Hard To Politic, under jockey Juan Pulido, won the restricted Grade 2 Boyd Morris Stakes on Saturday at Remington Park.

© Emily Paulk / StallioneSearch

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 30, 2026—Hard To Politic unleashed the strongest late kick in the stretch to defeat a competitive field and win the $75,000 Boyd Morris Memorial Stakes (RG2) for Oklahoma-bred Quarter Horses on Saturday night at Remington Park.

The 4-year-old gelding covered 400 yards in 19.536 seconds over a fast track and earned a 96 speed index while securing the winner’s share of $44,100 from the $75,000 purse.

Ridden by Juan Pulido and owned-and-trained by Samuel Mendoza, Hard to Politic broke sharply and dueled between rivals before surging late to prevail by one-half length. The sorrel gelding is by leading sire Apollitical Jess out of Hardtoget, by Foose, and was bred in Oklahoma by Louis A. Malechek III. He picked up his fifth career win in 10 starts and boosted his earnings to $173,697.

Runner-up honors went to Js On Fire, a 5-year-old brown gelding by Hes Relentless out of Jo Zooms, by Shazoom. Owned by Joshua Owens and trained by Justin Joiner, Js On Fire was ridden by Bryan Candanosa and earned $14,700 after finishing three-quarters of a length behind the winner. The Oklahoma-bred was bred by Rancho El Cabresto, Inc. from the Apollitical Jess mare As And Js.

Curls Magic Wagon completed the trifecta, finishing 1¾ lengths behind Hard to Politic. The 4-year-old bay colt by Pyc Paint Your Wagon out of Eye A Spit Curl Girl, by Spit Curl Jess, races for owner-breeder Martin Stacy and trainer John Stinebaugh. Gilberto Linares had the riding assignment aboard the Oklahoma-bred, who collected $8,085 for third. He has earned nearly $400,000 in 18 career starts.

The remainder of the order of finish was Apolitical Time fourth, Lightnin Strikes fifth, Dash For Power sixth, and Clareets Boy seventh.

The Boyd Morris Memorial Stakes was contested under clear skies with temperatures at 82 degrees and a 14 mph headwind. The race was restricted to accredited Oklahoma-bred horses aged 3 and up.

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The Boyd Morris Memorial is named after the famed Quarter Horse jockey who won the 1964 All American Futurity aboard the great mare Decketta. The Blanchard, Okla., native went on to be a prominent trainer of both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds once his successful riding career ended. He was a mainstay from the beginning at Remington Park prior to his passing in 1998.

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