First Speeding Bullet picked an ideal spot to earn her first career victory Monday afternoon, drawing away to an impressive 2 3/4-length score in the $32,000 Cricket Bars Appaloosa Futurity at Will Rogers Downs.

Sent off as the 1.40-1 favorite under jockey Roman Cruz, First Speeding Bullet took command early and widened her advantage through the stretch to complete the 350 yards in :18.035, earning an 81 speed index over a fast racing surface. An 11 mph crosswind was reported for the race.

First Speeding Bullet earned $11,236 for owners Racin RNS and Adriana Ruiz. Jesus Ruben Ruiz trains the 2-year-old dark bay or brown filly, who was bred in Oklahoma by Michael Moss. She is by Hes Bulletproof from Allies Apollo, by Apollo.

The victory improved First Speeding Bullet's career record to six starts with one win, two seconds, and two thirds and earnings of $22,810. She entered Monday's final after finishing second in the Remington Park Appaloosa Futurity earlier this season.

Jess Say Bye overcame a troubled start to finish second, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner, earning $6,808 for owner and breeder Jeff Adams. The filly bobbled at the break and encountered traffic before rallying between horses late to get up by a head for the runner-up position.

Dee Keener trains Jess Say Bye, who was ridden by Ramiro Haro Garcia. The Oklahoma-bred daughter of Capo de Capi is out of Jess Cuz, by Freighttrain B. With Monday's effort, Jess Say Bye has now earned $11,899 from three starts with one win and one second. She was also a finalist in the Remington Park Appaloosa Futurity.

Union Willy finished another head back in third and collected $5,104 for owner and breeder Pete Crane. Trained by Dee Keener and ridden by Bryan Ernst, the 2-year-old gelding chased the winner through mid-stretch before being outkicked for second.

Union Willy is by first-crop Quarter Horse sire El Camino Cl from Desert Empress, by Divo. Monday's third-place effort increased his career earnings to $7,704 from four starts, with one third-place finish. He was previously a finalist in the Remington Park Appaloosa Futurity.

The $32,000 race distributed $11,2336 to the winner, $6,806 to second, and $5,104 to third.

Also-rans were Kembers Moon Pop and Knockouts Eyes, who dead-heated for fourth, followed by Missileer, Hearts of Jettastic, and Dashin Deacon.

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Flying Cowboy 123 reached rare territory this week when his 2026 progeny earnings surpassed $10 million, making him only the second AQHA Racing sire in history to reach the milestone during a single calendar year.

Through September 23, the son of all-time leading sire Apollitical Jess has been represented by 396 runners, 165 winners and 24 stakes winners this season, with earnings of $10,002,478, according to the latest AQHA leading sire statistics.

Even more remarkable is the timing. Flying Cowboy 123 reached the $10 million plateau with more than three months remaining in 2026.

The existing single-year benchmark belongs to his own sire, Apollitical Jess, whose progeny earned $10,264,258 in 2022. That season, Apollitical Jess was represented by 280 runners, 137 winners, and 28 stakes winners.

Flying Cowboy 123 enters the final quarter of 2026 just $261,780 short of Apollitical Jess' 2022 total, putting the record within striking distance as major fall stakes and championship races remain on the calendar.

Leading Flying Cowboy 123's record-setting season is Cowboys Flying SI 111, whose earnings have reached $2,062,793. The 2-year-old gelding out of Cartels Lady, by Carters Cartel, has won six of six races this season, including the $3 million All American Futurity (G1), TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1), and Texas Breeders Futurity.

Flying Cowboy 123's extraordinary 2026 season is particularly notable, given that he has only four crops of racing age.

His current sire summary lists 672 foals of racing age, 573 starters, and 340 winners, with 61 stakes winners. His runners have earned more than $27 million, averaging $47,181 per starter, while compiling a 2.32 Average Earnings Index.

His 2-year-olds have been especially dominant. From 254 current 2-year-old foals, Flying Cowboy 123 has 209 starters, 84 winners, and eight stakes winners, with earnings exceeding $6.46 million.

