Racing


JC Speeding Tops Qualifying for Remington Park Derby
JC Speeding (8) wins the first trial Saturday, April 4, 2026 for the Remington Park Derby, establishing the top qualifying time in the process. The $217,910 final will take place on April 18.

© Dustin Orona Photography
JC Speeding Tops Qualifying for Remington Park Derby

By Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK–APRIL 4, 2026– JC Speeding and Cyber Command III each won their trials and there was only two-thousandths of a second difference between them as the top two fastest horses qualifying Saturday for the $217,910 Remington Park Derby.

The 10 horses, 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred American Quarter Horses, with the best times from six trials Saturday will race in the finals on Saturday, April 18.

View full list of qualifiers HERE

It only makes sense that these two were the fastest of the 10 qualifiers since one set a track record at Remington Park last year and the other came within a length of winning the Grade 1, $1,161,000 Heritage Place Futurity.

JC Speeding, who is double-registered as a Quarter Horse and a Paint, was a Remington Park track record setter at two different distances (330 yards and 350 yards) last year, competing as a Paint in Mixed-breed genre. His time of :17.176 on closing night last year earned a speed index of 103 at 350 yards on May 31. His 330-yard record was subsequently broken. JC Speeding was named the Champion Paint of the Meet. Now he is showing he is just as good in the Quarter Horse set as the fastest qualifier for the Remington Park Derby. James Flores booted him home to the top of the pedestal Saturday for trainer Dee Keener.

JC Speeding is a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelded son of Chilitos (QH), out of the High Rate of Return (QH) mare High Speed Kitty (QH), owned by Planefun LLC (Carl Duggins) of Broken Arrow, Okla. The gelding improved his lifetime record to nine starts, six wins, two seconds and one third for a bankroll of $271,697. His running time for the 400 yards was :19.436 while Cyber Command III stopped the timer in :19.438. It doesn’t get much tighter than that.

JC Speeding, bred by Richard Joneson, only won his trial by a head over Js Fdd, who was another neck ahead of WF Tuff as Diamonds in third. Consequently, all three finished among the top five qualifiers. JC Speeding was sent off at 1-5 odds and paid $2.40 to win and $2.10 to place and show.

Cyber Command III finished fifth in the Heritage Place Futurity last year, beaten only a half-length, ridden by Bryan Candanosa. This year, trainer Leo Alcala switched riders to the top jock here, Juan Pulido, and the horse is two-for-two with that change. The gelded son of Cyber Monday, from the Apollitical Jess mare DF Apollitical Sign, is owned by Rudy Rudolfo I. Munoz of Palmview, Texas. His record improved to nine starts, four wins, one second and two thirds for earnings of $114,868. He was bred by Jovetta Meredith.

Cyber Command III was the 1-5 favorite also and paid $2.60 to win, $2.20 to place and $2.10 to show.

The 10 fastest qualifiers were (horse, jockey, trainer, time, speed index, trial number):

  • JC Speeding, James Flores, Dee Keener, :19.436, 99, trial one
  • Cyber Command III, Juan Pulido, Leo Alcala, :19.438, 99, trial six
  • MM Rampage, Angel O. Ramirez, Trey Wood, :19.458, 98, trial five
  • Js FDD, Juan Pulido, Leo Alcala, :19.460, 98, trial one
  • WF Tuff as Diamonds, Fernando Fonseca-Soto, Haley Hobbs, :19.509, 97, trial one
  • Jay W, Juan Pulido, Leo Alcala, :19.600, 95, trial five
  • Jamies Sin Tacha, Christian Cardenas, James J. Gonzales II, :19.623, 94, trial five
  • Coronados 123, Mario Delgado, Hernesto Ramirez, :19.632, 94, trial two
  • Forever Midnight, Bryan Candanosa, Justin Joiner, :19.636, 94, trial two
  • West Texas Royalty, Juan Pulido, Josue Garcia, :19.648, 94, trial two

About Remington Park

Remington Park has provided more than $408 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. The 2026 Remington Park Futurity, the richest race of the season for Oklahoma-breds, takes place on Saturday, April 18. Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. Guests must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or to enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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