OKLAHOMA CITY – Three-time defending champion trainer at Remington Park, Dee Keener, qualified four of the 10 finalists Thursday for the Grade 1, $188,500 Oklahoma Paint and Appaloosa Futurity, set for Saturday, March 21.
Keener’s four finalists included the fastest qualifier of the night, DW Showin D Off, who set the mark to shoot at in the second of six trials on the night, covering 300 yards in a time of :15.776 seconds, earning a speed index of 80 over a fast track. None of the other four trials afterward could match that time.
The six trials were contested into a headwind of 15-17mph.
Jockey Roman Cruz was aboard three of Keener’s four finalists and was in the irons for DW Showin D Off when he popped on top out of the gates with this 2-year-old gelded Oklahoma-bred Paint by the Quarter Horse sire, Uncle D, out of the SF Royal Quick Flash mare Shez Showin Off. DW Showin D Off is owned by Danny J. Watkins of Wagoner, Okla., and will be the one to beat in the finals.
DW Showin D Off did a little bit more than showing off Thursday and in his training race on Feb. 12 at Remington Park. He was not asked to run much by his rider in that schooling race and still won easily by 2-1/4 lengths into a headwind of 16 mph. It was virtually the same wind Thursday on Opening Night when he won his trial by 1-1/4 lengths. The time of :13.95 in the training race was extremely close to the fastest Quarter Horse schooling race time of the day at :13.90. That’s how much talent this Paint possesses.
A lot of the DW Showin D Off talent may come from his sire (daddy), Uncle D. That Quarter Horse was a two-time American Quarter Horse Association Racing Champion and was a winner of one of the top Quarter Horse races of the year in taking down the Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico in 2019. His career record was 10 starts, four wins, three seconds and two thirds for $689,165 in earnings.
They call Keener, a native of Inola, Okla., the Paint King because he came into the Remington Park season with 489 wins lifetime with mixed breeds, well ahead of second-place Matt Whitekiller at 442. Keener’s three wins Thursday night boosted him up to 492 trips to the winner’s circle with Paints. It took years for Keener and Whitekiller to pass Lewis Wartchow, the late champion trainer who held that “King” distinction forever at 321 wins prior to his passing 2003.
The other nine qualifiers in Thursday’s six trials for the Paints and just one Appaloosa (with jockey, trainer, trial number (race number), times and speed index) were:
MW Because Im Alive, Cristian Cardenas, James J. Gonzales II, trial four (race seven), :15.798, 79
Limited Jesse, Christian Cardenas, James J. Gonzales II, trial three (race six), :15.817, 78
Chilinator, Cody Smith, Matt Whitekiller, trial three (race six), :15.920, 75
Iam George III, Roman Cruz, Dee Keener, trial one (race four), :15.943, 74
Game Favorite, Roman Cruz, Dee Keener, trial four (race seven), :15.967, 73
Tres of Light, Justine Klaiber, Eddie Willis, trial two (race five), :15.979, 73
Paddy Powers, Mario Delgado, Dee Keener, trial four (race seven), :16.003, 72
Pepperoncini, Mario Delgado, Tyler Crawford, trial two (race five), :16.056, 70
Big Rotney, Cody Smith, Matt Whitekiller, trial six (race nine), :16.063, 70
Keener’s training triple came with Iam George III ($5.40 to win), DW Showin D Off ($5.20) and WF Manfredi ($38), a non-qualifier from the eighth race and fifth trial.
All 10 qualifiers for the Oklahoma Paint & Appaloosa Futurity are Paints.
Remington Park’s Opening Weekend for the 2026 season continues Friday through Sunday, March 6-8. Trials for the $435,395 Oklahoma Futurity will be held both Friday and Saturday with the first race each night at 6pm. Sunday racing begins at 4pm and features trials for the $259,655 Oklahoma Derby and the $75,000 Mighty Deck Three Stakes.
Remington Park has provided more than $408 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 Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season is underway. The 85th Oklahoma Futurity will be contested on Saturday, March 21. 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.
Courtesy of Remington Park
