OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 2, 2020—Let There Be Sound had won four races in a row, three of those stakes wins in New Mexico, and showed why he is practically impossible to catch in the Grade 2, $42,980 Pauls Valley Handicap on Thursday night at Remington Park.

“I’ve had four distance champions and I do believe this one is the best,” said trainer John Stinebaugh. “He was a good 2-year-old. He finished fourth in his All American Futurity trial after throwing his head at the start. He can run short, too. Then he was the fastest qualifier in the Iowa Futurity that year. But he broke his maiden at 870 yards.”

Now this 6-year-old gelded son of One Famous Eagle, out of the Rossini (TB) mare Sakakawea (TB), has made eight trips to the winner’s circle in 11 starts around the hook. He also has two other seconds. Let There Be Sound, owned by Louis and Corrine Howard of Kerrville, Texas, won stakes races at Ruidoso Downs, and two at the Downs at Albuquerque from Sept. 2, 2018 to Oct. 26, 2019. “I bought him for the Howards for $50,000 at the Ruidoso yearling sale in 2015,” said Stinebaugh.

“I saw this horse when he won his Iowa-bred Futurity trial and was fastest by four lengths, but got disqualified,” said jockey Stormy Smith, who has been aboard for his last two stakes wins. “I knew he was special then. I said, ‘Man, look at this horse.’ I picked him up at Albuquerque when (jockey) Gilbert Ortiz had problems getting out of Louisiana to get to that race.”

So Smith jumped aboard on Oct. 16 in The American Quarter Horse Association Distance Challenge Championship(G1) at the Downs and now is hoping he has a tight rein on this incredible winner.

“I hope so; I love him!” Smith said.

Let There Be Sound earned $25,338 from the purse for his Pauls Valley victory and now has started 23 times with eight wins and another eight in second for a lifetime bank of $198,279.

As the even-money favorite, Smith popped him out of the gate to the lead in a hurry and no one got a sniff of him. Not even last year’s Distance Champion at Remington Park, Ms Esther, who finished fourth. Let There Be Sound stopped the timer for 870 yards in :44.733 over a fast track for a 103 speed index. He beat Rock About It (5-1 odds) by 2-¼ lengths. The runner-up was another 1-¼ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Jess A Hilbily Bone (34-1).

“He’s one classy critter,” Smith said of Let There Be Sound. “He just does what he does. He’s push-button and idiot-proof.” He paid $4.20 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.40 to show. He was bred in Iowa by Black Oak Farm.

The Pauls Valley Stakes is named after a town about one hour south of Remington Park. Let There Be Sound provided Smith with his second win in the race. He also won in 2008 aboard Joshuas Boy. The owners and trainer enjoyed their first win in the race.

Tammy Johnson trains both Rock About It and Jess A Hilbily Bone.

Runner-up Rocket About is a multiple graded winning son of Rock Solid Jess from the Coronas Blackdiamond mare Not Sable Shes Rose. The $8,446 payday boosted the 6-year-olds earnings mark to $234,733. Travis Cunningham was riding the Sarah Donaldson Rioux New Mexico-bred.

Stablemate Jess A Hilbily Bone is a Rock Solid Jess Texas homebred for owner-breeder Rocking J Running Horse. Also a multiple graded stakes winner the 9-year-old gelding earned $4,635 under jockey Josh Romero to bring his total to $223,736. He is out of the Game Patriot mare Imaginiff.

Racing is scheduled to continue, with no spectators, on Friday with a 10-race card on tap. All of Friday’s races are futurity trials for the Remington Park Futurity, featuring eligible Oklahoma-bred 2-year-olds. The top five qualifiers by time over 330 yards on Friday will join five qualifiers from the Saturday program of trials in the April 18 final.

There will be no carryover in the Sooner 6ix going into Friday as a unique ticket with 6-of-6 on Thursday night paid one lucky better $50,252.72.

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Tracked by more than 162,000 fans on Facebook and more than 10,100 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $242 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, Remington Park will host the 2020 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season from March 6 through May 30. For more information, reservations and group bookings please call 405-424-1000, 866-456-9880 or visit remingtonpark.com.