First Speeding Bullet picked an ideal spot to earn her first career victory Monday afternoon, drawing away to an impressive 2 3/4-length score in the $24,500 Cricket Bars Appaloosa Futurity at Will Rogers Downs.

Sent off as the 1.40-1 favorite under jockey Roman Cruz, First Speeding Bullet took command early and widened her advantage through the stretch to complete the 350 yards in :18.035, earning an 81 speed index over a fast racing surface. An 11 mph crosswind was reported for the race.

First Speeding Bullet earned $14,552 for owners Racin RNS and Adriana Ruiz. Jesus Ruben Ruiz trains the 2-year-old dark bay or brown filly, who was bred in Oklahoma by Michael Moss. She is by Hes Bulletproof from Allies Apollo, by Apollo.

The victory improved First Speeding Bullet's career record to six starts with one win, two seconds, and two thirds and earnings of $26,126. She entered Monday's final after finishing second in the Remington Park Appaloosa Futurity earlier this season.

Jess Say Bye overcame a troubled start to finish second, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner, earning $5,184 for owner and breeder Jeff Adams. The filly bobbled at the break and encountered traffic before rallying between horses late to get up by a head for the runner-up position.

Dee Keener trains Jess Say Bye, who was ridden by Ramiro Haro Garcia. The Oklahoma-bred daughter of Capo de Capi is out of Jess Cuz, by Freighttrain B. With Monday's effort, Jess Say Bye has now earned $10,277 from three starts with one win and one second. She was also a finalist in the Remington Park Appaloosa Futurity.

Union Willy finished another head back in third and collected $2,438 for owner and breeder Pete Crane. Trained by Dee Keener and ridden by Bryan Ernst, the 2-year-old gelding chased the winner through mid-stretch before being outkicked for second.

Union Willy is by first-crop Quarter Horse sire El Camino Cl from Desert Empress, by Divo. Monday's third-place effort increased his career earnings to $5,038 from four starts, with one third-place finish. He was previously a finalist in the Remington Park Appaloosa Futurity.

The $24,500 race distributed $14,552 to the winner, $5,184 to second, and $2,438 to third.

Also-rans were Kembers Moon Pop and Knockouts Eyes, who dead-heated for fourth, followed by Missileer, Hearts of Jettastic, and Dashin Deacon.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.

Bad Boy 123 SI 96, a Grade 2-performing son of leading sire Flying Cowboy 123, has been retired from racing and will begin his stallion career at Anderson Equine, LLC in Tularosa, New Mexico, for the 2027 breeding season.

Owned by Triple R Racing, the 2-year-old sorrel will stand for a fee of $2,500, plus a $500 booking fee. Bad Boy 123 will be eligible for the New Mexico-bred program.

Bad Boy 123 retires with a record of one win and two seconds from three career starts and earnings of $139,020. His biggest performance came when he finished second in the $655,100 Sam Houston Futurity (G2).

A son of two-time champion Flying Cowboy 123 SI 101, Bad Boy 123 represents one of Quarter Horse racing's most successful young sire lines. Flying Cowboy 123 earned $965,811 during his racing career, highlighted by a victory in the Texas Classic Futurity (G1).

Through four crops of racing age, Flying Cowboy 123 has sired 61 stakes winners, three champions and earners of more than $26.9 million from 573 starters.

His leading runners include two-time champion Cowboys Gun Z SI 101, winner of the All American Futurity (G1) and earner of $1,678,945; two-time champion Lethal Cowboy 123 SI 99, winner of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) with earnings of $1,547,872; and champion Flying Joy 1 SI 102, winner of the All American Oaks (G1).

Flying Cowboy 123 is also the sire of 2026 All American Futurity (G1) winner Cowboys Flying SI 111, who has earned $2,062,793, and Grade 2 winner Cardiac Cowboy SI 102, an earner of $491,689.

Bad Boy 123 is out of the outstanding racemare Three Past Six SI 102, a daughter of champion sire Tres Seis. Three Past Six won four of eight career starts and earned $160,040. She won the Sunland Park Winter Derby (G2), finished second in the Hobbs America Derby (G2), and was third in the Ruidoso Futurity (G1). She also qualified for the Rainbow Futurity (G1).

