POLITICAL ROSE HAD SWEET AROMA OF A WINNER AS FASTEST QUALIFIER ON NIGHT TWO OF HERITAGE PLACE FUTURITY TRIALS
LS Jacks Back looked like a prohibitive favorite for the Grade 1 $1,244,980 Heritage Place Futurity when he was the fastest qualifier Friday night, but in Saturday’s trials, Political Rose bloomed magnificently to make the finals competitive.
The lucrative Heritage Place Futurity will be contested as the headline event on the final evening of the Remington Park season, Saturday, May 29.
LS Jacks Back won his trial with a 16mph headwind in :17.861 on Friday while Political Rose caught the attention Saturday with a time of :17.951 while racing into a 20mph headwind. LS Jacks Back won by three lengths in his 350-yard trial while Political Rose won by 2-3/4 lengths.
The second-fastest qualifier Saturday was deceptively important to note as AJs Tres of Paint won his trial into a virtual hurricane, going :18.015 while racing into a 24mph squall. He won by 2-1/4 lengths.
Three-time defending champion rider James Flores was aboard the fastest of the night when he booted home Political Rose for trainer Monty Arrossa and owner Dunn Ranch of Wynnewood, Okla. The 2-year-old daughter of Apollitical Jess broke third from the gate but quickly went to the lead and began to draw away with each stride. The bay filly is out of the Carters Cartel mare Cartel Rosie and was bred in Oklahoma by Stone Chase Stables.
Political Rose is now two-for-three lifetime, her only loss coming in the Remington Park Futurity trials when she swerved in at the start of her career debut race and was bumped hard. She still was able to get fourth, beaten less than a length after the mishap. Political Rose had no such trouble Saturday night and earned $8,784 for the trial win, boosting her career earnings to $22,652. The even-money favorite, Entycing, got up for second and was another head in front of third-place finisher Helllo (5-1).
Political Rose was picked up at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale last year for $57,000. AJs Tres of Paint is also by Apollitical Jess. The producer of two All American Futurity winners also was represented in Friday’s qualifiers with Sassalitical. Apollitical Jess threw both Apocalyptical Jess and Mr Jess Jenkins, winners of the sport’s greatest race – the All American.
Political Rose paid $7.40 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show.
The top five fastest times Saturday night qualified for the finals along with the top five from Friday night’s trials.
The following were the five fastest qualifiers from Saturday, with jockey, trainer, time, speed index, and trial number:
1) Political Rose, James Flores, Monty Arrossa, :17.951, 78, trial nine
2) AJs Tres of Paint, Rodrigo Vallejo, Troy Carter, :18.015, 76, trial three
3) Sir Vyval, James Flores, Monty Arrossa, :18.089, 74, trial seven
4) Fiery Passage, Benito Baca, Stacy Charette-Hill, :18.159, 72, trial 11
5) Dreamsville, Juan Pulido, Dee Keener, :18.163, 72, trial two
The following were the five fastest qualifiers from Friday, with jockey, trainer, time, speed index, and trial number:
1) LS Jacks Back, Francisco Calderon, John Stinebaugh, :17.861 seconds, 81 speed index, trial two
2) Jet Black Grace, Juan Pulido, Fidencio Jimenez, :17.916, 79, trial seven
3) Sassalitical, Jorge Torres, Clint Crawford, :17.930, 79, trial nine
4) Relentless Anywhere, Jimmy Brooks, Eddie Willis, :17.953, 78, trial six
5) Pycfastandfamous, Benito Baca, Stacy Charette-Hill, :17.958, 78, trial five
Remington Park racing continues Sunday, May 9 and features trials for 3-year-olds as they qualify for the Grade 2, $333,010 Heritage Place Derby. The first race is at 6pm-Central.
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.
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