Q-Racing Blog: Quarter Horse Springtime

By Ty Wyant

American Quarter Horse racing enthusiasts know it’s springtime when the new crop of 2-year-olds are free to start their racing careers on March 1. That is what’s happening at Remington Park with the trials to the venerable $419,735 Oklahoma Futurity (G2) contested March 7-8.

The Oklahoma Futurity was first run in 1947 when Bud Warren’s Leota W was the winner and the race was held in Tulsa. Since then, the race has been won by many excellent horses. They include Mona Leta, Mr Bar None, Savannah Jr, Byou Bird and See Me Do It.

Florentino Leon’s Ocho Rojo raced to the fastest time with a late run in the first of two nights of 300-yard trials in :15.437. He was a little tardy at the start while still in contention. The youngster then started to lengthen his stride and engaged First Cash Boy with Ocho Rojo having a head advantage at the wire.

The two nights of trials could not have had more different racing conditions. Ocho Rojo raced over a fast track with a 15 mile-per-hour tailwind. On the second night of trials, it was 40 degrees with constant rain producing a sloppy track. The top qualifier on the second night was David Rogers’ Flying Joy 1, with a :15.573 time with an 8 mph tailwind.

Handicappers have enough of a challenge dealing with first-time starting 2-year-olds under any conditions. The difference between the two nights trials adds another factor for horseplayers to consider when handicapping the Oklahoma Futurity.

Ocho Rojo is the first foal out of the Favorite Cartel daughter Sizzling N Fast, who qualified for the $310,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity (RG1) while winning her trial.

Sizzling N Fast was produced by Sizzling by Corona Cartel. Sizzling won the $25,470 West/Southwest Distaff Challenge, the $40,000 Juno’s Request Stake and the $20,000 Rheudasil Handicap. She was also second in the $100,000 AQHA Distaff Challenge Championship (G1).

Sizzling produced $224,900 Los Alamitos Derby winner Imaqtpie, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity (G1) finalist Jessy Jane along with Fire Fortune, who was third in the $2,378,832 All American Derby (G1) and the $100,000 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship (RG1).

The Dash For Cash daughter Tiny Dash Of Cash is the dam of Sizzling. She was second in the $615,989 Rainbow Futurity (G1) and qualified for four other Grade 1 stakes.

Tiny Dash Of Cash then proved herself as a broodmare. She produced $1.9 million All American Futurity runner-up Dash Of Perry, $1,089,297 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) second-place finisher Red Storm Cat and $147,927 Hobbs America Derby runner-up Pepper Perry.

It’s time for all of us to smile. The juveniles can race and a shopping list of futurities are set for the remainder of 2025.

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