Racing


Apollitical Jess, Separatist Dominate Oklahoma Derby Trials
Jess Kool Lady, under jockey Paul Nieto, races to the fastest time in Sunday's Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby trials at Remington Park.

© Dustin Orona Photography
Apollitical Jess, Separatist Dominate Oklahoma Derby Trials

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MARCH 12, 2017—Leading sires Apollitical Jess and Separatist sired three finalists each for the Grade 3 $251,000 Oklahoma Derby Sunday afternoon at Remington Park.

The 10 fastest qualifiers, from 59 three-year-olds who participated in six trial races today, will return to Remington Park on Saturday, March 25th to vie for the winner's share of the quarter-million purse going 350 yards.

Ridden by jockey Paul Nieto, the lightly raced Jess Kool Lady drew away unchallenged in the first trial to set the fastest clocking. She completed the 350 yards in :17.436 seconds, a 90-speed index into an 8-mph headwind.

Mystic Fit, under jockey Ricky Ramirez, setting the second fastest Oklahoma Derby trial time on Sunday.
© Dustin Orona Photography
It was the first start outside the state of Indiana for the Apollitical Jess daughter and her third consecutive win from four starts. Victor Olivo conditions the bay filly for owner Enrique Ibarra. Bred in Oklahoma by Stuart and Strebig from the First N Kool mare Rustys Kool Lady, Jess Kool Lady sold in the 2015 Heritage Place Yearling Sale for $5,000.

Myst Fit, a California-bred daughter of Separatist, rallied in the second trial (race 3) to win by half-a-length while scoring the second fastest time of :17.529 seconds. The first of three qualiiers ridden by AQHA Racing champion jockey Ricky Ramirez, Myst Fit is owned by Newman Cattle Company and Bobby Simmons.

Miss Racy Runaway (#8) and Bellissima Chocolata (#9) battle in the trial 6 for the Oklahoma Derby.
© Dustin Orona Photography
Trey Wood conditions the $19,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate out of Mystifying by Mr Jess Perry. Making his first start since July, the gray gelding has won two of four starts. Bred by Steve D. Burns DVM, Myst Fit won his Heritage Place Futurity(G1) in his last start at Remington Park.

Wood also saddled the 5th qualifier Miss Racy Runaway, 6th qualifier Bellissima Chocolata and 9th qualifier Cropped Top.

Famousist, under jockey Mario Delgado, qualifying in the fifth trial. © Dustin Orona Photography
Under jockey Cesar Gomez, Bp Jess Fast defeated Crop Top by three-quarters in the third trial (race 4) to get the third fastest time of :17.540 seconds. Javier Contreras conditions the son of leading sire Apollitical Jess for owner Elizardo Olivas. Bill Price bred the two-time winner in Oklahoma from the Heza Fast Man mare Ja Fast Lady.

Sam Houston Juvenile(G3) runner-up Teardrops At the Bar finished second in the second trial to capture the fourth fastest time of :17.594 seconds. Also lightly raced, AQHA Racing champion trainer Judd Kearl conditions the son of Separatist for owner/breeders James Hrabovsky and Leann Nalls. Rodrigo Vallejo was riding.

Apollitical Jess' third qualifier was Miss Racy Runway, winner of the fourth trial in :17.594 seconds for the 5th fastest time and Separatist's third finalist Famousist won the fifth trial in :17.630 seconds to record the 7th fastest time.

Wood led all trainers with four finalists while Judd Kearl had two.

For a complete list of Oklahoma Derby qualifiers, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.