Family Fun at Ajax Downs and Picov Derby Trials!

OKLAHOMA CITY – It was Leo Alcala’s world Saturday night and everyone else was just paying him rent. The Remington Park trainer qualified three of the fastest five 2-year-old American Quarter Horses to the finals of the Grade 2, $435,395 final, including the swiftest in A Fortunate Cowboy.

A Fortunate Cowboy covered the 300 yards in his trial in a time of :15.475 seconds, earning a speed index of 90, over the fast track. The time held up from the second trial of the night. Jockey Nestor Duran, who won three races on the night, was aboard A Fortunate Cowboy for Alcala and hit the wire 3-1/4 lengths ahead of the runner-up, Bad N Bougie 123. Duran qualified all three of Alcala’s finalists on Saturday.

Alcala won five races on the card to dominate all trainers competing on the second night of Oklahoma Futurity trials. His other two qualifiers for the finals were Nena C and Ruse Man Crystal, who were victorious in their trials and came in with the fourth- and fifth-fastest times on the evening.

Jockey Juan Pulido also rode three winners on the card, two of those for Alcala, but none qualified for the finals.

A Fortunate Cowboy is a Texas-bred colt by Flying Cowboy 123, out of the mare A Fortunate Choice, who was sired by A Regal Choice. The fastest qualifier is owned by Rolando Resendez of Mission, Texas. The colt was bred by Rigby and Brumby Partnership. Resendez purchased his blazingly fast runner for $35,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale last year in New Mexico. The winner’s share of the final in the Quarter Horse game’s oldest futurity is $174,158.

Flying Cowboy 123 is the leading first crop sire of all time as a stallion and was quite the runner on the racetrack as well. He won 8-of-13 races, earning $965,811. He was named American Quarter Horse Association Racing Champion 2-year-old Colt and AQHA Racing Champion 3-year-old Colt.

A Fortunate Cowboy’s dam (mother), A Fortunate Choice was a graded stakes placed runner, winning 3-of-14 lifetime.

A light and diminishing tailwind gave slight aid to the runners on Saturday at Remington Park. The northerly tailwind started at 5mph in the first trial but was negated to an official reading of zero by the end of the trials.

The five fastest qualifiers Saturday night (jockey, trainer, trial number-race number, times and speed index):

A Fortunate Cowboy, Nestor Duran, Leo Alcala, trial two (race three), :15.475, 90
Crystal Boi, Bryan Candanosa, Jose U. Lopez, trial six (race seven), :15.509, 88
Chin Up Buttercup, Roman Cruz, Dee Keener, trial seven (race eight), :15.575, 86
Nena C, Nestor Duran, Leo Alcala, trial five (race six), :15.590, 86
Ruse Man Crystal, Nestor Duran, Leo Alcala, trial three (race four), :15.623, 85

The five fastest qualifiers from Friday over a fast track with a headwind in double digits (with jockey, trainer, trial number-race number, times and speed index) were:
Kiss Me Ina Flash, Juan Pulido, Jed Vane, trial five (race six), :15.472, 90
One Fancy Cowboy, Bryan Candanosa, Jose U. Lopez, trial seven (race eight), :15.698, 82
Scott Road, Edwin Escobedo, Sammy Mendoza, trial nine (race 10), :15.711, 82
Whiskey Doc, Cody Smith, Stacey Capps, trial eight (race nine), :15.728, 81
Valiant Sass, Roman Cruz, Dee Keener, trial nine (race 10), :15.746, 81

The nine trials on Friday, the first evening of trials, were conducted into a southerly headwind, ranging from 14-17mph.

The historic 85th Oklahoma Futurity will be the headliner on a night full of stakes events at Remington Park on Saturday, March 21.

Remington Park racing continues Sunday, March 8 with a first post time of 4pm-Central.

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 Richard Linihan, Remington Park

OKLAHOMA CITY – Dunn Ranch purchased Kiss Me Ina Flash for $140,000 at the 2025 Heritage Place September Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City. After the performance Kiss Me Ina Flash put forth Friday night at Remington Park, that purchase is starting to look like the bargain of the year.

