Cardiac Cowboy and jockey Armando Alvidrez edge past Hard to Politic to win the $75,000 Mighty Deck Three Stakes on Sunday at Remington Park.

© Dustin Orona Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK–MARCH 9, 2026–Cardiac Cowboy outdueled heavy favorite Hard to Politic to capture the $75,000 Mighty Deck Three Stakes-G3 for Oklahoma-breds on Sunday night at Remington Park.

The 5-year-old gelding covered the 250 yards in 13.162 seconds, while running into a 13 mph headwind. Cardiac Cowboy earned a 94 speed index for his efforts after prevailing by a head in the blanket finish. The slight upset returned $12.40 to win.

Piloted by Armando Alvidrez, Cardiac Cowboy broke second and immediately engaged Hard to Politic in a prolonged duel before showing determination in the final strides to secure the victory. The Jason Olmstead trainee is owned by Tom Smith, Lou Ann Smith, and Amber Olmstead.

“We’ve run him in all the big races, so he really deserved this win,” trainer Jason Olmstead said. “Last year was a little lackluster because he got sick and just never fully recovered. By the fall he started getting back to himself again.

“He was a little pushy tonight, which made us think he might run a big race. This was really our starting point. From here you either move up or down, and it looks like we get to move up. He’s Oklahoma-bred and there are a lot of great races for him, so we’ll see how he comes back from this and then decide where to go next.”

Cardiac Cowboy has lit the board in 19 of 28 starts with 11 wins, three seconds and four thirds. The $43,200 winner’s share of the purse boosted his lifetime earnings to $412,556.

Cardiac Cowboy’s résumé includes victories in the Keokuk Stakes (G3), Altoona Derby, and Valley Junction Futurity (G3). He has also finished second in the Mystery Derby and third in the Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge (G2), Keokuk Stakes (G3), Prairie Meadows Futurity, and Prairie Meadows Derby, and he has been a finalist in nine other stakes events.

Bred in Oklahoma by Jo Rice, Cardiac Cowboy is out of the Carters Cartel mare Southard Cartel. He is by Flying Cowboy 123. The brown gelding was offered at the 2022 Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale but left the ring on a $30,000 reserve not attained.

Hard to Politic finished a game second under jockey Juan Pulido for owner/trainer Samuel Mendoza. The four-year-old gelding is by leading sire Apollitical Jess.

Bred in Oklahoma by Louis A. Malechek III, he is out of the Foose mare Hardtoget. Hard to Politic has lit the board in every start with three wins and four seconds. He  now has $287,558 in earnings and highlights that include a victory in the Rainbow Juvenile and a runner-up finish in the Texas Classic Futurity (G1).

Mystic Paint was another head back in third, completing a blanket finish with a strong late rally under jockey Ramiro Garcia for trainer Jason Olmstead. The five-year-old horse races for owners Jorge Haddad, Jorge Haddad Mestre, Alex Terrazas, and AA Farms, LLC.

The son of Pyc Paint Your Wagon was bred in Oklahoma by Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC. He is out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess So Sixy. A $300,000 purchase at the 2025 Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale, Mystic Paint has earned $350,476 with stakes wins in the Keokuk Stakes (G3) and the Will Rogers Derby Challenge.

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