SELMA, TX—JULY 30, 2016—Coming off a disappointing second place effort in the TQHA Sale Futurity(RG2) trials on July 15th, Desdemona Rambler rolled to a 1¾ length victory in the first trial Saturday to post the fastest time for the John Deere Retama Juvenile Challenge.

The 10 fastest qualifiers, from 59 Challenged enrolled 2-year-olds who competed in six trial races, will return to Retama Park Saturday, August 13th to vie for the winner's share of $75,870 purse going 350 yards.

The winner will also pick up an invite to the Grade 2 $150,000-Guaranteed John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship at Los Alamitos Race Course, October 29th.

Ridden by jockey Juan Garcia, Jr., Desdemona Ramble broke alertly then drove to the top mark of :17.866 seconds, a 93 speed index. Brian Stroud conditions the son of champion/champion sire Tempting Dash for owner/breeder Dan Grube.

"He ran a real pretty race," said Stroud. " Too bad he didn't do that two weeks ago as we would be running in the big race tonight instead of another set of trials. He had a bad week before the TQHA Sale Futurity trials; was kind of down and flat, but a lot better tonight. The wind picked up in the remaining trials, but we'll take it anyway we can get it."

Third in the Grade 2 $540,000 Sam Houston Futurity last April, Desdemona Rambler has compiled a (4) 2-1-1 record and earned $64,000 this season. The Texas-bred is out of Kritters Effort, by Fredricksburg.

Two-time stakes finalist Shez Freaky got her third win from five starts in the fifth trial to post the second fastest time of :18.107 seconds into an 11 mph headwind. Rolando Almanza trains the Tr Dasher filly, out of the Dashin Bye mare Dulce Bye N Bye, for owner Mario Lozano-Cantu.

Bred in Texas by MacEdonio Lozano, Shez Freaky finished fourth in the Grade 3 Harrah's Entertainment Futurity in March and was finalist in the John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile(G3) in May. She has earned $26,174.

Old South Futurity finalist Strawflyin Tac won the final trial to get the third fastest time of :18153 seconds, also into an 11 mph headwind. Also trained by Stroud, the Tac It Like a Man gelding is owned by Leann Nalls and James Hrabovsky. Leann Nalls bred the two-time winner in Texas fro the Strawflyin Buds mare Buds N Blossoms.

Tac It Like a Man was the only stallion with two qualifiers also siring 6th fastest Tac It Perry.

For the complete list of John Deere Retama Juvenile finalists, their times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

Additional reporting by Martha Claussen