Quick Kicker is fastest in the Oklahoma Paint Futurity RG1 trials

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Each year the Oklahoma Paint Futurity RG1 provides an opportunity to display the year’s top 2-year-old runners. This year, Quick Kicker proved that he may be one of them.

SM Country Snowman again proves his dominance on the track as he earned the fastest time in trial races for the Graham Paint & Appaloosa Derby. Photo courtesy of Remington Park. Hirez JPEG (484 kb)

Quick Kicker, a bay Solid Paint-Bred gelding, finished the 300-yard race in 15.76 seconds. The gelding, owned by H.T. and Kay Churchwell of Okmulgee, Okla., along with the nine other qualifiers will run in the finals on March 22 at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

The other nine Paint qualifiers for the $48,080 Oklahoma Paint Futurity RG1, along with trial times, include Flash N B Gone (15.76), Awesome Judy (15.85), Make No Shadows (15.880), Denhams Hero (15.885), Ima Diva Alright (15.89) Barney Ofield (15.91), PF Chief Runnin Bear (15.95), Panther Pride (15.96) and Flashing Texan (15.97).

More about Paint Horse racing
Horse racing has long been one of America’s favorite spectator sports. With the recent growth of the Paint Horse breed, it’s no wonder that Paints have become one of the hottest tickets in the horse racing industry.

Since 1966, when APHA officially recognized the sport, Paint racing has made major strides forward. In that inaugural year, 17 starters ran for $1,290 in just two states—Texas and Oklahoma. In 2007, more than 600 starters competed in more than 700 APHA-recognized races for record purses totaling more than $5 million.

A total of 18 states now feature Paint racing, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Paint Horses also race in Canada.

“Paint Racing continues to be an opportunity for breeders, owners and trainers to take a serious look at,” said APHA Executive Director Lex Smurthwaite. “The amount of purse money available and the average earning per Paint starter is creating new interest in the Paint racing industry.”

For more information on Paint Horse racing, contact APHA’s racing
department at (817) 222-6444, email racing@apha.com, or visit
paintracing.com.