Through four crops to race, his lifetime 2-year-old progeny earnings have topped $18.14 million.

Flying Cowboy 123's rapidly expanding list of leading runners already includes three individual millionaires.

In addition to Cowboys Flying, he is the sire of Cowboys Gun Z SI 101, winner of $1,678,945 and an AQHA Racing Champion Two-Year-Old and Champion Two-Year-Old Gelding. Cowboys Gun Z won the All American Futurity (G1) and Refrigerator Championship Stakes (G1).

Another son, Lethal Cowboy 123 SI 99, has earned $1,547,872 while becoming an AQHA Racing Champion Two-Year-Old, Champion Two-Year-Old Gelding and AQHA Supreme Race Horse. His victories include the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1), Golden State Million Futurity (G1) and Vessels Maturity (G1).

Other major performers include Ask Her To Fly SI 102, an earner of $610,175 and runner-up in the All American Futurity (G1); Flying Joy 1 SI 102, an AQHA Racing Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and winner of $525,212; Cardiac Cowboy SI 102, winner of $491,689; and Electrifying Cowboy SI 104, winner of $419,203.

Flying Cowboy 123's lifetime statistical record includes 25 graded stakes winners, 36 additional black-type/stakes winners, and 41 black-type/stakes placers. His progeny include six Grade 1 winners, 10 Grade 2 winners, and nine Grade 3 winners.

The stallion has also been represented by three AQHA Racing Champions.

A 2016 sorrel stallion by Apollitical Jess and out of Hot Cash 123, by Takin On The Cash, Flying Cowboy 123 earned a 101 speed index and was named the AQHA Racing Champion Two-year-old Colt, AQHA Racing Champion Three-year-old Colt during his own racing career. He entered stud in 2020.

The Oklahoma-bred stallion is owned by Lainie Whitmire and stands at Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Oklahoma. His 2027 stud fee has not been announced.

Flying Cowboy 123 has been a leading sire with every crop to reach the races and was the leading first-crop sire of all time.

Now, only six years after entering stud, he has joined his legendary sire in one of the most exclusive statistical categories in Quarter Horse racing history.

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Im A Pretty Mess, a stakes-placed daughter of multiple stakes sire Tarzanito, has been installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday night's $20,000 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Stakes (G3) at Lone Star Park.

The 400-yard event for Challenge enrolled fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and older, is carded as Race 11 with an approximate post time of 10:25 p.m. CT. Eight fillies and mares are entered.

Also at stake is a berth to the $125,000-est. Grade 1 Cox Ranch Challenge Championship to be run during the AQHA Challenge Championship Night at Downs at Albuquerque on October 17.

Im A Pretty Mess, breaking from post 3 under JR Ramirez Jr., brings one of the strongest recent efforts into the race. The 3-year-old Louisiana-bred filly finished second to Shakers No Secret in the $59,000 Retama Championship Challenge (G3) at 440 yards on August 21 after leading into the final stages.

She was beaten only a half-length and earned a 102 Speed Index. One start earlier, she finished third against older horses in a 400-yard allowance at Retama Park.

Im A Pretty Mess has won two of six career starts with a second and a third and earnings of $35,504. Both victories came during her 2-year-old campaign, including a 400-yard futurity at Evangeline Downs. She is one-for-two at Saturday's 400-yard distance.

SLC Racing LLC owns the 8-5 favorite, who is trained by Shae Cox and will be ridden by Ramirez. Bred by Joshua R. Henderson, Im A Pretty Mess is from Eagle Diva, by One Famous Eagle. She was a $24,000 LQHBA Yearling Sale graduate.

Paint This Rose, the 2-1 second choice from post 8, brings considerably more experience into the Distaff. The 5-year-old mare has compiled a 2-8-1 record from 21 starts and earned $72,098. She has finished first or second in 10 of those starts.

