Page 101 - October 2015

Radley KeeneR
an 11-year-old fifth-grader
at Inola Middle School in Inola, Oklahoma by Tracy Gantz
Watching a horse race from the sidelines, even when your dad is the trainer, isn’t as fun as when you own a racehorse yourself. That’s what 11-year-old Radley Keener discovered with a filly named First Fancy Chic.
Radley and his older brother Razz got together with their cousins, Walt and
Bryce Spurlock, to form the Rogers County Rednecks. Under that colorful stable name, they raced First Fancy Chic. Their grandfa- ther, Win Ingersoll, had purchased the 3-year- old daughter of Chicks Regard-First Prize Fancy for $40,000 at the 2013 Heritage Place Yearling Sale.
First Fancy Chic won a race for the Rogers County Rednecks in July at Ruidoso Downs.
“It’s really fun owning a racehorse,” said Radley. “I like having my own instead of just watching all of my dad’s.”
Radley’s parents, Dee and Wendy Keener, are very involved with racing. Dee is a major trainer of Quarter Horses and Paints, while Wendy has raced several by herself and in part- nership. Dee was a champion rodeo team roper, another interest he has passed on to his son.
“I started riding when I was about 4 or 5, I think,” said Radley. “I like to rope, and I also like working cattle on the ranch.” The
McFarlin-Ingersol Ranch is a large cattle opera- tion run by his grandfather, Wendy’s father.
Radley began by riding a horse named Buckwheat. But he now has his own mount, a black and white pony named Nick.
“He was born on Christmas, so he is named after St. Nick,” Radley said.
Radley and Nick compete in breakaway roping, and roping also brings Radley closer to the camaraderie at Dee’s training barn.
“I like going to the barn and talking with all the guys who work there,” said Radley. “Some of them rope with us, too.”
Dee’s training business takes him through the Southwest. While the family lives in Inola, Oklahoma, the boys have had a chance to travel to some of the biggest Quarter Horse tracks around. Radley has been to Lone Star Park in Texas, Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, and
at just about every track in Oklahoma. Not surprisingly, it is an Oklahoma track he loves the best—Remington Park.
“My favorite track is Remington Park,” Radley said. “It’s big, nice, and their food is really good.”
Remington was also the site of one of
the biggest races Radley has witnessed. His dad trains the Paint Horse Texas Silk, who won last year’s Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity at Remington. It was part
of a four-race winning streak by the gelding, who ultimately captured six races in 2014 and was named the year’s World Champion Solid Paint-Bred Running Horse.
Much as Radley likes the horses, though, they are not his only interest. He shows sheep, and at this year’s county fair, he did well enough to get his sheep in the premium sale. Football is his favorite sport, while history piques his interest in school.
Given his penchant for football, Radley is already looking toward Oklahoma State University for college.
“I want to study agriculture,” he said.
That career path might eventually take Radley away from home. Or it could bring him right back because, as he says, “I may work on my grandpa’s ranch.”
Radley in the winner’s circle, holding the trophy, after World Champion Solid Paint-Bred Running Horse Texas Silk won the 2014 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity at Remington Park.
Radley, his older brother Razz, and cousins Walt and Bryce Spurlock, formed Rogers County Rednecks and together own First Fancy Chic, shown winning in the slop at Remington Park this year.
SPEEDHORSE, October 2015 99
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