Racing Preview

A new chapter in Quarter Horse racing will be written Monday afternoon, October 19, when Will Rogers Downs hosts the inaugural $166,100 Will Rogers Oaks. Ten talented three-year-old fillies have earned their places in the starting gate, each seeking to become the first winner of the newly established stakes event.

An exciting afternoon of stakes racing awaits fans at Will Rogers Downs on Sunday, October 18, with the Grade 3 $15,000 Sequoyah Stakes and $30,000 Miss Ellen Stakes headlining the eight-race program. The two featured events will showcase experienced Paint and Appaloosa runners alongside a competitive field of Quarter Horse fillies and mares seeking another stakes victory.

An exciting afternoon of Quarter Horse racing awaits fans at The Downs at Albuquerque on Sunday, October 18, with the Grade 3 $100,000 La Fiesta Futurity and $75,000 La Fiesta Derby headlining a nine-race program. The two stakes events will bring together talented juveniles and accomplished sophomores, each seeking another prestigious victory to add to their racing records.

An exciting afternoon of Quarter Horse racing awaits fans at Hipódromo de las Américas on Sunday, October 18, with the Restricted Grade 3 XII Futurity Desafío Crianza Mexicana and the Futurity Desafío Crianza Mexicana Consolation headlining the eight-race program. The two featured events will bring together talented Mexican-bred juveniles competing for prestigious titles and valuable purse money.

A tremendous group of 24 three-year-old Quarter Horses will step into the spotlight at on Sunday night, competing at 400 yards in the trials for the Grade 1, $641,950 Los Alamitos Super Derby. Ten coveted spots will be on the line for Los Alamitos’ biggest derby and roll call of sophomore standouts is outstanding. The list will include a pair of champions, multiple Grade 1 winners, and the winners of all the major races for 3-year-olds held at Los Alamitos this season.

Jo Rae Burns’ striking gray gelding, Astronomical 123, who was so sharp when finishing third against a field of eight in the Grade 1 Go Man Go Handicap, will look to showcase his quickness once again when he heads a quality group of 10 speedsters in the Azure Three Handicap at 220 yards this Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

An exciting afternoon of championship racing awaits at Albuquerque Downs on Sunday, with New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses taking center stage in a nine-race program featuring three major stakes events totaling $850,000.

A talented field of five accomplished Quarter Horses will take center stage Sunday afternoon, October 11, at Hipódromo de las Américas for the 14th running of the José Merced Gómez Orozco Stakes.

Thanksgiving Monday at Ajax Downs will be bursting with fun and excitement for all ages with the annual Pumpkin Day, benefiting the United Way, and, on the track, two major stakes races which could decide the Horse of the Year.

The first 100 kids at Ajax Downs on October 12 will receive a pumpkin to decorate, plus fans who donate a gently-used item of clothing or a non-perishable food item will receive a $5 bet.

Lone Star Park is preparing for an exciting Saturday evening of championship racing, with a 12-race card highlighted by the Grade 2 $455,310 Dash for Cash Futurity, the Grade 2 $168,400 Dash for Cash Derby, and the $50,590 Dash for Cash Juvenile Stakes. First post is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., as some of the region's top young Quarter Horses return to compete for championship honors.

Evangeline Downs is preparing for an exciting Saturday evening of Quarter Horse racing, highlighted by a seven-race card featuring the Restricted Grade 3 $40,000 Opelousas Stakes. First post is set for 5:35 p.m., with the opening race a 870-yard contest around the turn.

Led by Bobbie and Larry Rice’s Lobo Derby winner AJ Flawless—a multiple stakes-placed runner at Los Alamitos this season—and Silver Bac, the runner-up in the 2026 Grade 1 James Dreyer Charger Bar Handicap, a highly talented group of fillies and mares will take center stage in the $35,000 Sound Dash Handicap at 350 yards on Sunday night at the Orange County oval.

Steve Holt and Jeff Jones’ homebred superstar Empressum, the 2022 AQHA World Champion and two-time winner of the Grade 1 Champion of Champions, will make his 2026 Los Alamitos debut when he leads a stellar lineup in the Grade 1, $100,000 Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship at the classic 440-yard distance on Saturday night.

