LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 8, 2018—It was a weekend to remember for Monty Arrossa. The trainer was represented by 19 starters over the three day period with 10 of them returning victorious in races held in California and Idaho.

By far, the most important win for Arrossa's barn came in the weekend's final race, as Jim Walker's outstanding champion Zoomin For Spuds edged his longtime rival BH Lisas Boy by a paper-thin margin to win the Grade 1, $170,500 Vessels Maturity on Sunday night at Los Alamitos. Ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala, Zoomin For Spuds' victory in the Vessels Maturity also earned him a berth to the prestigious Grade 1 Champion of Champions at 440 yards for the third consecutive year. The gelding by Zoomin For Bux won the Champion of Champions in 2016 on the way to ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 8, 2018— Victor Diaz's Sixes Crystal set the fastest qualifying time to the Grade 1, $801,564 Rainbow Derby during Mike Smith Victory Celebration Day at Ruidoso Downs. New Mexico-native Smith, 52 won this year's Triple Crown aboard Justify and came to Ruidoso Downs to be recognized for the feat. New Mexico Governor ...

SHAKOPEE, MN—JULY 8, 2018—For the second time in three years, a local Minnesota-bred Quarter Horse has won the $146,400 Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity: Jess Doin Time. Jess Doin Time and Julian Serrano broke sharply and edged out Miss Energy P by three-quarters of a length in the richest Quarter Horse race of the Canterbury Park meet.

Final time for the 350 yard race was 17.940; Jess Doin Time earned a 94 speed index.

Jess Doin Time ($39.40) was an upset winner despite winning her debut two starts back and running a professional second-place finish behind Shez Sizzling in her trial, who went off as the co-favorite. ...

SHAKOPEE, MN—JULY 8, 2018—Disco Wagon made his first stakes win an impressive one, winning the $78,450 Canterbury Park Derby, the richest 3-year-old Quarter Horse race of the Minnesota meet.

Jorge Torres drove Disco Wagon home in 19.913 in the 400-yard race to earn a 102 speed index.

Disco Wagon ($11.60) was the fourth fastest ...

SHAKOPEE, MN—JULY 8, 2018—It’s not every day that two full Quarter Horse siblings draw into the same races, let alone post positions next to each other in the gate, but owners and breeders Bruce and Judy Lunderborg had the opportunity to cheer for both 3-year-old Dickey Bob and 4-year-old Pyc Jess Bite Mydust in the first stakes race on ...

SHAKOPEE, MN – JULY 8, 2018 - Zoes Sassy Miracle, second in two previous lifetime starts, broke her maiden stylishly with a win in the second of four stakes on the Canterbury Park Sunday card, the $20,000 Mystic Lake Northlands Juvenile.

Julian Serrano picked up his first of two stakes wins on the card. Serrano and Zoes Sassy Miracle ...

AJAX, ONT—JULY 8, 2018 –Tough veteran Fiesty Icon, the 2015 Horse of the Year at Ajax Downs, held off the fab filly GHOST PINES on Sunday in the $18,000 Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Overnight Stakes event. Owned and trained by Mt. Albert's Rick Kennedy, Fiesty Icon and his new rider Ed Walton won the 300-yard dash by a neck on Patio Day ...

GRANTS PASS, OR—JULY 8, 2018—Coronas Bar, a brother to champion and leading first-crop sire Five Bar Cartel, rallied to get his neck in front of fastest qualifier Corona B Gone in the $13,000 Grants Pass Derby (not black type) Sunday afternoon in Grants Pass, Oregon. Ridden by jockey Ruben Luzano, ...

EVANSTON, WY—JULY 7, 2018—Giorgina, a 4-year-old daughter of multiple stakes sire Giorgino, defeated Vvr Dazzzling Corona by half-a-length Sunday in the $10,000 Raysha's Run Racing For A Cure Stakes (not black type) at Wyoming Downs. Mountain Vista finished another length back in third. Ridden by jockey Jesus Valenzuela, Giorgina completed ...

FREDERICKSBURG, TX—JULY 8, 2018—Coming off a sixth-place troubled effort in a $15,000 claiming race at Remington Park May 24, Bonita de Capi broke her maiden on Sunday when she defeated Dashingtobfamous by a neck to post the top qualifying time for the $84,250 G.C.F.A. July Firecracker Futurity at the Gillespie County Fairground. The 10 ...

