OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 8, 2021— Diane to Be A Hero finally was a hero again, winning the featured $25,500 allowance race at Remington Park on Thursday night.

In the first race of his career, Diane to Be A Hero won his Heritage Place Futurity trial, nearly qualifying for the million-dollar final last year.

Even though he won his trial, it wasn’t quite fast enough to land in the finals, but he did run back in the $100,000 Heritage Place Juvenile and lost only by a nose. It was to whom he lost in that stakes race that was an indication of how much talent this 3-year-old colt had.

His loss by a nose was to Whistle Stop Café, the American Quarter Horse Association’s World Champion of the year, a 2-year-old filly that won the $3 million All American Futurity.

He only raced one other time after that runner-up finish in the Heritage Place Juvenile on May 30. He was taken to Delta Downs in Louisiana on July 25 and raced in the mud in a futurity trial there. He broke outwardly and then was in tight without a chance to do much. He did, however, get up for fifth in that effort. Diane to Be a Hero had not been to a racetrack since that troubled trip, but still won like a champion after almost nine months off.

It didn’t hurt that Diane to Be A Hero came from the barn of trainer Kelly Heltzel, the hottest conditioner on the planet. She has sent starters out in 11 races this meet and won with seven of them. That’s a 64 percent winning clip for her horses. The second-closest to her in the training standings is Monty Arrossa with 38 percent winners.

With jockey Juan Pulido in the boot, Diane to Be A Hero bobbled slightly breaking from the gate but soon was in full throttle. He was quickly building a two-length lead halfway through the race and won by daylight, a margin of 2-¼ lengths in the end.

He covered the 350 yards in :17.467 Seconds, earning a speed index of 92 into a 13 mph headwind. The race was for 3-year-olds-and-older who had never won two races.

Now, Diane to Be A Hero is two-for-four lifetime with a second place for earnings of $36,494. He earned $11,326 from the purse. The winner is owned by Rogelio Marquez, Jr. of Rosenberg, Texas. The 3-year-old gray colt by Valiant Hero, out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon, was bred in Louisiana by Eddie Cramer and Tom and Bill Maher.

Diane to Be A Hero, as the even-money favorite, paid $4, $2.80 and $2.20 across the board.

Magill Peak (10-1) got up for second as a longshot and earned an 81 speed index. Following in third was My Midnight Candy (19-1), another length back.

Live racing continues this week with a Friday-Sunday schedule; first post time of 6 p.m. nightly.

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Tracked by more than 165,000 fans on Facebook and 10,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $258 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 is open daily for casino gaming and simulcast horse racing. The 2021 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through May 29. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.