SMITHWORKS, RF LIVIES LIVEWIRE EXPECTED TO VIE FOR FAVORITISM IN GRADE 1, $289,075 SPEEDHORSE GRAHAM FUTURITY
Smithworks and RF Livies Livewire have taken turns beating each other in stakes races at Remington Park this meet and they meet one more time Saturday in the Grade 1, $289,075 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity.
The race is the richest race ever contested in the history of Paint & Appaloosa racing and leads off the Speedhorse Triple Crown series.
Smithworks has been established as the 5-2 morning line favorite over RF Livies Livewire (7-2). It also will continue the spirited battle of the two top all-time winningest Paint trainers in that genre’s history. Dee Keener trains RF Livies Livewire and Matt Whitekiller conditions Smithworks. Keener has the lead with 334 lifetime victories and Whitekiller has 332.
RF Livies Livewire has been the better of the two lately, winning the $164,200 American Paint Classic Futurity on April 25 at 6-5 odds. Smithworks had beaten him earlier in the year in the $198,100 Oklahoma Paint & Appaloosa Futurity on March 20.
After losing to RF Livies Livewire in the American Paint Classic Futurity, Smithworks then came back and qualified for this race as the fastest in the trials. Cody Smith will be aboard Smithworks for Whitekiller and owner Bryan Hawk of Shawnee, Okla. Juan Pulido is in the boot of RF Livies Livewire for Whitekiller and owners Marvin and Pam Wilcox of Kingfisher, Okla.
Smithworks weighs in as the top money earner with $92,134 in his bankroll and RF Livies Livewire is at $83,476. Smithworks is by multiple world champion Painted Turnpike, out of the Mighty Invictus (QH) mare Shesa Mighty Chick. He was bred in Oklahoma by Whitekiller. RF Livies Livewire is by CRM Livewire, out of the Desirio (QH) mare RF Livies Special (QH). He was bred in Oklahoma by his owners.
Keener saddled the winner of this race last year when Power Fade scored. It was the third time that he had trained the winner of this event, adding to wins with Texas Silk (2014) and PHQ Goodbye Earl (2016). Keener qualified five of the 10 runners for the Speedhorse Graham.
Whitekiller is seeking his fifth win in the race, with two qualifies in this year’s edition. He won with I Kick (2009), Painted Turnpike (2015), Bully Pulpit (2017) and DTL Chasin Tale (2019). His four victories give him the lead for most training wins in this race. Smith has ridden all of the Whitekiller winners of the Speedhorse Graham, to lead all jockeys in the history of the race.
Here’s a look at the Speedhorse Graham Paint & App Futurity field from the rail out with post position, jockey, trainer and odds:
Shez Wired Up, Jesus Ayala, Troy Carter, 8-1
Capo Cabana, Jorge Torres, Dee Keener, 10-1
PFR Snowpike, Benito Baca, Dee Keener, 5-1
RF Livies Livewire, Juan Pulido, Dee Keener, 7-2
De Quick Capo, Justine Klaiber, Eddie Willis, 8-1
Smithworks, Cody Smith, Matt Whitekiller, 5-2
Carole Baskin, Rolando Raudales, Dee Keener, 20-1
WF Heart Throb, James Flores, Dee Keener, 12-1
RP Reckless Wire, Cody Wainscott, Ray Enlow, 8-1
Getrekt by Vito, Francisco Calderon, Matt Whitekiller, 20-1
The Speedhorse Graham Futurity is race five of 12 on Saturday night, scheduled to leave the gate at 6:52pm. The first race is at 5pm on Saturday, a Night of Champions which features purses of almost $2.8 million. All times are Central.
Tracked by more than 167,000 fans on Facebook and 10,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $261 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 $1.3 million Heritage Place Futurity on the “Night of Champions,” Saturday, May 29, the richest night of racing ever in Oklahoma. The casino is always open. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
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