EVANSTON, WY—JULY 8, 2018—Coming off a fifth-place effort in the Wyoming All Breeds Futurity June 24th at Energy Downs, Vvr Dont Sugarcoatit got her second career win on Sunday while posting the fastest qualifying mark for the Wyoming Bred Futurity at Wyoming Downs. The 10 fastest qualifiers, from six trials contested today (Sunday), will ...

GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALB—JULY 8, 2018—Singles Cruise, a California-bred daughter of multiple stakes sire Favorite Cartel, broke her maiden Sunday while setting the fastest qualifying time for the Jerry Stojan Memorial Futurity at Evergreen Park. The eight fastest qualifiers, from two trial races today, ...

VINTON, LA—JULY 7, 2017—Delta Downs closed out its 2018 American Quarter Horse season on Saturday night with special program billed as Louisiana Showcase Night. The 12-race card featured eight stakes races and over $1.4 million in total purse money awarded to horses bred in Louisiana. The richest race of the year took place in the nightcap, it was the $700,000 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1) for 2-year-olds who qualified during trails conducted on June 16. The race is named after the man who built Delta Downs back in 1973 and ran the track until 1999. This year’s Lee Berwick Futurity was won by the fastest qualifier Eysa Jess Jumpn, ...

VINTON, LA—JULY 7, 2017—Featuring Fast Jess battled to a three-quarter length win over Shesa Diamond Diva in the $268,655 Delta Downs Louisiana Bred Derby Saturday night. Second Down Leaving finished a neck back in third. Under jockey Noe Castaneda, Featuring Fast Jess completed the 400 yards in :19.514 seconds, a 99 speed index, to keep ...

VINTON, LA—JULY 7, 2018—Delta Downs also hosted five additional undercard stakes on Louisiana Showcase Night Saturday worth a combined $340,000 in purse money. Louisiana Classic Stakes Lightemupwithcharm, under jockey John Hamilton, got away fast then held off a late charge from San Lorenzo Corona to win the $100,000 Delta Downs ...

SHELBYVILLE, IN—JULY 7, 2018— Tres My Heart was the seventh fastest qualifier of the field, but proved to be the quickest to the wire Saturday (Jul 7) to earn the win in the $50,000 Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby. Ridden by Giovani Vazquez-Gomez, Tres My Heart stopped the timer in :20.020 for the 400-yard dash. Tres My Heart, making only her second career start, had a clean break from the gate and seemed focused from the start. The three-year-old Oklahoma bred daughter of third-crop sire Heart Of The Cartel grabbed a short lead and became the horse that the rest of the field would have to ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 7, 2018—Joe Rios' Suze Returns blew away her rivals with a sensational effort to set the fastest-qualifying time on the second day of trials to the Grade 1, $1 million Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Saturday afternoon. The two-year-olds with the five-fastest times from Saturday's 14 trials join the juveniles ...

SHELBYVILLE, IN—JULY 7, 2018— It was a battle to the finish line for the talented field of seven in the 20th running of the $40,000 Bradford Stakes. The final nod was awarded to the small but mighty Woop Dee Doo, who covered the 400-yard dash in a time of :19.885 seconds. Starting from post three, Woop Dee Doo and Sergio Ramirez were ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 7, 2018—Vincent Treyes' Duck Dash N Go has shown in previous starts that she's mighty tough when she draws post number one. In the running of the Grade 3, $20,000 Independence Day Handicap on Saturday night, the 4-year-old mare by Corona Fast Dash proved once again that she's unbeatable from the rail after beating four ...

TULSA, OK—JULY 7, 2018—Coming off back-to-back claiming victories at Remington Park, 4-year-old Walk Off scored his first career stakes win Saturday night by defeating Shaky Hero by half-a-length in the $17,500 Faire Meadows Maturity in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Way To Go finished three-quarters back to take third-place. Ridden by jockey Cody ...

SAN ANTONIO, TX—JULY 7, 2018— A specialist at the unique distance of 550 yards, He Is The Risingstar won the $15,000 Tower of the Americas Handicap at Retama on Saturday night. Final time for the stakes race was :27.055, with a 109 speed index.

He Is The Risingstar ($2.80) was heavily backed by bettors prior to the race, due in part to ...

