OKLAHOMA STRONG

COURTESY OF STALLIONESEARCH.COM

Oklahoma Strong On The “Mountain” In The Rainbow Futurity And Derby


By CHRISTA MORRIS
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—JULY 23, 2007—Separate Bet, Valiant Hero and Possum Fust showed Oklahoma’s strengths last weekend with solid showings in the Rainbow Derby (G1) and the Rainbow Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. All three horses have Oklahoma ties through breeding, ownership or training.

Separate Bet and Valiant Hero ran 1-2 in the richest Rainbow Derby in 20 years. Separate Bet, owned by the partnership of Duane Harrell (Okla.), Dave Barrett and JoAnn Adams (Okla.), earned his third win in as many starts on the year and took his first Grade 1 race. Racing for the partnership of Henry and Mimi Brown, Terry Bell (Okla.) and Homer Hill, Valiant Hero had continued graded stakes success with a solid second place finish in the Rainbow Derby. Edmond, Oklahoma’s G.R. Carter, current AQHA Champion Jockey, also rode the colt to wins in the $189,845 2007 Heritage Place Derby (G2) and the million dollar Texas Classic Futurity (G1).

Possum Fust finished a strong second in the Rainbow Futurity after a duel to the finish with winner Wild Six. He was bred in Oklahoma by Abel Flores and conditioned by the Oklahoma trainer/jockey connection of Eddie Willis and Larry Payne. The team scored a second place win in this year’s $152,000 Oklahoma Futurity (G3) at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. The gelding is by Sweet First Down, from Oklahoma’s Steele Farms, and out of the Merganser mare High Fashion Lass.

Oklahoma offers nearly year-round racing opportunities for American Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas. The state’s four tracks include Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Fair Meadows in Tulsa and Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw.

The Fair Meadows meet wraps up this weekend with the $393,000 Speedhorse Gold & Silver Cup Futurity (RG1) and $98,000 Speedhorse Gold & Silver Cup Derby (RG2). Blue Ribbon Downs’ 67 day meet opens Friday, August 3rd and concludes December 2nd. The meet will offer allowance purses of $12,000 per race and bottom purse levels topping $6000. For more information on Oklahoma racing, visit www.oqhra.com.

So glad Sweet First Down has at least ONE baby that can run some!!!!