Dexxter stretches to 440 yards in Remington Invitational on Heritage Place undercard

The absence of time trials in a majority of stakes for older Quarter Horses has been a benefit for the 4-year-old gelding Dexxter.

In his first start of 2020, Dexxter led throughout the $76,000 Leo Stakes at 400 yards at Remington Park on May 2, a prep for Saturday’s $210,000 Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship at 440 yards.

The four-week gap between the Leo and the Remington Park Invitational has given Dexxter sufficient time to recover, trainer Monty Arrossa said on Thursday. As a 2- and 3-year-old racing at Los Alamitos, Dexxter qualified for the finals of five major futurities and derbies, with his best result a third in the $168,700 Southern California Derby in December.

At the time, Jaime Gomez trained Dexxter, who joined Arrossa’s Remington Park division in the winter.

“I watched him as a 2- and 3-year-old at Los Alamitos,” Arrossa said. “He would run lights out in the trials and did not seem like he would run as well in the final. We’ve tried to train him accordingly, and keep him fresh.”

In the Leo, Dexxter finished a half-length in front of Apocalyptical Jess, the winner of the 2018 All American Futurity and the champion 3-year-old of 2019.

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“I was surprised that he ran that well,” Arrossa said of Dexxter.

Apocalyptical Jess is part of the Remington Park Invitational field along with Eagles Fly Higher, Hes Limitless, and Fenian Faith, the first three finishers of the Sooner State Stakes for Oklahoma-breds at 400 yards on April 18; and Valiant Tiberias and Danjer, the first two finishers of the Championship at Sunland Park in December.

Valiant Tiberias was third in the Leo, while Danjer won his 2020 debut in an allowance race with a $75,000 claiming option at 330 yards on May 7.

The Remington Park Invitational drew 12. Arrossa also starts Apollitical Pence, fourth in the Championship at Sunland Park, and Eos a Political Win, who was second and third in minor stakes earlier this year at Remington.

“It’s a superb field, a Champion of Champions-quality field,” Arrossa said, referring to the December race at Los Alamitos that plays a pivotal role in year-end championship voting.

If Arrossa has a concern, it is the race distance. Dexxter has never raced at 440 yards.

“He’ll have to run perfect,” Arrossa said. “He’ll have to break. He looked pretty strong in the Leo.”

The Remington Park Invitational is the 11th race on a 12-race program that begins at 7 p.m. Eastern, or 6 p.m. Central. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Saturday’s card is closing night of the Remington Park winter-spring Quarter Horse meeting.

Earlier on the program, the Arrossa-trained PJ Splash of Joy will be favored in the $85,000 Junos Request Stakes for fillies and mares at 400 yards on the basis of her one-length win in the Easy Date Stakes on April 18.

In the richest race of the program, the $826,260 Heritage Place Futurity at 350 yards, Arrossa starts Aint She Tempting, who will be a heavy favorite after a fast trial race win on May 9.