Cowgurl Up (#3), under jockey Raul Ramirez, Jr., gets up over Flying Sophia (#2) in the $28,611 Cox Ranch Lone Star Distaff Challenge Stakes Saturday at Lone Star Park.

© Dustin Orona Photography

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—SEPTEMBER 27, 2025—Cowgurl Up surged late under jockey Raul Hernandez, Jr. to capture the $28,261 Cox Ranch Lone Star Distaff Challenge at 400 yards for AQHA Challenge-enrolled fillies and mares three years old and up.

The sorrel daughter of leading sire Flying Cowboy 123 stopped the timer in 19.671 seconds, earning a 94 speed index with a 2 mph crosswind on a fast track.

With the victory, Cowgurl Up also earned a coveted berth to the Grade 1 $125,000 Cox Ranch Distaff Challenge Championship, to be run October 18 at Albuquerque during AQHA Challenge Championship Night.

Cowgurl Up, a 4-year-old filly bred in Texas by P & J Racing Ltd., is out of Passem Up Perry by Mr Jess Perry. She is owned by P and J Racing Ltd. and trained by Carlos Lopez. The $95,000 2022 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate earned $14,306 for the victory.

Coming off a win in the Miss Retama Stakes in her last start, July 25, Cowgurl Up has banked $92,840 with five wins in 10 career starts. Her neck victory tonight rewarded backers $7.00 to win, $3.40 to place, and $2.40 to show.

Flying Sophia, a multiple graded stakes winning 4-year-old daughter of Flying Cowboy 123 out of Sister Sophia by Big Daddy Cartel, finished a hard-trying second after leading early before being outfinished.

She was bred in New Mexico by Calder & Candy Ezzell and races for her breeders. Trained by Michael Joiner and ridden by Bryan Candanosa, Flying Sophia picked up $6,151 for her effort to push her total earnings to $329,626. The place payoff was $4.60, with show returning $2.80.

Third went to Eyesa Wagon My Tale, a 3-year-old sorrel filly by Wagon Tales out of Eyesa Candy Chick by Country Chicks Man. Bred in Oklahoma by Randy and Stacy Hill, she is owned by Leto Land and Cattle LLC and trained by Marc Jungers.

With champion jockey Francisco Calderon in the irons, Eyesa Wagon My Tale rallied strongly to earn $3,147 for third. Winner of the Grade 3 Jack Brooks Stakes in her last start, May 31, she paid $2.80 to show. Eyesa Wagon My Tale has earned $78,236.

Also-rans were Paint This Rose, Fabulous Casina, and Jessesflyincowgirl, completing the order of finish.

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