The maternal family adds additional black type. Bad Boy 123's second dam, Coincidentally SI 101, by Victory Dash, was a stakes performer who earned $42,575 and finished third in the Heritage Place Derby (G1). She is also the dam of stakes-placed Not Holding Back SI 96.

The extended family includes Fast Preacher Man SI 101, an earner of $143,391 who finished third in the Louisiana QHBA Futurity (G1), as well as stakes winners Cash Is Easy SI 97 and Dash To A TD SI 89.

The combination gives Bad Boy 123 a pedigree pairing Flying Cowboy 123 with a Grade 2-winning Tres Seis mare who was also Grade 1-placed during her racing career.

Bad Boy 123 will stand at Anderson Equine, LLC, 654 Riata Road, Tularosa, New Mexico 88352. Breeders may contact Brian Anderson at (406) 579-2621 or brianandersoncsr@gmail.com, or Lisa Anderson at (406) 579-1540 or lisaandersoncsr@gmail.com.

For additional information on Bad Boy 123, including his complete race record, pedigree, and stallion information, CLICK HERE.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.

Im A Pretty Mess, a stakes-placed daughter of multiple stakes sire Tarzanito, has been installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday night's $20,000 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Stakes (G3) at Lone Star Park.

The 400-yard event for Challenge enrolled fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and older, is carded as Race 11 with an approximate post time of 10:25 p.m. CT. Eight fillies and mares are entered.

Also at stake is a berth to the $125,000-est. Grade 1 Cox Ranch Challenge Championship to be run during the AQHA Challenge Championship Night at Downs at Albuquerque on October 17.

Im A Pretty Mess, breaking from post 3 under JR Ramirez Jr., brings one of the strongest recent efforts into the race. The 3-year-old Louisiana-bred filly finished second to Shakers No Secret in the $59,000 Retama Championship Challenge (G3) at 440 yards on August 21 after leading into the final stages.

She was beaten only a half-length and earned a 102 Speed Index. One start earlier, she finished third against older horses in a 400-yard allowance at Retama Park.

Im A Pretty Mess has won two of six career starts with a second and a third and earnings of $35,504. Both victories came during her 2-year-old campaign, including a 400-yard futurity at Evangeline Downs. She is one-for-two at Saturday's 400-yard distance.

SLC Racing LLC owns the 8-5 favorite, who is trained by Shae Cox and will be ridden by Ramirez. Bred by Joshua R. Henderson, Im A Pretty Mess is from Eagle Diva, by One Famous Eagle. She was a $24,000 LQHBA Yearling Sale graduate.

Paint This Rose, the 2-1 second choice from post 8, brings considerably more experience into the Distaff. The 5-year-old mare has compiled a 2-8-1 record from 21 starts and earned $72,098. She has finished first or second in 10 of those starts.

Paint This Rose was second in consecutive Remington Park allowances earlier this year, including a nose loss to Mystery V on April 9. She crossed the wire first in another Remington allowance May 16 but was declared a non-starter and disqualified. In her two subsequent stakes appearances at Fair Meadows, she finished fourth in the Golden Driller Stakes and sixth in the Belles Stakes.

The mare also has previous experience in this race, finishing fourth, beaten one length, in last year's Lone Star Distaff Challenge after encountering trouble at the start.

Aaron Newsom owns Paint This Rose, who is trained by Kevin Willis and will be ridden by Mario Delgado. Bob and/or Jerry Gaston bred the Texas-bred daughter of Pyc Paint Your Wagon from First Tea Rose, by First Down Dash. She sold for $37,000 at the Heritage Place sale.

Lettibefirst, at 5-1, completes the top three choices on the morning line. The 4-year-old mare has won twice from 17 career starts with two seconds and two thirds while earning $43,668. She has made five starts this season, winning once and finishing second once for earnings of $19,761.

