Nearly 400 horses have made the "early bird" nomination to the $75,000-added 2026 Texas Breeders' Futurity to be contested next year at Sam Houston Race Park. Regular Nomination deadline closes on October 15, 2025.

© Jack Coady Photography

By StallioneSearch

ELGIN, TX–JUNE 6, 2025–The 2026 running of the new Texas Breeders Futurity at Sam Houston Race Park is shaping up to be a blockbuster, as a remarkable 396 foals of 2024 have been nominated through the Early Bird process by the May 1 deadline.

This surge in nominations by yearlings nominated to the 2025 TQHA Yearling Sale underscores both the prestige of the $75,000-added event and the continuing enthusiasm for Texas-bred Quarter Horse racing.

The Early Bird nomination list spans various top Texas breeders, owners, and bloodlines, signaling strong interest across the state and beyond.

Among the leading consignors and stables already nominating foals are Bobby D. Cox, Pete Scarmardo, Scarlett Hill Farm Inc, JP Quarter Horses, and Jorge Haddad, each of whom has multiple entries lined up for what promises to be one of the most competitive futurity trials on the calendar.

There’s a healthy mix of juveniles, many expected to go through the TQHA Yearling Sale, increasing anticipation for bloodstock buyers and breeders alike.

According to the Texas Quarter Horse Association, horses that completed the Early Bird nomination at $100 by May 1, 2025, are not required to submit another payment until November 15, 2025, when the first sustaining payment of $500 is due.

A reminder will be sent after the Regular Nomination deadline closes on October 15, 2025, when the fee for new entries increases to $250.

Per the official race conditions (see nomination form), the event is open exclusively to Accredited Texas-Bred foals of 2024, and all nominators must be TQHA members at the time of both nomination and the race. Trials will be held in late April, with the final slated for mid-May over a distance of 330 yards.

$20,000 in Nominators Awards

"An extra incentive for participation comes in the form of a $20,000 Nominators Awards pool, open to all those who nominate," TQHA Director of Racing Scott Sherwood said. "This bonus fund offers further recognition to the breeders who support the futurity and help build its prestige."

This bonus fund will be split among the top four finishers in the final as follows:

> $10,000 to the nominator of the winner
> $5,000 for the runner-up's nominator
> $3,000 to the third-place nominator
> $2,000 for fourth place

The strong Early Bird turnout is a promising sign for the 2026 Texas Breeders Futurity, already one of the most important fixtures for Texas-bred juveniles. With nominations already pushing 400 and many of the state’s top racing programs represented, the stage is set for another high-stakes, high-quality edition of this Texas Quarter Horse tradition.

CLICK HERE for a list of early bird nominations.

Participants are encouraged to contact Scott Sherwood at the TQHA at (512) 458-5202 ext. 107 or via email at ssherwood@tqha.com with questions about the list or to report corrections.

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