Instygator star of Heritage Place Derby trials at Remington

The 2020 season was all about close finishes in major futurities for the Quarter Horse colt Instygator, who will have his first start of 2021 in a division of the Heritage Place Derby trials at Remington Park on Sunday.

The gelding did not stay in any one stable for long, either, through his 2-year-old season.

Instygator was third by a neck in the $826,260 Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park last May in his third and final start for trainer Jacobo Mejia. Last September at Ruidoso Downs, Instygator was second by a neck as the 9-5 favorite in the $3 million All American Futurity in his final start for trainer Jaime Hernandez.

In the fall, Instygator was second by a nose in the Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park for trainer Santos Carrizales Jr.

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This year, Instygator is trained by Edelmiro Carrizales, who is off to a fine start in the first two months of the Remington Park Quarter Horse meeting, winning with 7 of 25 starters.

Instygator, who races for Barboza Racing Corp., will be a heavy favorite in Sunday’s seventh race, the fifth of six divisions of the 400-yard trials. The runners with the 10 fastest times advance to the Heritage Place Derby final on May 29.

There are notable runners throughout the time trials.

Fallout, a striking maiden race winner at 350 yards on April 16, starts in his first time trial in his third career start in the third race.

JC Wild King, second in the AQHA Challenge Juvenile Championship at The Downs at Albuquerque last October, will have his second start of the year in the fourth race. JC Wild King was a disappointing sixth in a division of the Oklahoma Derby trials on March 7.

HR Princess Jess, sixth in the All American Futurity and third in the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby on April 17, will be favored in the fifth race.

A Pollitical Gal, sixth in the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby, and Paint Me Tres, the winner of the Black Gold 400 Lassie Futurity at Will Rogers Downs in November, are the leading runners in the sixth race.

Instygator’s main rival in the seventh race is Bad Monkey, who has not raced since a win over JC Wild King in the Challenge Juvenile Championship last October.

The eighth and final trial is the second start of the year for One Incredible Hock, who was third in the Dash for Cash Futurity at Lone Star Park last September. One Incredible Hock was a troubled fifth as the 9-10 favorite in a division of the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby trials on April 1.

Remington Park has a 10-race program on Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m. Central. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.