SHELBYVILLE, IN—JULY 7, 2018— Trainer Ricardo Martinez kicked off the second all-Quarter Horse racing night at Indiana Grand with a pair of wins in the Heartland Futurity Trials. Pritty, ridden by Juan Galvan, rallied home an impressive winner in near track record time followed by stablemate Packin Secrets, ridden by Sergio Ramirez, who was a winner in the second trial. Starting from the outside post 10 in the first Heartland Futurity trial, Pritty rallied out of the gate and had the field at her heels from the start. The two-year-old daughter of leading first-crop sire Coronado Cartel ...

SAN ANTONIO, TX—JULY 7, 2018—After six previous stakes appearances, Deala Quick Game finally captured his first stakes victory in the $15,000 Live Oak Handicap at Retama Park on Saturday night.

Deala Quick Game ($14.20) upset post-time favorite Rc Me Leaving You by a neck in the 350-yard race. The winner earned a 104 speed index with aa ...

EVANSTON, WY—JULY 7, 2018— Pistol The Kid defeated Showmethedoe by a neck, in the second four trials to the Utah Bred Futurity at Wyoming Downs Saturday, to qualify to his third futurity this season. Ridden by jockey Nakia Ramirez the son of Pistol Packing Perry posted a :17.720 clocking for the 350 yards, a 90 speed index into 5 mph ...

SHELBYVILLE, IN—JULY 7, 2018— Beach Treat and jockey Giovani Vazquez-Gomez scored the quickest time among 30 three-year-olds vying for a top 10 spot to advance to the $100,000 final of the Blue River Derby slated for Saturday, July 21. The duo covered the 400-yard dash in a time of :19.939 seconds to lead the field into the 16th running of the ...

FREDERICKSBURG, TX—JULY 7, 2018—Di Southeen James ($21.80) won the second of of six trials on the card at Gillespie for the $7,500-added G.C.F.A. July Maiden Classic and posted the fastest qualifying time of :17.569 for the 350-yard race. He defeated post-time favorite Kuhl Cash by a length. The final is scheduled for July 22, 2018. The ...

EVANSTON, WY—JULY 7, 2018—Jrs Blue Boy showed his class today by holding off a late charge from Be Our Honor to win the $7,200 Governors Cup Handicap (not black type) by a neck at Wyoming Downs. Mr Bundy finished half-a-length back in third. Under jockey Jesus Valenzuela Jrs Blue Boy went wire-to-wire over the 300 yards in :17.287 ...

VINTON, LA—JULY 6, 2018— Delta Downs continued its final week of American Quarter Horse racing for 2018 with a special program that featured the $50,000 Miss Polly Classic Stakes (G3) on Friday night. The headliner was won impressively by Ruben Garcia Montemayor’s Eye N Capo with jockey Jesse Lee Levario in the saddle. Eye N Capo broke sharply in the Miss Polly Classic, quickly put distance between himself and the rest of the field. He pulled away throughout the stretch and was never threatened, hitting the finish line 2-1/2 lengths clear of Fdp Rock Solid. The Golden Bowl finished another ¾ of a length behind in third. Eye N ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 6, 2018—Lethal Lil and One Famous Stone, who each have futurity experience, set the top-two qualifying times to the Grade 1, $1 million Rainbow Futurity on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs. The horses with the five-fastest times from Friday's 14 400-yard trials meet the top-five fastest qualifiers from Saturday's 14 trials in the Rainbow Futurity on July 22. Saturday's Rainbow Futurity trials begin at noon. On Sunday, New Mexico native and Triple Crown-winning jockey Mike Smith will be at Ruidoso Downs. He will be signing posters celebrating his Triple Crown win on Justify for $25. Unsigned posters will be ...

SELMA, TX—JULY 6, 2018—The feature race on Retama’s Friday night card was a runaway victory for Jess Iam First Royal, who defeated a full field of 3-year-old and up fillies and mares by over two lengths in the $15,000 Selma Stakes. Froylan Ramirez and Jess Iam First Royal posted a time of :17.435 for 350 yards and earned a speed index of 107. ...

