GRANTS PASS, OR—JULY 4, 2018—Fastest qualifier Harem Bar Cartel brushed at the start but rallied to defeat stablemate Reginas Royal Choice by three-quarters in the $33,400 Firecracker Futurity at Grants Pass Downs on Saturday. L Bar D Top Prospect finished half-a-length back to take third.

Ridden by jockey Ruben Lozano, Harem Bar Cartel completed the 350 yards in :17.515 seconds, earning a 105 speed index over a fast racing surface. It was the second win in two starts for the son of first crop sire Five Bar Cartel.

Trainer Danny Montes saddled the California-bred 2-year-old for owner Jorge Carmona. Out of the A Regal Choice mare Harem Carver, Harem Bar Cartel earned $13,360 for the effort. A Regal Choice, Inc. is the breeder.

Runner-up Reginas Royal Choice hesitated at the break under jockey Johnathan Roman but finished strong to pick up $6,680 for second. Also trained by Montes, Reginas Royal Choice races for owner Eric Flores.

Another California bred from A Regal Choice, Inc., the gray filly is out of Fed X Dash by A Classic Dash. After finishing eighth in her career debut at Los Alamitos, Reginas Royal Choice broke her maiden in the Firecracker trials and set the third fastest qualifying time.

L Bar D Top Prospect put in a game effort under jockey Jose Guerrero to earn $5,010 for third. Hector Magallanes conditions the son of two-time AQHA Racing champion Prospect To The Top for owners Jose Luis Torres and Chris Carpenter. Darrel and Linda Sanders bred the sorrel gelding in Oregon from the Ought To Be First mare Be First Rose. Also a finalist in the Pot O'Gold Futurity at Sun Downs in May, L Bar D Prospect has banked $6,743.

Harem Bar Cartel returned $6 win, $3.60 to place and $3 to show. Reginas Royal Choice paid $4.60 and $4 and L Bar D Prospect returned $4 to show.

Harem Bar Cartel was the third stakes winner for his young sire, champion Five Bar Cartel, who is now the Leading First Crop Sire of stakes winners in 2018. With nearly $475,000 in earnings he is also the #2 Leading First Crop Sire of money earners.

Posttime favorite Arizona Favorite finished fourth and was followed by One Special Dynasty, Willy B Gone, Lucky Ned and Jesstafiably Jess.