OKLAHOMA CITY, OK— JUNE 2, 2019—Political Attraction won three stakes races in three starts during the 2019 Remington Park American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season, culminating in a victory over a multiple AQHA World Champion in the Remington Park Championship, thus being named Horse of the Meeting.

Political Attraction, a 4-year-old gelded son of Apollitical Jess, out of the Separatist mare Gunsight Peak, won the $50,000 Eastex Stakes on March 23, the $100,000 Sooner State Stakes on April 20 and was an impressive winner in the Grade 1, $255,680 Remington Park Championship on June 1, ending a four-race win streak by two-time World Champion Jessies First Down.

Jessies First Down stumbled badly in the race and finished next-to-last, but the stumble may not have mattered the way Political Attraction ran. He drew off by a full length in the 440-yard race, which also included several stakes winners such as LD Is Back, who won the Grade 1 Leo Stakes earlier in the meet.

Political Attraction, is co-owned by Rogelio Marquez, Jr., and Kathy Robinson of Claremore, Okla. and trained by Rick Robinson, he was ridden to victory by two-time champion rider here, James Flores. The winner earned $154,800 for the Championship victory and now has a career record of 17 starts, nine wins, one second and one third for a lifetime bankroll of $601,282.

Political Attraction was an easy winner in the Horse of the Meeting voting and was a unanimous selection as Champion Older Male. He also garnered Champion Oklahoma-bred. Political Attraction was bred by Ron Lyles.

Champion 2-year-old: Uptowne Babe

Owner and breeder Sam Green already owned this 2-year-old filly when he put her in a sale in New Mexico, but when she didn’t bring the amount of money he thought a Mr Jess Perry yearling should bring, he bought Uptowne Babe back for $40,000. No one was happier than Green, of Monett, Mo., that his filly didn’t sell. All she did at Remington Park was repay her owner 10-fold, taking home a paycheck of $404,502 by winning the Grade 1, $963,100 Heritage Place Futurity on June 1, the richest race in Oklahoma.

Uptowne Babe, trained by Pedro Hernandez-Pulido and ridden by Rolando Raudales, beat the highly-touted Uncle D, the 9-5 favorite, by three-quarters of a length in the Futurity. She went off at 9-1 odds.

Uptowne Babe was also third in the Remington Park Futurity for Oklahoma-breds in April. She is out of the FDD Dynasty mare Ms Southern Dynasty.

Champion 3-year-old: Apollitical Pence

Apollitical Pence gave jockey Ricky Ramirez his third Grade 3 Heritage Place Derby in a row, winning the $367,750 event on June 1.

Ramirez had his fingers crossed that the owner of Apollitical Pence, Dunn Ranch of Bismarck, Mo., would send the 3-year-old gelding back to trainer Trey Wood from California before the Derby trials began. His wish was confirmed when this 3-year-old gelded son of Apollitical Jess, out of the Tres Seis mare Send City, arrived at the Remington Park. Apollitical Pence was the second-fastest qualifier in the May 12 trials, going off as the 2-1 wagering favorite at post time.

The victory by Apollitical Pence in the Heritage Place Derby was worth $154,455 and his lifetime record improved to 13 starts, six wins, two seconds and two thirds for $468,507 in is bankroll.

Champion Older Female & Champion Distance Runner: Ms Esther

Another multiple-category winner was Ms Esther, who dazzled her fans with her come-from-behind victories in two stakes races this spring at 870 yards. This 5-year-old mare by Afrashad (tb), out of the Tres Seis mare Tres Down the Cash, came from dead last to first, hugging the rail with jockey Andrew Samaniego under her, when she won the $50,000 Pauls Valley Handicap on April 4. She won the $40,000 AQHA Remington Park Distance Challenge on May 12 in similar fashion, saving ground early to prevail at the end.

Owner/trainer Jordan Baumann of Sallisaw, Okla., bought her for a song early in her career and immediately turned her into a horse that would run around the hook. She was bred in Oklahoma by Duwyne or Janice Pfeifle.

Champion Claimer: Apollitical Valor

This 4-year-old gelded son of Apollitical Jess, out of the PYC Paint Your Wagon mare BP Painted Lady, won three of four starts at Remington during the meet, including open claiming races for $12,500 and $10,000 tags. The third win for Apollitical Valor was in tough starter-allowance company. He is owned by Agustin Aguilera of Wichita, Kan., trained by Everado Escamilla-Gonzalez, and was ridden by Gonzalo Gutierrez.

Champion Paint: DTL Samureye

This 4-year-old gelded son of SF Royal Quick Flash, out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Eysa Savvy Queen, gained claim to fame on April 12 when he upset multiple World Champion Paint, Painted Turnpike in the Paul Harber Stakes. It stopped a 14-race win streak by Painted Turnpike, arguably the greatest Paint racehorse of all time. It was the first of three stakes wins in a row for DTL Samureye and owner Almada Racing of San Antonio, trainer Josue Ponce and rider Jesse Levario. He also won the Mister Lewie Stakes and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Stakes this season.

DTL Samureye was bred in Oklahoma by Dean & Tonya Lester.

Champion Appaloosa: D Railed

D Railed won two of three starts at Remington this spring and his only loss came to Champion Paint of the Meet, DTL Samureye in the Paul Harber Memorial. He is owned by Jeff Adams of Durant, Okla., trained by Dee Keener and was ridden by Jose Vega in his victories. D Railed is a 4-year-old gelded son of Freighttrain B (QH), out of the Feature Mr Jess mare Jess Streakin. He was bred in Oklahoma by his owner.

Racing media covering Remington Park, along with track officials and handicappers, cast votes for Horse of the Meeting and seasonal divisional honors.

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Remington Park is always open for casino gaming. Simulcast horse racing is offered daily. Admission, parking and valet parking are always free at Remington Park. Guests must be 18 or older in order to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino.

Tracked by more than 153,000 fans on Facebook and more than 9,900 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $216 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Home to the historic Grade 2 Oklahoma Futurity, to be run for the 78th time on March 23, 2019, Remington Park 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.