Her biggest performance this season came June 13 at Arapahoe Park, where she rallied to win the $19,000 Pen Pal Stakes at 350 yards by a half-length while earning an 102 Speed Index. In her most recent start, she encountered trouble leaving the gate and finished sixth in the $31,000 Arapahoe Park Distaff Challenge at Saturday's 400-yard distance.

Owned and trained by Zachary Quezada, Lettibefirst will be ridden by Raul Ramirez Jr. Armando Jaquez bred the New Mexico-bred daughter of Walcott from Dashing Lili, by First Down Dash. No sale information is listed in the program.

The remainder of the field includes Mitoles Princess at 10-1, One Magic Eagle at 12-1, Dynastys Girl at 20-1, Pairadice City at 8-1 and Bm Candi Royale at 12-1. The program's mutuel ratings also list Im A Pretty Mess, Paint This Rose, Lettibefirst and Pairadice City in that order.

The Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge is part of Saturday night's Quarter Horse stakes program at Lone Star Park.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.

Paint and Appaloosa juveniles will take center stage Monday afternoon at Will Rogers Downs, where a ten-race card is set to begin at noon. The program will include three trials for the Grade 1 Pot O Gold Futurity, along with the Grade 1 $22,500 Cricket Bars Appaloosa Futurity.

A total of 22 two-year-olds will line up in races two through four of the Pot O Gold Futurity Trials. The juveniles will race 350 yards, and the ten fastest qualifiers will earn a return trip to the Grade 1 $30,000-added Pot O Gold Futurity final on October 5.

Dulce Dinero leads the opening trial as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in race two. The consistent gelding has made seven starts this season, with two wins, three seconds, and one third, and has missed the board only once in his career debut.

He has already proven himself against stakes competition, finishing runner-up in the $35,000 Oklahoma Paint & Appaloosa Juvenile at Remington Park and placing third in the Grade 1 $231,400 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity. Most recently, he added another stakes placing, finishing second in the $20,000 Speedhorse Paint & Appaloosa Juvenile at Fair Meadows. Those efforts have pushed his career earnings to $50,281.

The son of Dulce Sin Tacha is out of the Gitter Dun Turnpike mare Wf Gitter Dun Chick. Dulce Dinero, an Oklahoma homebred for breeders and owners Shari Burger and Vickie McBee, is trained by Jesus “Pancho” Ruiz. He will break from post seven with jockey Mario Delgado aboard.

The final Pot O Gold trial in race four brings another accomplished juvenile into the spotlight, with Collective Power entering as the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

The two-year-old filly arrives at Will Rogers Downs with a three-race winning streak, highlighted by her victory in the Grade 1 $83,104 Speedhorse Paint & Appaloosa Futurity at Fair Meadows in July. Collective Power has finished on the board in each of her five career starts and has earned $44,592.

The Oklahoma homebred for J. Garvan Kelly and J. Lloyd Yother is by Uncle D and out of the Painted Turnpike mare Power Fade. Trainer Dee Keener will send her out from post eight, with jockey Roman Cruz aboard, as she looks to extend her winning streak and secure a place in the Pot O Gold final.

The stakes action continues in race five with the Grade 1 $22,500 Cricket Bars Appaloosa Futurity. A field of eight two-year-olds is set to run 350 yards, with an approximate post time of 1:40 p.m.

Knockouts Eyes has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite and will aim to add another graded stakes victory to her résumé. The two-year-old filly has won two of five starts this season, including the inaugural Grade 3 $50,000 Remington Park Appaloosa Futurity in April.

Her recent races have not been without adversity, as bumping and troubled trips have kept her from showing her best. She enters Monday’s final after two August workouts at Will Rogers Downs, preparing to return to stakes competition.

Bred in Oklahoma by Gary Vaughn, Knockouts Eyes is by Cyber Monday and out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Eyesa Knockout. She races for Wishbone Partnership and is trained by Dee Keener, who will saddle her from post six, with Mario Delgado aboard.

With proven graded-stakes performers, rising juveniles, and coveted spots in the Pot O Gold Futurity final on the line, Monday’s card will spotlight some of the region’s top young Paint and Appaloosa talent at Will Rogers Downs.

The races at Will Rogers Downs can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.