GALLANT GRETA GETS HALL OF FAME RIDE FROM JOHN VELAZQUEZ TO WIN RICKS MEMORIAL AT REMINGTON PARK

For Immediate Release
Sunday, September 27, 2026

Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, like a lion stalking his prey, waited patiently in fifth place in the early going and then struck with full force down the stretch to win the $75,000 Ricks Memorial Stakes on Sunday at Remington Park. The event was at 1-1/16th miles on the firm turf.

One of the greatest grass riders of all-time, Velazquez didn’t get to the front in this race until it truly counted, passing horses in the final 100 yards to win by one length after coming down the lane fourth among this field of seven. Fine Finish (22-1), Lucky Speech (34-1) and heavy favorite La Fantistica (3-2) turned for home in the top three spots before fading to the last three spots, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

When those three quit running, that left it to closers Gallant Greta (4-1), Awesomesauce (5-1) and Tizawiz (11-1), and they battled to the wire. Awesomesauce got up for second and Tizawiz was another half-length back in third. Long Ago ran fourth virtually the entire race and finished there at 2-1 odds.

Gallant Greta paid $10.20 to win, $4.60 to place and $3.80 to show. It was the first stakes win for the 5-year-old New York-bred mare despite building quite a resume on the grass. She ran second in the $125,000 Via Borghese Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Florida on Dec. 24, 2025 and was second in the $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes at Belmont at The Big A, losing by only a neck about a year ago on Oct. 25. So she had been knocking at the door.

Her winning time in the Ricks Memorial Stakes was 1:42.81. After the speedballs in front of her carved out fractions of :23.95 for the first quarter-mile, :49.54 for the half-mile, 1:14.06 for six furlongs and 1:37.18 for the mile, Velazquez sat back with a smile. He rallied four wide on the far turn and it was all over.

Gallant Greta, trained by Michael Maker and owned by Jordan V. Wycoff, of Fort Washington, Pa., is a 5-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy, out of the Empire Maker mare Tulipmania. She was bred by Gallagher’s Stud. She was purchased by Bronco Stables for $90,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York Bred Yearling Sale of 2022. She earned $45,000 for her gallant effort in the Ricks Memorial and improved her record to 15 starts, four wins, five seconds and two thirds, banking $330,205.

This was the third win for Maker in the Ricks Memorial as he also took a walk in the winner’s circle with Dana’s Beauty in 2024. He also won in 2017 with Gianna’s Dream who was also owned by Wycoff. Velazquez won the Ricks Memorial for the first time.

The Ricks Memorial is named in honor of the late Ran Ricks, Jr., who was the first owner with horses on the grounds at Remington Park. He was instrumental in helping pass pari-mutuel legislation in the early 1980s and a multiple leading owner during the first eight years in track history before passing in late 1996.

Remington Park racing continues next month, Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 1-3 with the first race nightly at 6:30pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $426 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. The 2026 edition of the Oklahoma Classics, the top night of stakes racing for Oklahoma-breds, is set for Friday, Oct. 16 at Remington Park. Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. Guests must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

-30-