Don’t get left in the dust—celebrate the 50th Oklahoma Paint Futurity with fun facts.
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My Name Is Joe, the 2002 futurity winner, was ridden by the race’s top jockey, Larry Payne.
he 50th running of the running of the Oklahoma Paint Horse Futurity
takes place March 23 at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Paint Horse Futurity has a colorful
history like no other. Many notable Paint Horses share camaraderie as winners of
Oklahoma’s oldest Paint futurity. Throughout the years, the futurity has changed its track location, purse amount and track distance. The gross purse amount in 1966 was $1,050; in 2012, it reached a mighty $92,000.
Tracks Though the Oklahoma Paint Horse Futurity has been run at
Remington Park since 1991, it has also taken place at several other tracks. They include Midway Downs in Stroud, Oklahoma, in 1966, 1970–1981 and 1987–1988; Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, Okla- homa, in 1982; Ross Meadows in Ada, Oklahoma, in 1983–1986 and 1989–1990; Little Dixie Downs in McAlester, Oklahoma, in 1967–1968; and Greer Downs in Mangum, Oklahoma, in 1969.
Distance From 2007 to 2013, horses covered a 300-yard distance in the futurity. Throughout the years, the race has also taken place at 250 yards, 330 yards and 350 yards.
The race’s 2012 champion, Laus Deo (left), holds the record for fastest time and the great- est purse. Her time of :15.46 helped the filly win $39,360 for the win of the $92,000 purse.
First Race The American Paint Horse Association first recognized Paint Horse racing in 1966—the Oklahoma Paint Horse Futurity predates this, however, with unofficial APHA races taking place since 1964. The 1964 winner was Mr Yellow Cat, a 1962 dun tobiano stallion. In the 1966 Oklahoma Futurity race, which took place at Midway Downs in Stroud, Oklahoma, Painted Jewel—who went on to earn Paint racing’s first Register of Merit—placed second behind Little Wahoo.
Star Sires and Dams Several sires and dams deserve recognition for producing mul- tiple winners: • Sky Bar, a 1961 chestnut tobiano mare—Powder Charge, 1967 futurity winner; Million Heir, 1971 futurity winner
• Indian Music, a 1965 bay tobiano mare—Easy Jet Too, 1983 futurity winner; Western Music, 1980 futurity winner; Easy Winner, 1977 futurity winner
• Royal Quick Flash, a 1996 sorrel overo stallion—Angel Easter Flash, 2006 futurity winner; Flash NB Gone, 2008 futurity winner
Piloted by jockey Larry Payne, 1997 futurity win- ner A Sharper Image went on to earn that year’s Champion 2-Year-Old Colt title.
14 u MARCH 2013 u PAINT HORSE RACING
• Easy Jet Too, a 1981 bay tobiano stallion—Treasured, 1987 futurity winner; Ichi Jet, 1988 futurity winner
• Judys Lineage, a 1989 sorrel tobiano stallion—Alaroyal, 1999 futurity winner; My Name Is Joe, 2002 futurity winner