Lip Chip Trainer of the Week, Leo Alcala, qualified three into the $854,775 Remington Park Futurity, set for April 27, including fastest of first night of trials – Cowgirls Can Fly.

© Dustin Orona Photography/Remington Park

By Richard Linihan OKLAHOMA CITY, OK–APRIL 17, 2024–Leo Alcala and jockey Francisco Calderon were dominant in the trials this past week for the $854,775 Remington Park Futurity final and are consequently being recognized as Lip Chip Trainer and Jockey of the Week at Remington Park.

Alcala has three of the top 10 finalists under his care, including the fastest qualifier, in this race for 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred Quarter Horses at 330 yards set for Saturday, April 27. Calderon was the only jockey who qualified two horses for the finals. He also tied with two other jockeys for most wins this past week with five.

Cowgirls Can Fly was the fastest qualifier on Thursday night, winning the second trial with Calderon booting her home for owner Marisol Alvarado of Jones, Okla. Cowgirls Can Fly was bred in Oklahoma by Pine Ridge Farm and was sold at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale for $33,000. She won her trial in a time of :16.614 for the fastest time of the night and a speed-index of 95.

Alcala's other qualifier from Thursday night was Coronita KO in the fifth trial of the evening, scoring in a time of :16.763 for a speed-index of 91. Jockey Edwin Escobedo was up for that victory. The broodmare of this Corona Cartel filly was As and Js, who was a multiple stakes winner at Remington Park, earning $531,134 during her career. She won the Grade 1 Junos Request Stakes here in 2019.

Alcala owns, trains and bred two of his three qualifiers. His third to run in the final on April 27 will be Js Freightrain, another As and Js filly, the second from that dam in the finals along with Coronita KO for Alcala. Her winning time in her heat on Friday was :16.889 for an 87 speed-index, the fourth-fastest on her night of trials. Flying Wrangler was the fastest qualifier from Friday night at :16.694 with virtually no wind for a 93.

Other than Cowgirls Can Fly, Calderon, last year's AQHA Champion Jockey in the nation, also qualified Apocalyptical Moon for trainer James "JJ" Gonzalez III as the fourth-fastest qualifier behind that fastest one on the first night.

Calderon's big week placed him smack dab in the middle of a heated race for top jockey at Remington Park this meet. He is tied with Edwin Escobedo and Roman Cruz for second with all three in at 18 wins and the other two have had about 40 more mounts than Calderon. The trio remains two victories behind front-runner Ali Rivera at 20 trips to the winner's circle. Sitting in fifth position in the riders' standings with 14 wins is Gonzalo Gutierrez.

In the trainers' standings, last year's top conditioner Dee Keener once again leads the way with 16 winners. He is trailed in second by Matt Whitekiller at 15, followed by Jason Olmstead in third with 11 and then a logjam of trainers tied for fourth with 10 – 12-time Jack Brooks training title winner here Eddie Willis, Toby Keeton, John Stinebaugh and Trey Wood.

Live racing continues this week with a schedule of Thursday-Sunday. First post time is 6 p.m. nightly with the exception of Sundays when the first race goes off at 4 p.m. One of the favorite promotions of the year comes up Sunday with Xtreme Racing on tap. It involves zebras, camels, ostriches, Clydesdales, pigs and new this year – turtles. Come out early for that event as traffic will be backed up.

*********************

About Remington Park

Remington Park has provided more than $345 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 presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. The Remington Park Futurity for Oklahoma-breds is featured on April 27. The 2024 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Season continues through June 1. starts its 50-date season. Parking and admission are always free. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.