Mr Booombastic (4) pulls the upset at 11-1 odds in the Thursday, May 21, 2026 feature at Remington Park under jockey Roman Cruz.

© Dustin Orona Photography

By Richard Linihan

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK–MAY 22, 2026–It wasn’t just maidens who cornered the longshot winners Thursday night at Remington Park as Mr Booombastic made it to the winner’s circle for the fourth time in his career, winning the featured allowance race under Roman Cruz at 11-1 odds.

Cruz picked up the mount from Francisco Calderon, who was named to ride Mr Booombastic, but was not in attendance Thursday night at Remington Park. It was the second win on the card for Cruz on Thursday as he continued his fast-closing move on leading rider Juan Pulido, who had a lead of more than 20 wins only a couple of weeks ago.

 Cruz’s two wins moved him within 10 wins of Pulido with six nights of racing remaining in the meet. Pulido has 49 wins to Cruz’s 39.

Trainer Waylan Melton got on the board for the first time this meet with Mr Booombastic, who paid $24.20 to win, $14.80 to place and $8.40 to show. The heavy 3-2 favorite in the race, Apolitical Time ran dead last in the field of nine.

Mr Booombastic, a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred colt by Dulce Sin Tacha, out of the Apollo (TB) mare Dancing Iam, won by three-quarters of a length over runner-up Mistakin Idenity (8-1), who was another nose ahead of third-place runner Nay Borhood Nipsey (6-1).

Mr Booombastic covered the 330 yards over a sloppy-sealed track in a time of :16.545, earning a speed index of 95. He went off at the long odds despite having won 4-of-9 starts in his career. He just hadn’t shown much lately for owner Bertha Nunez of Mustang, Okla.

Mr Booombastic ran fourth, beaten a full three lengths in his last start against Remington Park Derby trial horses. Prior to that race on April 4, he had run eighth in two races in a row against stakes horses, finishing up the track in the Grade 2 $50,000 Eastex Stakes at Remington Park and in the $321,000 Governor Stakes at the Horseshoe Indianapolis last October.

Mr Booombastic earned $24,690 from the $43,220 allowance purse and improved lifetime to 9-4-0-1, for a bankroll of $69,971. He was bred Mr. or Mrs. L. Judd Morse and was purchased at the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale of 2024 for a mere $22,000.

Benn Lights Up Toteboard with Longshot Winners in Two Races, One Paying More Than $100!

Jockey Cordarelton Benn nearly broke the toteboard Thursday night with his two winners, one going off at 12-1 odds. He apparently didn’t think that was enough, so he booted home one of the longest shots of the meet at 54-1 odds – JB Chata in the sixth race.

Benn’s first winner of the night came in the fourth race with El Moustro, who paid $26.40 to win, $11.40 to place and $6.80 to show. It was longshots all around in that race as Miss Mollie (24-1) ran second and Lucky One Two C (16-1) checked in third, just ahead of fourth-place finisher Phun Lovin (10-1). The betting favorite, Relentless Eclipse, at even money, only beat two horses in the 10-horse field.

With all those double-digit odds horses running 1-2-3-4, the toteboard lit up like a Christmas tree. The $2 exacta paid $538.60, the 50-cent trifecta $840.30 and the 10-cent superfecta a whopping $4,311.39. El Moustro is a second-time 2-year-old starter, and Kansas-bred, owned by Jose Bernal and trained by Rodrigo Covarrubias. He was bred by his owner. El Moustro had run seventh in his only other start.

Covarrubias also trains the 54-1 bomb, JB Chata, from the sixth race, who paid $111.20 to win on a $2 ticket, $66.60 to place and $3.80 to show. That keyed some big exotic payoffs as well. The second-place finisher was Daddys Boi Lo (5-1), third was the 9-5 favorite The Master Painter and coming in fourth was Reds Wagon (7-2). Even with those lower odds horses running second, third and fourth, the $2 exacta paid $739, the 50-cent trifecta was worth $657.85 and the 10-cent superfecta returned $540.48.

JB Chata was a first-time starter, another 2-year-old Kansas-bred, who showed very little in two workouts prior to the filly’s first start. She is by the sire Rideinyourwagon, out of the One Sweet Jess mare Molly Bawn. This filly also was bred and owned by Bernal.

Painted Rain ($4.40 to win) in the ninth race provided Cobarrubias with his third winner of the evening. Cruz rode the 3-year-old gelding by PYC Paint Your Wagon from the Vogths Gold mare Arbeka Raincloud. Painted Rain was bred in Oklahoma by Arthur Devereaux.

Remington Park racing continues Friday through Sunday, May 22-24. The first race nightly is at 6pm with Sunday racing at 4pm. All times Central.

ABOUT REMINGTON PARK
Remington Park has provided more than $411 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 $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity takes place on the final night of the spring season on Saturday, May 30. 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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