Curls Joyful Wagon (2)clears the field in winning the Decketta Stakes on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Remington Park under jockey Ali Rivera.

© Dustin Orona Photography

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MARCH 15, 2025—Everything pointed to another loss for Curls Joyful Wagon on Saturday night at Remington Park. However, her heart had a different game plan in the Grade 2, $56,160 Decketta Stakes at 350 yards.

Going into the race, Curls Joyful Wagon, had only one win in eight starts at Remington Park and had never even run third or better in three tries at 350 yards.

Still, she was sent off as the 8-5 wagering favorite in the Decketta, and jockey Ali Rivera booted her home a winner by a full length. In a matter of :17.292 seconds, she had won her first Remington Park stakes race and won for the first time at the distance.

On Saturday night, the 5-year-old mare looked more like her full sister, Curls Happy Wagon, who ended her career with a 9-for-20 record and $360,674 earned. That mare was a multiple graded stakes winner and won this very same race at Remington Park back in 2020.

In fact, she won it two years in a row, also winning in 2019. Curls Joyful Wagon was bred in Oklahoma and is owned by Martin Stacy of Irving, Texas. Curls Happy Wagon was bred in Oklahoma and was owned by Michael Pohl and Stacy.

The winning connections of Curls Joyful Wagon accept the Decektta Stakes trophy at Remington Park on Saturday night.em>© Dustin Orona Photography

The younger sister followed in her big sister’s footsteps Saturday night, keeping this stakes all in the family. Both horses were sired by Pyc Paint Your Wagon, from the same dam, Eye A Spit Curl Girl, who was by Spit Curl Jess.

The only one hotter than this family line on the evening was trainer John Stinebaugh, who not only won with Curls Joyful Wagon, but ran second and third in the Decketta Stakes with First Time For Wine and Dezigner Jeanz, respectively.

While Curls Joyful Wagon earned $34,425 for her victory, the top three horses banked $50,611 of the $56,160 for their respective owners. Curls Joyful Wagon improved to 24 starts, eight wins, two seconds and three thirds for a lifetime bank of $88,007.

"She’s been a good one all along," said Stinebaugh. "She should have made a lot more money than she has. She qualified for the Oklahoma Derby finals'and the Texas Classic Derby finals, but found trouble all along the way. But, I have a barn full of excellent mares."

There was plenty of reason to make Curls Joyful Wagon the Decketta betting favorite despite her record at Remington Park and at the 350-yard distance. Curls Joyful Wagon had been bumped or brushed at the start of her past two races or she might have won a stakes at Los Alamitos in Southern California.

Despite her troubles out of the gate, she ran third and lost by only a head last time out at Los Alamitos in January in the Grade 1, $100,000 Charger Bar Stakes. She went off at 8-1 odds that night.

"She got herself beat that night, too," said Stinebaugh, laughing. His first three finishers were the top three favorites in the Decketta, Curls Happy Wagon at 8-5, First Time for Wine at 2-1, and Dezigner Jeanz went off at 6-1. First Time for Wine ran a neck behind her stablemate in third.

"(Curls Joyful Wagon) is a true professional in every way," said Rivera. "She’s great; every time I’m on her, she takes me for a ride. I didn’t see nobody around her from 100 yards in."

Curls Joyful Wagon’s winning time earned her a speed index of 99 over the fast track. The rest of the order of finish past Stinebaugh’s top three was:

Miss Kt Perry (10-1) fourth, Jess a Spittin Candy (7-1) fifth, Paige (19-1) sixth, Love Ta Fly (18-1) seventh, Shez My Chick (32-1) eighth and Nay Borhood Nipsey (17-1) last in ninth. One of the mares vying for favoritism in the race and a multiple stakes winner at Remington Park, Alliekat Dynasty, was a late scratch when she acted up in the gate before the race.

The race is named in honor of  the 1964 All American Futurity winner who was born in Blanchard, Okla. and campaigned by her breeder, owner and trainer W.W. Wilson. Decketta was a successful broodmare for over 20 years after her racing career was completed.  

Jockey Edwin Escobedo had the riding call aboard Texas homebred First Time Tor Wine, for owner-breeder Pete Scarmardo. The $9,875 second-place effort boosted the daughter First Moonflash’s earnings total to $190,848.  She s out of the stakes winning Mr Jess Perry mare Time For Wind.

Stinebaugh named jockey Francisco Calderon to ride thrid-place fnisher Dezigner Jeanz, who is also owned by Scarmardo. Bobby D. Cox bred the Mr Mess Perry filly in Oklahoma from the Corona Cartel mare All In The Jeans. She has banked $157,752.

Miss Kt Perry (10-1) fourth, Jess a Spittin Candy (7-1) fifth, Paige (19-1) sixth, Love Ta Fly (18-1) seventh, Shez My Chick (32-1) eighth and Nay Borhood Nipsey (17-1) last in ninth.

One of the mares vying for favoritism in the race and a multiple stakes winner at Remington Park, Alliekat Dynasty, was a late scratch when she acted up in the gate before the race.

The race is named in honor of the 1964 All American Futurity winner who was born in Blanchard, Okla., and campaigned by her breeder, owner and trainer W.W. Wilson. Decketta was a successful broodmare for over 20 years after completing her racing career.  

Remington Park racing continues Sunday, March 16 with the first race at 4pm-Central.

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Remington Park has provided more than $375 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the casino’s opening in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park presents year-round simulcast racing and casino gaming. The 2025 American Quarter Horse Season will begin on March 6. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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