VINTON, LA—JULY 5, 2018—Ms Leaving You(30-1) stepped up in stakes competition for the first time her career Thursday night to post an astonishing half-length win over A Canadian Chill in the $35,000 Par A Dice Stakes at Delta Downs. Lil Bro Big Streak finished another half-a-length back to take third. Ms Leaving Your, a 4-year-old daughter of multiple stakes sire Coronas Leaving You, closed fast under jockey Luciano Duenez to complete the 300 yards in :15.125 seconds, a 101 speed index over a sloppy (sealed) race course. Trainer Kenneth Weeks saddled the sorrel filly to her third career win in 10 starts for owner McGehee Horse and Cattle ...

VINTON, LA—JULY 4, 2018—Delta Downs hosted a special 11-race program on Wednesday with the main event featuring a strong field of 2-year-olds competing in the $363,675 Firecracker Futurity (G2). Appropriately enough, the main event on Independence Day card was won by a horse named Patriot Games, who was ridden to victory by John Hamilton. Owned by Ramiro Jaime Flores, Sr. and trained by Eduardo Morales, Patriotic Games settled an old score with Fm Im A Zatanaz Too, who defeated him by a neck in the Sam Houston Futurity (G2) earlier in the year. This time the tables were turned as Patriotic Games battled with Fm Im A Zatanaz Too ...

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 ...

IDAHO FALLS, ID—JULY 4, 2018—Sandy Downs hosted trial races for the Idaho Cup Futurity and Idaho Cup Derby on Wednesday's 4th of July race card. Both 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds must be foaled in Idaho to be eligible to participate. The 10 fastest qualifiers from each group of trials will return to the Idaho Falls raceway on Saturday, July ...

IDAHO FALLS, ID—JULY 4, 2018—Tempting Finale rolled to an impressive 1-½ length in the last of two trials Wednesday at Sandy Downs to set the top qualifying time for the Firecracker Frolic (not black type). The 10 fastest qualifiers will return to Sandy Downs on Saturday, July 20th to vie for the winner's share of a $10,000-added purse in the ...

PLEASANTON, CA—JULY 4, 2018—Foose Dependent picked up her second consecutive win on Wednesday when she defeated Primercartel by half-a-length in the $8,500 Jack Robinson Handicap (not black type) at Oak Tree at Pleasanton. Ridden by jockey Jesus Arriaga, ...

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—JULY 1, 2018—Under jockey Jaime Leos, Cm Rowdy James got up in the final jump to defeat Delightful Moon Flash in the $96,590 Four Corners Futurity Sunday afternoon at The Downs in Albuquerque. Fs Athomesinmystoli finished a nose back in blanket to finish to get third. The Four Corners Futurity was originally scheduled to be run on June 17, closing day of the 33-day SunRay Park spring meet. However, unsafe track conditions caused by heavy rains forced SunRay Park management to cancel the last seven races on the June 17 card, including the Four Corners Futurity. Albuquerque graciously agreed to host the final on ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 1, 2018—There is no stopping A Political Lady right now. The filly by Apollitical Jess extended her winning streak to six in a row after scoring a half-length victory over Jesstacartel in the $25,000 Vandy's Flash Handicap for 3-year-olds on Sunday at Los Alamitos. Ridden by ...

BELCOURT, ND—JULY 1, 2018—Miss Vals Easy Cash and Dawsons Affair scored wins at Chippewa Downs Sunday in a pair of non-black type stakes. North Dakota Grass Roots Derby Fastest qualifier Miss Vals Easy Cash returned on Sunday to post another dominating win in the $7,250 North Dakota Grass Roots Derby. Ridden by jockey Evan ...

EVANSTON , WY—JULY 1, 2018—Opening weekend at Wyoming Downs featured an 870-yard stakes race with one of the three Thoroughbreds in the race, Successful Bluff, defeating a field of six in the $8,000 Bear Beaver Handicap (not black-type).

Tyson Lusk was aboard the Virginia-bred son of Successful Appeal for trainer Travis Lusk and owner ...

