SELMA, TX—JULY 14, 2018—A pair of stablemates from the barn of trainer Alonso Neri finished 1-2 in third of five trials contested Saturday night at Retama Park for the Retama Park Derby to get the top-two qualifying spots.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return to the San Antonio area racetrack on Saturday, July 28th to vie for the lion 'share of a $40,000-added purse.

Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity winner Thecartelofmiracle, under jockey Jorge Linares, stumbled at the start but drove to a half-length win over stablemate Three Bar Cartel to get the top qualifying time of :19.755 seconds, a 101 speed index into a 16 mph headwind.

Trainer Alonso Neri saddled the Tough And Good gelding to his sixth career win for owner Mauro Luciano Villarreal. Bred by Jose Estrada, from the Gold Medal Jess mare Its Jess A Miracle, Thecartelofmiracle has banked more than $457,000 in his career. He has also won the Sam Houston Stakes, was third in the Firecracker Derby and a finalist in the Dash For Cash Futurity(G2) and Sam Houston Juvenile.

Also a graded stakes winner, runner-up Three Bar Cartel held for the second fastest time of :19.818 seconds, a 99 speed index. Under jockey Jesse Levario the Dash For Cash Futurity(G2) winner bid early but gave way to finish second. Neri trains the son of multiple stakes sire Capo de Capi for owner Ruben Garcia Montemayor. The winner of four of six starts has earned $157,780.

Dr. Curtis Smith bred Three Bar Cartel in Oklahoma from the Mr Eye Opener mare Eysa Ridicolous To. Three Bar Cartel entered the Retama Park Derby trials off a win in the Texas Twister Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on May 12.

Multiple stakes winner Sr Shambles, under jockey Jorge Linares, won the second trail to get the third fastest clocking of :19.916 seconds, a 96 speed index. The bay gelding was the third derby qualifier saddled by Neri Saturday night and he is also owned by Montemayor. The son of champion sire Desirio has won seven of 17 career starts and earned $137,753.

Bred in Oklahoma by Jovetta Meredith, from the Azoom mare Parisz, Sr Shambles won the Heartland Futurity and the Olds Old South Derby and was second in the Harrah's Entertainment Futurity(G3) .

For the complete list of Retama Park Derby qualifiers, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.