The 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred filly Quarter Horse challenged some of the lightning in the skies around Oklahoma on Friday night with her own lightning quick feet. She was easily the fastest qualifier on night one of the Oklahoma Futurity trials. The daughter of Kiss My Hocks, out of the First Moonflash mare Flashing My PJs, stopped the timer for 300 yards in a time of :15.472, earning a 90 speed index over the fast track. The next fastest time of the night from nine trials was :15.698, (82). The run by Kiss Me Ina Flash  was as visually impressive as any horse that has stepped foot on the Remington Park track this meet.,

There are two nights of Oklahoma Futurity trials to qualify 10 finalists for the race. The Grade 2, $435,395 Oklahoma Futurity final is scheduled to be run at Remington Park on Saturday, March 21. It will be the 85^th running of the oldest futurity in American Quarter Horse racing. The five fastest in the trials on Saturday night will join five from tonight in the finals.

Kiss Me Ina Flash is regally bred to be something special. Her sire (dad), Kiss My Hocks, was a two-time American Quarter Horse Association Racing Champion and his progeny earnings are more than $17 million on the racetrack. In his racing career, Kiss My Hocks won 9-of-12 starts for $1,199,385 in earnings. If that weren’t enough, Kiss Me Ina Flash’s dam (mother), Flashing My PJs can flash a few racing stats of her own. She only raced four times, but she won a Heritage Place Futurity trial and an All American Futurity trial as a 2-year-old and ran seventh in the Grade 1, $3 Million All American Futurity final. She banked $135,130. Flashing My PJs was sired by First Moonflash. 

Kiss Me Ina Flash looks to carry on the family talent if she can repeat Friday night’s effort. Under jockey Juan Pulido, she drew off to win by 3-1/4 lengths as the 4-5 favorite. She is trained by Jed Vane for owner Dunn Ranch of Wynnewood, Okla. Kiss Me Ina Flash was bred by Flashing My PJs Partnership.

Other than Kiss Me Ina Flash, the fastest qualifier, here are the rest of the five from Friday (with jockey, trainer, trial number (race number), times and speed index were:

• Kiss Me Ina Flash, Juan Pulido, Jed Vane, trial five (race six), :15.472, 90
• One Fancy Cowboy, Bryan Candanosa, Jose U. Lopez, trial seven (race eight), :15.698, 82
• Scott Road, Edwin Escobedo, Sammy Mendoza, trial nine (race 10), :15.711, 82
• Whiskey Doc, Cody Smith, Stacey Capps, trial eight (race nine), :15.728, 81
• Valiant Sass, Roman Cruz, Dee Keener, trial nine (race 10), :15.746, 81

The nine trials were conducted into a southerly headwind, ranging from 14-17mph.

Remington Park racing continues Saturday, March 7 night with nine more Oklahoma Futurity trials with horses looking for those last five spots in the finals. First post time is 6 p.m. Racing starts at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 8 with Oklahoma Derby trials on tap, along with 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 85^th 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 Richard Linihan, Remington Park

LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA… After the sun has set over the snow-capped Southern California mountains and the lights of Los Alamitos illuminate the Cypress track, the stakes couldn’t be higher in the eighth race Sunday night. That’s when nine outstanding older horses will enter the starting gate for the running of the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship at 400 yards.

For the elite field assembled, the dash represents the first “Golden Ticket” of the season. The winner earns a presumptive berth into the $700,000 Champion of Champions on December 12—the sport’s most prestigious race for older horse. Securing a spot in March allows a stable the freedom to plan the rest of the winner’s campaign, knowing a place in the December classic is already reserved. The race is named in honor of the late Brad McKinzie, the Los Alamitos track executive who had a profound impact on the sport, and this year’s edition features another powerhouse field.

The biggest name among the nine is the millionaire Lethal Cowboy 123, a runner who has been nearly flawless at the Orange County track. Owned by the partnership of Caliche Walls Venture, LLC, Alan Isbell, Lance Bland, and Jimmy Barton, “The Cowboy” has proven to be a true horse for the course with a stellar record of six wins from just seven starts at Los Alamitos. A dual Grade 1 winner in 2024 with victories in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity and the Golden State Million Futurity, his only local blemish came in his most recent start—a surprising fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby. Under the guidance of 2024 AQHA Trainer of the Year Marc Jungers and piloted by Edwin Escobedo—the 2025 Val Tonks Award winner as the track’s top rising jockey—Lethal Cowboy 123 enters 2026 with one singular focus: securing his spot in the Champion of Champions.

“That’s our goal,” Jungers said earlier this meet. Lethal Cowboy 123, who posted a turn-and-work in :12.60 on February 15, will start from the outside post (number nine) while searching for a return to the Los Alamitos winner’s circle. He looks to add to his remarkable record of 10 wins from 14 starts and career earnings of $1,426,127.