Friday evening racing at Evangeline Downs will feature a competitive lineup of Louisiana-bred fillies and mares in the $30,000 Amelia Belle Stakes. The seven-race program begins at 5:35 p.m. (CDT), with the featured event set for the sixth race. A field of five Louisiana-bred fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and older, will compete at 350 yards, with an approximate post time of 7:40 p.m.

The Monday afternoon card at Will Rogers Downs will feature ten races, highlighted by the inaugural trials for the Will Rogers Oaks. Twenty-six sophomore fillies will compete in three trial heats, with races six through eight run at 440 yards. The ten fastest qualifiers will advance to the inaugural $50,000-added Will Rogers Oaks on October 19.

The Monday afternoon card at Will Rogers Downs will feature ten races, highlighted by the inaugural Will Rogers Oaks trials.

A familiar rivalry will take center stage Sunday afternoon at Hipódromo de las Américas, where a field of five 3-year-old Quarter Horses will line up for the IV Derby Alfredo Castro Rea.

The Saturday evening card at Lone Star Park will feature a 12-race program, with first post at 6:05 p.m. The night’s featured event will bring together ten Texas-Breds in the Restricted Grade 3 $50,000 B.F. Phillips, Jr. Stakes.

Jockey Tony Phillips was fairly certain he had won the photo finish aboard IMPERIAL MIRACLE in the second Trial for the Alex Picov Futurity at Ajax Downs on September 30. Corry Beland, aboard BAREF HURRICANE RUSH, wasn't sure if they held on at the end of the testing 400-yard dash.
After several minutes, the race was deemed a dead heat by the stewards, adding to what should be an intriguing Picov Futurity final on Oct. 21.

The first Picov Futurity Trial was won by the heavily favoured HAD TO BE VALIANT, a filly owned and bred by Carol and Jaime Roberston who remained undefeated from three races.

"I don't know how that happened," said Phillips about his race on James Bogar's Imperial Miracle. "I thought I won clear." Imperial Miracle, third in her first career start in early August, is a towering, black filly by the Thoroughbred millionaire Imperial Hint and she was closing fast on Baref Hurricane Rush, who was coasting on the lead.

"She's gotten better every race," said Beland, who is in his first year of riding. "Maybe we'll have to stick out our tongue out at the wire next time."

Baref Hurricane Rush is a homebred for Earl Foster and she is trained by Cory Illman. Coincidentally, Cory and Corry were involved in a dead heat the previous week with Runaway Sugarman,
The time of the Imperial Miracle/Baref Hurricane Rush Futurity Trial was 20.633 for an 82 speed index, slightly faster than the time clocked by Had to Be Valiant.

A winner of the Ontario Bred Futurity in July, Had to Be Valiant was coming off a two-month vacation for her Trial and she made up enough ground in the late stages to win by a nose over newcomer Bnb Jessagoldheart. The latter was disqualified from second place for interference, moving Bogar's My Gypsy Girl up to second place and Cold Hard Chief to third.
Had to Be Valiant was one of four winners ridden by leading jockey Ismael Mosqueira on the afternoon. Her time was 20.758 for a 79 speed index.
The top 10 fastest qualifiers will compete in the final.
Mosqueira's four wins gave him 28 for the season, nine ahead of Cristian Benitez (19) and 11 ahead of Brian Bell. The trainer's race at Ajax Downs is a good one with Joe Tavares holding a slim lead over Jason Pascoe, 31 to 29. Tavares is the leading owner with three racing days left in the season with 22 wins and $216,679 in purses.
Racing continues at Ajax Downs next Wednesday, Oct. 7, with a 12:55 first race post time.

*Coming up on Thanksgiving Monday, October 12, is PUMPKIN DAY, benefiting the United Way. The first 100 kids will receive a pumpkin to decorate plus there will be giveaways, a Turkey vs. Chicken race with jockeys in costumes, and tons of family fun with a huge Quarter Horse racing card. There is a food drive or gently-used/new clothing drive and donations will receive a $5 betting voucher.

For more information on how you can become a Quarter Horse owner, contact the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario about the First Line Racing Syndicate at (905) 426-7050.

To read the latest news about racing at Ajax Downs, get the latest dates and events, or reserve a picnic table on one of our bigger days ($25), visit our website, www.ajaxdowns.com. You can watch and wager on Ajax Downs racing trackside and up close to the action or through www.HPIBet.com.