 88
Apollitical Whiplash, Roman Cruz, Jesus Ruiz, trial four (race six), :17.749, 87
Midnight Ryde, German Rodriguez, Randy Smith, trial three (race five), :17.750, 87
Nims B, Mario Delgado, Raul Ramirez, trial four (race six), :17.764, 87
Eyesa Freighttrain B, Francisco Calderon, Mauricio Lopez, trial three (race five), :17.787, 86
JMG One Hott Eagle, Ali Rivera, Raul Rodriguez, trial two (race four), :17.840, 85
Reason to Remember, Francisco Calderon, James Gonzalez III, trial one (race three), :17.843, 85
JC Prince of Torts, Bryan Candanosa, Toby Keeton, trial five (race seven), :17.871, 84
All of the trials were conducted over a fast track into slight headwinds between 10-12mph.
Remington Park live racing resumes next week with a Thursday-Sunday schedule, March 14-17. Racing begins at 6 p.m. every night but Sunday when first post is 4 p.m. All times are Central.
Remington Park has provided more than $344 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 2024 racing schedule begins Thursday, March 7, as the American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season starts its 50-date season. 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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