Paint This Rose was second in consecutive Remington Park allowances earlier this year, including a nose loss to Mystery V on April 9. She crossed the wire first in another Remington allowance May 16 but was declared a non-starter and disqualified. In her two subsequent stakes appearances at Fair Meadows, she finished fourth in the Golden Driller Stakes and sixth in the Belles Stakes.

The mare also has previous experience in this race, finishing fourth, beaten one length, in last year's Lone Star Distaff Challenge after encountering trouble at the start.

Aaron Newsom owns Paint This Rose, who is trained by Kevin Willis and will be ridden by Mario Delgado. Bob and/or Jerry Gaston bred the Texas-bred daughter of Pyc Paint Your Wagon from First Tea Rose, by First Down Dash. She sold for $37,000 at the Heritage Place sale.

Lettibefirst, at 5-1, completes the top three choices on the morning line. The 4-year-old mare has won twice from 17 career starts with two seconds and two thirds while earning $43,668. She has made five starts this season, winning once and finishing second once for earnings of $19,761.

Her biggest performance this season came June 13 at Arapahoe Park, where she rallied to win the $19,000 Pen Pal Stakes at 350 yards by a half-length while earning an 102 Speed Index. In her most recent start, she encountered trouble leaving the gate and finished sixth in the $31,000 Arapahoe Park Distaff Challenge at Saturday's 400-yard distance.

Owned and trained by Zachary Quezada, Lettibefirst will be ridden by Raul Ramirez Jr. Armando Jaquez bred the New Mexico-bred daughter of Walcott from Dashing Lili, by First Down Dash. No sale information is listed in the program.

The remainder of the field includes Mitoles Princess at 10-1, One Magic Eagle at 12-1, Dynastys Girl at 20-1, Pairadice City at 8-1 and Bm Candi Royale at 12-1. The program's mutuel ratings also list Im A Pretty Mess, Paint This Rose, Lettibefirst and Pairadice City in that order.

The Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge is part of Saturday night's Quarter Horse stakes program at Lone Star Park.

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Some of the top older horses at AJAX DOWNS are in action this Wednesday, September 23, making their final start before a date in the prestigious Alex Picov Memorial Championship on Thanksgiving Monday, October 12.

A strong card of nine Quarter Horse races gets Wednesday underway at 12:55 p.m. (EDT).

The track's High Point Older Horse is Peighntmeadiamond, an Ontario-sired and bred 4-year-old who headlines the featured eighth race, a 350-yard allowance dash. The tall bay gelding is undefeated in four races this season, including wins in the Ontario Sires Stakes Maturity and Ontario Bred Maturity.

Owned by Richard Wincikaby and trained by Joe Tavares, Peighntmeadiamond and regular rider Brian Bell meet stakes winners Pretty Runaway, General Skywalker, and Runaway Fate, plus stakes-placed A Shades Of Cold in the feature.

In race 5, Championship nominees Snow Moose and Nadir square off in a 110-yard Gridiron Gallop. Snow Moose, the 2023 Horse of the Year trained by Jason Pascoe, comes off a victory on Sept. 16, while Nadir, from the Joe Tavares barn, was second by a head in the $102,000 Cherokee Overnight Stakes at 440 yards at Sandy Ridge Racetrack in Ashland, Kentucky, on Sept. 6.

Snow Moose's stablemate, the filly Kissin Ella and stakes winner The Batmann, trained by Scott Reid, compete in race 7, also a 110-yard test, and could make their way to the Championship.

Coming Up on Thanksgiving Monday, October 12, is Pumpkin Day, benefitting the United Way. The first 250 kids will receive a pumpkin to decorate, plus there will be giveaways, a Turkey vs. Chicken race with jockeys in costumes, and tons of family fun including a huge Quarter Horse racing card.

For more information on how you can become a Quarter Horse owner, contact the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario about the First Line Racing Syndicate at (905) 426-7050.

To read the latest news about racing at Ajax Downs, get the latest dates and events, or reserve a picnic table on one of our bigger days ($25), visit our website, www.ajaxdowns.com. You can watch and wager on Ajax Downs racing trackside and up close to the action or through www.HPIBet.com.

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