GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB—JULY 15, 2018—In an impressive two and a half length win, Stripsteak won his trial and posted the fastest qualifying time for the $16,000 Open to the World Peace Country Derby in Grande Prairie on Sunday. The Derby final is scheduled for July 29.

Stripsteak’s time of 19.901 in 400 yards was the fastest of three trials; the gelding earned a 104 speed index.

Richard Moreno was aboard the 3-year-old son of One Sweet Jess for trainer William Leech and owner Charles G. Stojan. Stripsteak was bred in California by Steve Burns DVM, out of the Separatist mare Ruths Chris.

Stripsteak ($6.00) won his first start of the year, a trial for the All Canadian Derby, and returned to finish third in the final. As a 2-year-old, he broke his maiden in his debut at Los Alamitos before qualifying for the Evergreen Park Juvenile Challenge and the Canada Quarter Horse Cup Futurity.

The same connections returned to win the third and final trial with True Copy, also with Ricardo Moreno aboard. True Copy ($3.20) posted the second fastest qualifying time with 19.941 and earned a 103 speed index.

The California-bred filly was bred by Edward Allred, sired by Tr Dasher and out of Separatist mare Realistically.

True Copy has career earnings in excess of $50,000 and has won seven of her eleven lifetime starts, including the All Canadian Derby at Lethbridge in June and the Canada Quarter Horse Cup Futurity (G3) at Century Downs last fall.

True Copy finished the trial three-quarters of a length in front of second-place finisher and third fastest qualifier First Prize Cruise and jockey Martin Ortiz. The duo’s time in the second trial was 20.078.

First Prize Cruise is an Alberta-bred filly trained, owned and bred by Tim Kenway. A daughter of First Prize Doc, she is out of Eye Cruise, by Eye Take Time.

The trial was the filly’s first loss in four starts as a 3-year-old. She won the Rocky Mountain Turf Club Bonus Challenge at Lethbridge in May and was fourth in the Canada Quarter Horse Cup Futurity (G3).

The winner of the first trial was the fourth fastest qualifier with a time of 20.453, Dont Hezitate. Ricardo Moreno swept the trials with his win aboard Dont Hezitate ($20.60) for trainer William Leech and owners Charlie Weaselhead and Jim Plume.

Dont Hezitate was bred in Oklahoma by Bobby Cox, by Ivory James and out of the Brimmerton mare Jess Brimmin to Go.

For the complete list of Open to the World Peace Country Derby qualifiers with their individual times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.