Adding elite class and consistency to the mix is Favorite Jesshawk, the standout runner for EG High Desert Farms and trainer Jesus Nunez. A two-time PCQHRA Champion Colt at ages two and three, he has already amassed career earnings of over $414,000. Favorite Jesshawk comes into this race following a strong performance in the Grade 2 Southern California Derby on December 21, where he finished a hard-fought second to Shaken Goin On—the PCQHRA Horse of the Year and AQHA Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. His sophomore campaign also featured a win in the Grade 2 Golden State Derby and a runner-up effort in the Governor’s Cup Derby. Jockey Martin Arriaga will be aboard Favorite Jesshawk as they leave from post eight.

Seeking a return to his stakes winning form is the appropriately named Defending Champ, from the barn of owner Edward C. Allred and trainer Scott Willoughby. This son of Favorite Cartel enjoyed his biggest win last July with a dominant victory in the Governor’s Cup Derby (G2) in which he showed his best speed ever out of the gate instead of just relying on his comeback style. While he looks to get back into the winner’s circle following his last two starts—out of the money efforts in the Southern California Derby trials and the A Ransom Handicap—those races provided more valuable experience against elite company. Known for a powerful closing kick, he remains a major threat if he recaptures his Derby-winning brilliance. Gabriel Lara will pilot from post five.

Also in the hunt is the battle-tested Kevins Wise Corona, owned by Parsons Ranchand trained by Paul Jones. He enters the new season in top form following his second graded stakes win when taking the Grade 3 First Down Dash Handicap this past December. With career earnings of $178,898 and a resume featuring a win in the Grade 3 Kaweah Bar and top three efforts in the Ed Burke Million Futurity, Golden State and Southern California Derby, he has proven he is among the top aged horses on the grounds. A sharp 220-yard bullet workout in :12.50 on February 14 suggests he is primed for a big effort at a distance where he has often shined. Eduardo Nicasio gets the assignment.

Casey Whitaker and Michael McKell’s Rlh Fouronthefloor has made two starts at Los Alamitos, both resulting in strong top-three finishes. In his local debut, the gelding by Jess Got Easier was third to heavyweights Jeriko and Empressum in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials, just missing a berth to the 2025 Champion of Champions. He followed that with a second-place finish to Kevins Wise Corona in the Grade 3 First Down Dash Handicap to close out the year. A full brother to stakes winner Pattys Saint, the James J. Gonzales II-trained runner enters with seven wins from 16 starts. Christian Cardenas will steer from post seven.

Zane Kiehne’s Holy Pete is the only horse in the field with no local racing experience, but he boasts a powerful resume. The John Stinebaugh trainee won the Ruidoso Invitational as a juvenile and qualified for both the Grade 1 All American Derby and Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby last year. Bred by Bobby Cox, the Favorite Cartel gelding posted a sharp :12.5 turn-and-work on February 15 as he looks for his eighth win in 15 career outings. Francisco Calderon, who has enjoyed a lot of success at Los Alamitos in recent years, will handle the reins.

Franco Ranch and Mario Tellez Montiel’s Show N Tell Cartel enjoyed his biggest win in March 2025 when he scored in the El Primero Del Ano Derby at 10-1 odds. He looks to show off his talents Sunday night from the rail. To be ridden by Cesar Franco for trainer Elena Andrade, Show N Tell Cartel was the “claim of the year” in 2024; Tellez Montiel acquired him for just $16,000 in the Los Alamitos Claiming Futurity. He went on to qualify for the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity final, was named the PCQHRA Most Improved Horse of the Year, and followed that up with his El Primero win and qualifying efforts for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby and the Grade 2 Southern California Derby.

Mauro Eli Zaborowsky’s Edberg Verge, a talented Brazilian-bred, brings extensive Grade 1 experience and has hit the board in several major stakes at this track. Though he has only won twice in 17 U.S. starts, he has shown the ability to make up ground late in his last two outings at 400 yards. He benefits from the meet’s hottest rider in Grade 1 races, Henry Reynoso Lopez, while Paul Jones conditions the No Secrets Here horse.

Rounding out the field is Jesus Cuevas’ Special Batch. While he has only won once in 11 career starts, his one taste of stakes action resulted in a solid third-place finish to Eyesa Wagon My Tale in the A Ransom Handicap on December 20. Jonathan Roman will look to guide Special Batch to an upset victory for trainer Valentin Zamudio.

Courtesy Los Alamitos Publicity