Fernweh, Mr Jess Jenkins back in the spotlight in Oklahoma-Bred Derby

There were no year-end championship honors in 2019 for Fernweh and Mr Jess Jenkins, winners of seven-figure futurities at Ruidoso Downs last summer.

Fernweh, a filly, did not start after winning the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity last June because of a knee injury. Mr Jess Jenkins, a gelding, won the $3 million All American Futurity last September in his stakes debut in a 13-1 upset.

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The California filly Cartel Jess Rockin was champion 2-year-old filly of 2019. Trump My Record, winner of the $904,600 Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park last fall, was champion 2-year-old gelding. Uncle D, who won the $1 million Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs last July, was named champion colt and overall champion 2-year-old.

Fernweh and Mr Jess Jenkins are back of the national picture for leading 3-year-olds this spring and meet for the first time in Saturday’s $268,700 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby at 400 yards in Oklahoma City. They both won divisions of the time trials on April 5.

The Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby is the eighth race on a 10-race program that begins at 6 p.m. Central. There are seven other stakes for Oklahoma-breds on Saturday’s program, led by the $891,900 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity, the ninth race. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Fernweh, one of two fillies in the field of 10, is expected to be favored. Trained by Blane Wood for Rusty Allred, Fernweh set the fastest qualifying time of 19.62 seconds by winning a time trial by 1 3/4 lengths without urging from jockey Ricky Ramirez. She broke sharply and took a commanding lead in the first 100 yards.

Fernweh will break from post 9 on Saturday.

Mr Jess Jenkins, who finished his 2019 campaign with a win in the $150,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship at Zia Park in December, had the second-fastest qualifying time of 19.78. Owned by Jose Guzman and Rita Sosa and trained by Marcos Carrizales, Mr Jess Jenkins won by a length under James Flores, who has the mount Saturday.

Mr Jess Jenkins drew the rail Saturday. The inside post is unlikely to pose a problem. Mr Jess Jenkins broke from post 2 in a field of nine in the time trials.

There were five time trials on April 5. Trial winners Jesse D (19.86) and Jess My Hocks (19.95) qualified for the final. They have yet to win a major race.

Chilitos, who starts from the outside post Saturday, was second by a neck to Jess My Hocks. Chilitos has 2-year-old form that makes him a threat for a top-three finish in the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby.

Trained by Adrian Huitron, Chilitos won the $344,100 Dash For Cash Futurity at Lone Star Park last October and was later second in the Texas Classic Futurity and Southwest Juvenile Championship. The April 5 time trial was the first start of 2020 for Chilitos.

Stakes-filled card

The gelding BV Austin will be favored to win the $100,000 Remington Park Juvenile at 330 yards, the consolation for the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity.

The leading race for older horses on Saturday is the $84,000 Sooner State Stakes at 400 yards. Apocalyptical Jess, the overall champion 3-year-old and 3-year-old gelding of 2019, will have his 2020 debut and first start since a second in a division of the All American Derby trials last August. Apocalyptical Jess won the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby and Ruidoso Derby last year to secure the championship.

The top race for older females is the $51,000 Easy Date Stakes at 350 yards. Curls Happy Wagon, a 5-year-old mare, was second in the 2019 Easy Date Stakes. She won her 2020 debut in the Decketta Stakes at 350 yards at Remington Park on March 21, her seventh win in 14 starts.

The Easy Date Stakes is the seventh race, the first race in the 50-cent late pick four.

The early stakes include the $48,500 Laico Bird for 2-year-olds at 330 yards and the $48,500 Mr Master Bug for 3-year-olds at 350 yards.

Ferrari B, who was sixth in the $383,700 Remington Park Futurity at 300 yards on March 21, will be favored in the Laico Bird. Contender, second in a division of the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity trials on April 4, can live up to his name if he can mind his manners in the gate. The colt was unsettled before the trial race and finished second by a neck.

The Mr Master Bug Stakes drew a strong field, led by DF Mischievious Jess, who was second in the Rainbow Futurity last July. He was later last of 10 in the All American Futurity. In the Mr Master Bug, DF Mischievious Jess will have his first start of the year against BV Sheslikethewind and Good Candy P, who were second and sixth in the Ruidoso Futurity last June in their most recent start.

The final race on the program is the $34,000 Bob Moore Memorial Stakes at 300 yards. Corona by Corona and VF Jedi Returns, second and third in the Eastex Stakes at 350 yards on March 21, are part of a field of 12. VF Jedi Returns won an allowance race with a $50,000 claiming option at 300 yards on April 5.