Page 14 - Speedhorse April 2019

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by Jennifer K. Hancock
JAMES FLORES SCORES MULTIPLE WINS AT REMINGTON
The weekend of March 23-24 will be one to remember for jockey James Flores. The rider piloted the winners of four of the seven stakes races on the Saturday card at Remington Park and notched two additional wins on Sunday.
Flores was in the winner’s circle during the week- end almost as much as the track photographer.
Flores won a total of six races on Saturday night, in- cluding four stakes races: Bullet Bonnie in the Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Derby-G1, EC Revenge
in the Oklahoma Futurity-G2, Political Attraction in
the Eastex Stakes-G2, and Jess Proved Youwrong in the Oklahoma Derby-G3. His victory in Sunday’s feature race aboard Splendid Cause was his eighth victory in two days.
Flores’ six winning horses on Saturday earned a total of $342,928 in purse money. It was no surprise when Flores, who was last year’s leading rider at Remington Park, fol- lowed up with a riding double on Sunday. I wouldn’t bet against him earning the 2019 Remington riding title.
SUNRAY SET FOR MAY START
The 2019 live racing season at SunRay Park and Casino will begin May 3 with a daily purse structure expected to exceed $200,000. The Farmington, New Mexico track will be running a boutique meet this sea- son, consisting of 17 days of live racing, primarily on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This year’s unique meet will run through June 2. The ever popular “Freaky Fast Fridays” consists of all Quarter Horse cards.
A pair of $50,000 stake races will set the tone for the new season, with the Animas Stakes opening up Quarter Horse festivities on May 3. World class 2-year-old Quar- ter Horses will again be on display in the $100,000 esti- mated New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity and the $100,000 estimated Four Corners Futurity, both set for June 2.
SunRay Park will again present its “Guest Paddock Host” program, which consists of racing industry ana- lysts from across the nation. The program attempts to provide a myriad of handicapping angles and informa- tion, beneficial to both the on and off track patron.
New at SunRay this meet will be the unveiling of an infield video tote board. The DAKTRONICS con- structed board will function as a multi-purpose vehicle for displaying odds, results, real time live race video and other race-related information.
For more information on the Farmington, New Mexico, track, visit www.sunraygaming.com.
PATTERSON LEAVES LQHBA
Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association president Ryan Robicheaux announced the resigna- tion of Tony Patterson, the association’s executive director, via a letter dated March 25 and posted to social media. Patterson’s tenure with LQHBA ended on March 29. Patterson first joined LQHBA in 2008, and became executive director in January 2014 fol- lowing Leverne Perry’s retirement.
In Robicheaux’s letter, he stated, “The board of directors immediately began a search process for a new executive director. Be assured that the board is confident that the search will be successful and a new executive director will be in place shortly.
“The board members were unanimous in their commitment to the association, their intent to mini- mize any disruption resulting from this resignation and to make 2019 a successful year.”
The 2019 regular session of the Louisiana legis- lature began April 8, and Robicheaux
reminded LQHBA members that it “will require active participation from the directors with support from the membership.”
THE MONTH IN REVIEW
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SPEEDHORSE, April 2019
Jennifer K. Hancock
TRACK CHATTER