Quarter Horse stakes make for richest card in track history

Remington Park in Oklahoma City will put on its richest program in 28 years of operation on Saturday night, with $2.3 million in purses being distributed on a 12-race card. Highlighting the card are the Grade 1, $1.2 million Heritage Place Futurity and the Grade 1, $250,000 Invitational Championship, led by Quarter Horse world champion Jrc Callas First.

Remington’s program will have an early post of 5 p.m. Central. There are eight consecutive stakes to close out the card, beginning with the fifth race. The Heritage Place Futurity, which this year has a record purse, will go as the ninth race. The Invitational Championship for 3-year-olds and up is race 11.

Tee Chic and Regard With Respect, who rank first and third on an American Quarter Horse Association poll of top 2-year-olds, bring perfect 3-for-3 records into the Heritage Place. Tee Chic was a 1 3/4-length winner of his 350-yard trial race May 12. His time of 17.61 seconds was the fastest during the second of two cards of trials for the Heritage Place. Earlier in the meet, Tee Chic won the Oklahoma Futurity. Francisco Calderon has the mount from post 7 for owner Francisco Garza and trainer Rick Robinson.

Regard With Respect was a 2 1/4-length winner of his trial for the Heritage Place on May 11. He covered 350 yards in 17.32 seconds, the fastest time on the first card of trials. Earlier in the meet, Regard With Respect won the Remington Park Futurity. Larry Payne has the mount from post 8 for owner Nancy Powell and trainer Guillermo Valdivia. Payne is a two-time winner of the Heritage Place, having taken the race in 2011 with High Rate of Return and in 2007 with Southern Takes All.

Jockey G.R. Carter, who has locked up his 18th title at Remington, will be aboard Corona Surfer for trainer Sleepy Gilbreath.

Politically Correct will be seeking his fifth straight win when he starts in the Grade 3, $369,910 Heritage Place Derby for Quarter Horses. He was a one-length winner of his trial May 10, one start after capturing the $268,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington. Jim Helzer co-owns and trains Politically Correct, who will break from post 10 under Payne.

The Invitational Championship at 440 yards will be the second start of the year for Jrc Callas First, who will break from post 10. He was third in the Grade 2 Sam Houston Classic on May 9, his first start in four months. Last year, Jrc Callas First went 8 for 10, including wins in the Grade 1 Refrigerator at Lone Star and the Grade 1 Zia Park Championship. Jrc Callas First, co-owned and trained by Brian Stroud, is making his first start at Remington. His rivals include fellow Grade 1 winners Houdini, Dashin Brown Streak, Priceless Feature, Gold Digging Ashley, and Rock You.

◗ Remington will close out its meet Sunday with an afternoon program. The card was added after a rainstorm forced the cancellation of the bulk of Remington’s races last Saturday.