Racing


Ima China Rush And Weetonas Lafawn Dead-Heat For Victory In Jack Brooks Stakes At Remington Park
Weetonas Lafawn (10) and Ima China Rush (yellow blinkers) will hit the finish line together to dead-heat for the victory in the Jack Brooks Stakes on Memorial Day at Remington Park.

© Dustin Orona Photography
Ima China Rush And Weetonas Lafawn Dead-Heat For Victory In Jack Brooks Stakes At Remington Park

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 26, 2018—The first six horses in the $50,000 Jack Brooks Stakes on Memorial Day at Remington Park finished within three-quarters of a length of each other. The first two fillies at the finish had their noses on the line together as Ima China Rush and Weetonas Lafawn shared the victory in a dead-heat.

Ima China Rush, the 2017 Oklahoma Futurity winner at Remington Park, had a solid start, then battled to keep her share of the lead throughout the 350-yard race for Oklahoma-bred 3-year-olds. Owned by Sherry Gilmore of Sallisaw, Okla. and trained by Guillermo Valdivia, Ima Chine Rush had her best beginning in a race since winning the Oklahoma Futurity according to her jockey Larry Payne.

Longtime trainer Jack Brooks (left) presents the Jack Brooks Stakes trophy to the connections of Ima China Rush Sunday at Remington Park. © Dustin Orona Photography
"It panned out pretty good today. Bill (trainer Guillermo Valdivia) has been schooling her quite a bit. She just gets so excited and ready to go, it's hard for her to stay focused while all the other horses are loading. She's always been a nice mare, she's just got to get her start."

As for Weetonas Lafawn, she won the Mr Master Bug Stakes for Oklahoma-breds in April before a poor outing in a trial for the Heritage Place Derby. There was nothing poor about her performance on Memorial Day.

"Today she seemed to be really focused and really quiet. Even though it was hot, she didn't get hot and she broke really good and was right there on the lead the whole way," said Weetonas Lafawn jockey G.R. Carter. "It was an old-fashioned quarter horse race the whole way. There wasn't a head between us the whole way."

Owned by Donald Cavenaugh of Walnut Ridge, Ark. and trained by Clint Crawford, Weetonas Lafawn battled from her outside post-position, number 10. Ima China Rush broke from closer to the inside in post number three.

The dead-heat winners hit the finish in :17.525 over the fast track.

Away at 18-1 odds in the betting, Ima China Rush paid $18.60 to win, $17.80 to place and $6.60 to show. Weetonas Lafawn was 8-1 in the wagering and paid $9.60 to win, $10.60 to place and $6.00 to show. Hot Dam Bam A Lam was the beaten wagering favorite at 2-1 odds, finishing third and paying $3 to show.

The winning connections of Weetonas Lafawn following their dead-heat win in the Jack Brooks Stakes Sunday afternoon at Remington Park. © Dustin Orona Photography
Ima China Rush has now won four career starts from nine attempts. Bred by her owner, Ima China Rush is by Rushago from the PYC Paint Your Wagon mare Ima PYC China. Her $19,820 share of the purse raises her overall bankroll to $250,104.

Weetonas Lafawn won her fifth race from 10 career attempts. Bred in Oklahoma by Weetona Stanley of Madill, Okla., Weetonas Lafawn is a daughter by Valiant Hero from the Mr Jess Perry mare First Prize Fancy. The $19,820 coming to her raises her lifetime earnings to $121,530.

Hot Dam Bam A Lam races for owner/breeder Gene Cox and trainer Donnie Strickland. Jockey Andrew Samaniego was aboard the Captain Courage gelding out of Hot Nova by Hot Colours. Third in the Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Derby in his last start, Hot Dam Bam A Lam picked up $5,451 to boost his earnings total to $104,231.

Admiral Sting, Streaks Of Ivory, A Jordan Reed, Olivias Jett, Bad Neighbor, Apollitical Approach and Express Train No 9.

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The Jack Brooks Stakes is named in honor of the American Quarter Horse racing legend and Hall of Fame trainer from Blanchard, Okla. He won the top race in the sport, the All American Futurity, a record eight times before retiring in 2007. Brooks and his wife Wynona were on hand to present the stakes trophy to the winning connections.

The final three race dates of the 2018 American Quarter Horse Season at Remington Park take place Thursday thru Saturday, May 31-June 2. The first race on Thursday, May 31 and Friday, June 1 will begin at 6pm. The opening race on the final night, Saturday, June 2, starts at 5pm.

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Tracked by over 140,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided over $192 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Remington Park, Oklahoma City's only Racetrack & Casino, is home to the $1,024,840 Heritage Place Futurity for Oklahoma-breds, on Saturday, June 2. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, Remington Park is 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.