Big Dynasty, ridden by Noe Garcia, goes gate-to-wire for the win in the $55,580 Remington Park Distance Championship [G1] on Saturday

© Dustin Orona Photography/Remington Park

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK–JUNE 3, 2023–It was a short field of six horses in the Grade 1, $55,580 Remington Park Distance Championship, and most had assumed the even-money favorite O Donovan Rossa would cruise, but Big Dynasty had other ideas.

The 5-year-old gelded son of FDD Dynasty, out of the Tres Seis mare Delightfully Tres, came to Remington Park in March off a five-race win streak, but only one of those wins came at 870 yards around the hook. 

He won the Grade 3, $75,000 King Rick Rack Stakes at Zia Park in New Mexico in December last year, his first try around the turn, by six lengths as the 1-2 favorite. So, he was highly touted for this championship when he arrived in Oklahoma City.

Big Dynasty tried the 550-yard SLM Big Daddy Stakes as a prep race and could do no better than fourth, 2-1/4 lengths back. Then trainer Robi Meche sent him into the 870-yard $50,000 Pauls Valley Stakes here. He didn’t improve that much, finishing 5-3/4 lengths behind O Donovan Rossa on May 6. It wasn’t a surprise that he got ignored on the toteboard tonight at 11-1 odds. Whatever was missing in the Pauls Valley sure wasn’t on Saturday night.
Big Dynasty broke on the lead ahead of O Donovan Rossa and Dak this time after running third behind them in the Pauls Valley. After dispatching Jessa Bit of Candy, winning the speed duel by the top of the stretch, Big Dynasty did have to fight hard to the wire as O Donovan Rossa closed like a bear chasing a tourist.

In the end, Big Dynasty prevailed, under jockey Noe Garcia for Meche and owner Debbie Grimes of Waller, Texas, winning by three-quarters of a length in a time of :44.983 for a speed index of 101 on the fast track. His time in the Pauls Valley was :46.001. O Donovan Rossa won that race in :45.079. O Donovan Rossa had put up the fastest 870 yards of the meet when he ran :44.451 on April 16 in an allowance race he won by 10-1/2 lengths.

Saturday’s win was worth $32,046 for Grimes and her gelding’s record improved to 12 starts, seven wins, and two thirds for earnings of $208,639. Big Dynasty was bred in Texas by Michael Partin. The winner has now won two of three starts around the hook.

O Donovan Rossa was carried wide in the turn as he broke from the outside post, but he still closed well to finish two lengths ahead of third-place finisher Dak (5-2).

Big Dynasty paid $24.80 to win, $9.80 to place and $3.60 to show.

Runner-up O Donovan Rossa was ridden by Bryan Candanosa. The seasoned gelding has nine career wins with four in stakes competition, including the Pauls Valley Stakes [G2] just last month and $231,765 in the bank.

Breeder J. Garvan Kelly owns O Donovan Rossa in partnership with J. Lloyd Yother. The Dee Keener trained gelding is out of multiple stakes winner Shanachee, by Country Chicks Man. The five-year-old Oklahoma-bred is sired by Apollitical Jess.

Four-time stakes winner Dak placed third with L. Martinez in the pilot’s seat. Conditioned by J.J. Gonzales, the son of Dominyun has eight career wins with $424,981 in earnings, including the Remington Park Distance Challenge Stakes [G2] earlier in the season.

Breeder Bullard Farms sold Dak for $14,500 in the 2017 TQHA Yearling Sale. Now owned by Fisher and Porras of Blue Star Racing of Texas, the seven-year-old gelding is out of Fleet Elis, by Fishers Dash.

The remaining order of finish is Jesse Bit Of Candy in fourth, Bakers Big Ol Boy fifth and The Grand Legend came in sixth. 

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Tracked by more than 172,000 fans on Facebook and 10,700 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $316 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, Remington Park features the 2023 American Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa season through June 3. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.