RTCA ANNOUNCES 2025 “NIGHT OF FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE”

OKLAHOMA CITY – It took Church Spire a total of 12 races to win for the first time and now he has won two of his last three starts, including the featured allowance race on Sunday at Remington Park with jockey Jesus Ayala up.

The 4-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of KVN Corona, out of the Tac It Like a Man mare Symbol of Faith, did everything right in this allowance race for 3-year-olds-and-older who had never won two races in their life. It seemed appropriate that a horse named Church Spire from a dam (mother) named Symbol of Faith would take down the Sunday feature. He only broke his maiden on Nov. 30 last year at Zia Park in New Mexico after a dozen tries. The gelding, trained by Marco Chavez-Gutierrez, appears to have figured out this racing business.

Church Spire broke on top against the 2-1 wagering favorite, DR Stone Cold, and never let that horse get closer than a full length in the 400-yard race, winning by that margin. Church Spire was sent off at 5-1 odds and paid $12.80 to win, $5.60 to place and $3.60 to show. DR Stone Cold was another 1-1/2 lengths in front of third-place finisher Whata Lota Boy (3-1). 

Church Spire beating the favored DR Stone Cold concluded a two-day extravaganza in the late Pick 4 which saw that wager pay out more than $5,000 both days. On Saturday, it paid a season-high $10,032.85 and on Sunday, it was about half that at $5,159.40.

Church Spire earned $17,775 from the $30,480 allowance purse and improved his lifetime record to 14 starts, two wins, two seconds and two thirds for a bankroll of $81,838. He is owned by Rancho Garambuyo (Santos Lopez) of Denver, Colo., and was bred by Kelly Yother Equine. He was a $26,000 purchase from the Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale of 2026.

Church Spire had shown some talent as a 2-year-old in 2024, enough so that he was put into an All American Futurity trial at the Downs at Albuquerque, but after he ran eighth, he was finally put in a couple of maiden races, one to end 2024 and the other to start 2025 when he turned 3-years-old. He ran second in his final start as a 2-year-old, losing by only a neck or he would have broken his maiden in that race, his fourth start. After that, Church Spire was placed in several derby trials and finished fifth in the Grade 2 Heritage Place Derby on May 31, 2025 before failing in an All American Derby trial in August of last year. He finished a disappointing eighth in that effort before running in three more maiden races and finally winning at Zia.

Church Spire had also tried 400 yards six times before winning at that distance on Sunday. It was his first win at Remington Park in four races. The winning time for Church Spire’s second victory was :19.607 as he earned a 95 speed index over the fast track, compared to DR Stone Cold’s :19.749.

Remington Park racing continues Thursday-Sunday, April 23-26. Action begins nightly at 6pm with Sunday racing underway at 4pm. All times are Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $410 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity takes place on the final night of the spring season on Saturday, May 30. 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.

By Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY – Trainer Josue Garcia pulled off the biggest surprise of the night, taking the $217,910 Remington Park Derby with 44-1 longshot West Texas Royalty on Saturday night.

In fact, Garcia followed that by sweeping the late daily double in the next race – winning the $971,955 Remington Park Futurity with Apolliticalgolddigger. The late $2 double returned a nice $400 payoff. 

There were boxcar payouts in the derby keyed by West Texas Royalty, who paid $91.60 to win on a $2 ticket, $24.60 to place and $12.40 to show. The 10-cent superfecta of $1,033.25 was rounded out by runner-up JC Speeding (8-5), third-place finisher Coronados 123 (21-1) and Js FDD (16-1) in fourth. The heavy 4-5 wagering favorite, Cyber Command III, broke behind the field and ran sixth. The $2 exacta was worth $361.40 and the 50-cent trifecta returned $593.45.

“When I stood this horse (West Texas Royalty) in the gate Wednesday was the first time I had seen him,” said winning rider Calderon.