VINTON, LA—JUNE 30, 2018—Indiana invader Stone Cold Leader put in an impressive rally under jockey Rolando Pina to defeat Apollitical Cyclone by one-length in the $212,500 Firecracker Derby, a 400-yard test for 3-year-olds Saturday night at Delta Downs. Grade 1 winner Thecartelmiracle finished a head back to take third. After winning two futurities at Indiana Grand Racecourse in Shelbyville, Indiana last season, Stone Cold Leader ventured to the Bayou state at the end of the year. He failed to qualify for the Evangeline Downs Futurity but returned this season when Delta opened and finished third in the Old South Derby last month. ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 30, 2018—The Blane Wood-trained pair of Myst Fit and Tough To Bee finished first and second in the Grade 3, $50,000 Higheasterjet Handicap while the improving Mi Amor Secreto (see related story took a big step forward to win the $68,940 Adequan Ruidoso Derby Challenge on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs. Newman Cattle Company and Bobby Simmons' Myst Fit parlayed a great start into another stakes win. He raced the 350 yards in :17.488 under jockey Raul Ramirez Jr. A gelding by Separatist, Myst Fit crossed the finish ...

TULSA, OK—Eye Eye Captain, under jockey Rolando Raudales, drove to a one-length win over Whosgonegirl in the $17,500 Belles Stakes Saturday night at Fair Meadows. Diamonds For Codee finished a nose back in the show position. Saddled by trainer Guillermo Valdivia, Eye Eye Captain completed the 350 yards, over wet fast (sealed) racetrack, in ...

AURORA, CO—JUNE 30, 2018—The second-longest shot on the board, Perkin Desire, was the surprise winner of the feature race at Arapahoe on Saturday, the $15,000 Leo Beau Dash. Perkin Desire, with Cerapio Figueroa, posted a time of 18.852 and a speed index of 94 for the 400-yard event.

Perkin Desire ($27.60) is a 4-year-old daughter of Desirio, trained and owned by Roberto Gomez. She was bred in Colorado by Randall and Kasey Hund, out of Fols Perky Cat, by Dash For Perks.

This was the fourth career win for Perkin Desire but it was her first stakes victory. She is now four for 14 with ...

EVANSTON, WY—JUNE 29, 2018—Multiple stakes winner Bay Max set the fastest qualifying time for the 89 & Under Allowance Saturday afternoon at Wyoming Downs. The 3-year-old defeated Favorite Wonder by a nose to get the top mark of :19.626 seconds, a 101 speed index into a 5 mph crosswind. The 10 fastest qualifiers, from two trial contested ...

BELCOURT, ND—JUNE 30, 2018—Francisco Estrada swept the two Quarter Horse stakes at Chippewa on Saturday, first winning on Ramblin On in Style in the AQHA Bonus Challenge (see related story) and then bringing home 8-1 shot Really Special to a maiden-breaking win in the $8,200 North Dakota ...

AURORA, CO—JUNE 29, 2018—Jess Un Sies Mas, a son of leading sire Apollitical Jess, broke his maiden at Arapahoe Park Friday afternoon while posting to top qualifying time for the Cherry Creek Futurity. Under jockey Malouly Rodriguez, Jess Un Sies Mas rolled to a one-length win over Shelias First Corona in the last of four 330 yard trials for Colorado-bred 2-year-olds. His time of :17.184 seconds, into a 15 mph headwind, was the fastest for the day. Owner-breeder Hugo Barron-Sierra and trainer Jose Manuel Barron bookended the futurity qualifying list by also getting Best Regards For You, ...

AURORA, CO—JUNE 29, 2018—Shine Your Wagon got his first win of the 2018 season Friday afternoon when he defeated Jettin Ben by one-length to set the fastest qualifying time in the Lucille Rowe Derby trials, a 350 yards stakes for accredited Colorado-Bred 3-year-olds at Arapahoe Park. The 10 fastest qualifiers, from two trials contested ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JUNE 24, 2018—The late John Sperry made a positive impact in the lives of many in the Quarter Horse racing industry during his more than 30 years as an owner and breeder. "John was a great man," said Paul Jones, the leading Quarter Horse trainer of all-time, shortly after Sperry's death last December 7. "He was a father figure to me. He (was) really good to me back when I didn't have a lot of horses. He really supported me and would give me horses to train. If I ever needed anything, he was always there for me. He was like that with a lot of people. He was just a kind person." Like Jones said, Sperry was like ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JUNE 24, 2018—Ali Babe Foose dug in late under jockey Eduardo Nicasio to get up by a head over Corona By Corona at the wire in the $30,000 Ed Burke Juvenile Invitational Sunday night at Los Alamitos Race Course. Conditioned by trainer Jaime Gomez, Ali Bab Foose completed the 350 yards in :17.732 seconds to earn a 91 speed ...