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