Leading rider Juan Pulido was aboard West Texas Royalty in the Remington Park Derby trials when he ran third. Pulido chose Cyber Command III in the finals, a horse that had a faster qualifying time. 

West Texas Royalty, owned by Kevin Hogan of Cypress, Texas, had never won at the distance of 400 yards nor at Remington Park before Saturday night. He was 0-for-2 at Remington and 0-for-3 at the distance. This also was West Texas Royalty’s first trip to the winner’s circle in a stakes race. The 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding had won his first career start at Sam Houston Race Park in Texas against futurity trial horses, but didn’t qualify for that final. His only other win lifetime was when he was placed first through disqualification in trials at the Gillespie County Fair racetrack in Texas.

None of that mattered on Saturday night. All Calderon wanted was a clean trip from the gate and a chance.

“Thank God we got out of the gate nicely,” he said. “I knew JC Speeding would have to catch us after he broke. We were fierce today.”

West Texas Royalty earned $87,164 from the Derby purse after coming into the race with only $24,713 in earnings compared to JC Speeding’s $271,697. The winner improved lifetime to 10-3-2-2, $111,877 in earnings. The winning time for the 400 yards was :19.578, good for a 95 speed index.

This was the second year in a row that Garcia had won the Remington Park Derby. He was victorious last year with Valiant Painted Sign for Darling Farms. 

Remington Park racing continues Sunday, April 19 with a first post time of 4pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $410 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity takes place on the final night of the spring season on Saturday, May 30. 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.

By Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY – It was a case of like mother like daughter in the $81,160 Easy Date Stakes at Remington Park as Js Freightrain crossed the line first Saturday, eight years after her dam (mother), As and Js, won the same race for the same trainer, Leonardo Alcala.

Alcala also owned As and Js, who won more than a half-million in her career. He often pulls out his wallet and shows a picture of his mansion in Florida that he bought with the earnings from this fast mare. Now she has passed along those genes to her daughter, Js Freightrain. Jockey Juan Pulido won for the third time as did Alcala on Saturday night when the 4-year-old Oklahoma-bred mare by Freightrain B won by a half-length at 350 yards. She crossed the finish line in :17.332 for a 97 speed index over the fast track. Last year’s $1 million-plus Heritage Place Futurity winner, Apollirevenge (7-1) checked in second, another neck in front of third-place finisher Flying Bandida (6-1). 

Agustin Silva had ridden As and Js to victory in 2018 for Alcala, who bred her and her daughter Js Freightrain. The rest of the order of finish in the Easy Date Stakes was Karmalites (5-1) fourth, Sheza Fearless Eagle (12-1) fifth, D Fawn (40-1) sixth, I Am Candy (15-1) seventh, Flying Policy 123 (55-1) eighth, Eyesa Wagon My Tale (34-1) ninth and Peppa (57-1) 10^th.

Js Freightrain’s trip to the winner’s circle put Alcala one win ahead of Dee Keener in the trainers’ standings this meet with six races remaining on the Saturday card. Alcala led 26-25 after the Easy Date Stakes victory. Js Freightrain was sent off as the 3-5 odds-on favorite and paid $3.20 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.40 to show. It was her seventh win in 14 starts lifetime and she earned $47,550 for the win. Her lifetime record moved to 14-7-2-1, $258,907, halfway to her mother’s earnings.

This mare was a stakes winner last year at Zia Park in New Mexico when she won the $100,000 Hobbs American Derby on Dec. 14, 2025. Js Freightrain almost won the $248,000 Texas Classic Oaks on Nov. 15 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, losing by a neck to Karmalites, who she defeated Saturday in the Easy Date.

The Easy Date Stakes is named after the 1974 All American Futurity winner and 1975 American Quarter Horse World Champion who was bred, owned and trained by Walter Merrick of Sayre, Okla.

Remington Park racing continues Sunday, April 19 with a first race post time of 4pm-Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $410 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity takes place on the final night of the spring season on Saturday, May 30. 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.

By  Richard Linihan