OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—JUNE 3, 2017—Saving his best for the final, Hold Air Hostage rocketed from his rail post position to take a huge lead and make it last to the finish in the Grade 2, $297,100 Heritage Place Derby on Saturday at Remington Park.

Owned by Darling Farms of Lamont, Okla. and trained by American Quarter Horse Association 2016 Champion Trainer Judd Kearl, Hold Air Hostage was ridden by Ricky Ramirez.

The 3-year-old gelding ran second in his trial to Apollitical Scout but still qualified for the Heritage Place Derby final. In the main event, Hold Air Hostage had no trouble dispatching Apollitical Scout to second, winning the race under a hand-ride by an astounding 1-3/4 lengths behind.

"Seems like he likes that post one, he settles in really good. The longer we’re in there the better he stands," Ramirez said. "I'm very excited to win this race. He broke really hard, the ground kind of broke from under him, because he broke so hard but he broke beautiful and the horse just ran a super performance."

The effort did not surprise Kearl, who knew Hold Air Hostage was ready for a big run. "The horse was training super. The way the horse got away, we knew he liked running down the racetrack."

Hold Air Hostage handled 400 yards in 19.385 seconds over a fast track. Away at 6-1 odds in the betting, he paid $15.80 to win, $5.20 to place and $4.40 to show. Apollitical Scout, the beaten watering favorite at 3-2 odds, returned $3.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Kiss My Heineken was another head behind the runner-up in third and paid $4.40 to show.

Bred in Oklahoma by leading sire Apollitical Jess from the Fold Gold mare Fols Zookie Cookie, Hold Air Hostage won his fourth career race from seven attempts and earned $124,782. He has now made $154,836.

Hold Air Hostage earned the first Heritage Place Futurity win for all of his connections.

Also by leading sire Apollitical Jess, Apollitical Scout picked up $50,507 to boost his earnings record to just over $254,000. Clinton Crawford conditions the graded stakes winning filly for owners Karen and Preston Cloud. Omar Reyes was aboard the Oklahoma-bred from the Corona Cartel mare Swingin Cartel. Dan and Louise Jones is the breeder.

Trainer Eddie D. Willis saddled third-place finisher Kiss My Heineken for owners Jeff Carter and Justin Massey. Robert Gentry bred the Carters Cartel gelding in Kentucky from Fredaville by Mr Jess Perry. Ridden by Jimmy D. Brooks, the bay picked up $35,652 for his effort.

The remaining order of finish in the 10-horse Heritage Place Derby was Duponte, Capshaw Capo, Rock About It, In Class, Eyema Texas Cowboy, Aberdonian and Spit Prize Corona.

Live horse racing is now on hiatus at Remington Park until the 2017 Thoroughbred Season which runs Aug. 25 thru Dec. 17.

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Tracked by over 125,000 fans on Facebook and 9,000 Twitter followers, Remington Park is the home of the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity on June 3. Remington Park has provided over $167 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Open daily at 10:30am with free parking and admission, Oklahoma City's only Racetrack & Casino is located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.