VINTON, LA—APRIL 19, 2019—Delta Downs kicked off its 2019 American Quarter Horse season on Friday night with a 10-race program that included the $27,700 Delta Dash Stakes and five qualifying trials for this year’s $74,115 Old South Derby (see related story). The Delta Dash was won Rogelio Marquez, Jr.’s Gunsmoke B under jockey Antonio Alberto. The Alberto Solis trainee stopped the clock in a time of :13.178 seconds for 250 yards while beating runner-up Dm La Jolla by ½ length. Heza Magic Coronas wound up third, another head behind the top pair. ...

VINTON, LA—APRIL 19, 2019—Jorge Haddad's stakes winning Texas homebred Anasttasia scored a 1-½ length win in the first of five trials Friday night for the Old South Derby at Delta Downs. Ridden by jockey Luis Vivanco the daughter of champion sire The Louisiana Cartel completed the 350 yards in a quick :17.139 clocking, into a 6 mph headwind, to earn a 104 speed index and get the fastest qualifying time. Champion trainer Kenneth Roberts, Sr. saddled the bay filly out of the multiple grade 1 producing First Down Dash mare Las Alamitos. Anasttasia, ...

HOUSTON, TX—APRIL 19, 2019—Mas Pronto Que Alex, a 4-year-old son of Grade 1 sire Inseperable, broke his maiden by an impressive two-length margin Friday night to set the top qualifying time for the $80,200 Sam Houston Maiden Classic. Ridden by jockey Manuel Gutierrez, the 4-year-old posted the ...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 19, 2019— Fast Prize Drew had only raced in a stakes race once in his short career, but he beat stakes-caliber horses Friday night in Remington Park’s featured allowance race. It was a family affair in the winner’s circle as Alfredo Triana, Jr. was the winning jockey and Alfredo Triana, Sr. the triumphant trainer for ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—APRIL 19, 2019—Owned and bred by J. Francisco Diaz and trained by his son, Lindolfo, the Favorite Cartel gelding Chayito Cartel finished as the star of the night from the five races for 2-year-olds contested at Los Alamitos Race Course on Friday night. Ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—APRIL 19, 2019—The outstanding broodmare Terrific Energy was well represented during morning workouts at Los Alamitos Race Course, as three of her foals posted 220-yard gate drills on Thursday. Her babies included the Separate Interest filly Tea Pod, who posted the morning’s co-fastest work of :12.20, the Walk Thru Fire ...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 18, 2019—Trainer Sammy Valdivia gives jockey Juan Pulido a leg up on Cartel Bug at Remington Park and for the second time in a row in 2019, this was the winning formula, Thursday night in the feature race at Remington Park. Cartel Bug, a 4-year-old gelded son of This Cartel is Cold, out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Shays Luvbug, has been unbeatable since being laid off from July 18, 2018, when he last raced at Fair Meadows in Tulsa. Owned by Joel Pierce of Sallisaw, Okla., Cartel Bug got up by the shortest of noses over 4-5 wagering favorite Walk Off, who had won both of ...

PHOENIX, AZ—APRIL 14, 2019—In the feature Quarter Horse race of the Sunday card at Turf Paradise, Unrestrained overcame a fractious start to prevail by a half-length in the $36,575 AQRA President’s Open Spring Derby.

Jake Samuels guided the 3-year-old gelding to victory in the 350-yard final in 17.673, earning a 97 speed index.

Unrestrained ($6.60) was the fastest qualifier to the final from three trials on March 31 with a time of 17.546.

Unrestrained is trained by Jesus Olivas and is owned by Cristina Salas. He was bred ...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 14, 2019—One horse had qualified for last year’s $3 million All American Futurity and another horse had run second in the $750,000 Ruidoso Derby in 2018, but in the end, it was a horse that had never even run in stakes company that prevailed in Sunday’s featured allowance race at Remington Park – Our Lady Wagon. It ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—APRIL 14, 2019—There's a lot to like when it comes to the 2-year-old fillies Fuego De Pithia and Carolina Corona, the owners of the morning's best :12.3 drills on Saturday at Los Alamitos Race Course. Trained by Juan Aleman, Fuego De Pithia was quick into her stride and fired nicely despite drifting inward while brushing ...

HOUSTON, TX—APRIL 13, 2019— Sam Houston Race Park hosted 15 trials for the richest race of the 2019 Quarter Horse Meeting, the $459,700 Sam Houston Futurity (G2). The fifth trial of the card produced the fastest qualifier when Trump My Record returned to the winner's circle with an impressive gate-to-wire victory under rider Eddie Sanchez, covering 330 yards in :16.566 seconds. The track was fast and he earned a 103 speed index assisted by a 10 mph tail wind. Bed in Texas by Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches LP, the son of first-crop sire Apollitical Blood out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Breck N Records is owned by Cruz E. Nava and trained by his ...

SUNLAND PARK, NM—APRIL 13, 2019— Colby James was the top qualifier for the $393,180 New Mexican Spring Futurity(RG2) following 11 trials on Saturday at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. The two-year-old New Mexico-bred son of Jesses James Jr won the first heat in a fast :15.136 seconds. The debut winner was ridden by Alan Hernandez for trainer Rodolfo Valles. Colby James earned a 95 speed index. Out of the Blushing Bug mare Sandy June Bug, Colby James was the first of seven qualifiers bred by MJ Farms. Stallion's standing at the Veguita, New Mexico farm sired nine of the 10 New ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—APRIL 13, 2019—Dan J. Wilson's Run Raging Rhino Run was more gazelle than rhino at the start of the $20,000 Wheatland Handicap, a move that helped him establish a two length early advantage on the way to a neck victory in the 870-yard test on Saturday at Los Alamitos Race Course. With jockey Minor Arana hustling the ...

OGDEN, UT—APRIL 13, 2019—Trials filled the card on opening day at Weber Downs on Saturday; the track hosted five trials for the $33,800 Jake Kapp Maiden Frolic, then eight trials for the $54,100 Golden Spike Futurity.

In the fourth of eight trials for the 2019 edition of the Golden Spike Futurity, Pitchforks Panther and jockey Carlos Guillen Chacon became the fastest qualifier with a time of 15.822 and an 89 speed index.

The winning duo finished nearly a length in front of second-place finisher Valentina Relentless, who was the fifth fastest qualifier in 15.919.

Pitchforks Panther is trained by Roberto Treto and is a ...

OGDEN, UT—APRIL 13, 2019—With chariot racing over for the season, flat racing returned to Weber Downs with trials for the $33,800 Jake Kapp Maiden Frolic (not black-type) on Saturday afternoon. The trials were open to 3-year-olds and up who were maidens as of January 1, 2019.

Five trials determined the ten fastest qualifiers for the ...

SUNLAND PARK, NM—APRIL 12, 2019—One Corona Eagle was the top qualifier for the $324,300 West Texas Futurity following 12 trials heats at 300 yards at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Friday. The two-year-old gelded son of leading sire One Famous Eagle took charge early in the 8th trial heat and held off Apollitical J Wild to win by three-quarter lengths in a time of :15.076 seconds. The precocious runner is owned by Gene Bradley and Tod Bradley of Dimmitt, Texas. AQHA past-president Johnny Trotter bred the $70,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate in Texas from the Corona Cartel mare Little Rebas Corona. Return of Brown Eyes, a full ...