The Valiant Flame, ridden by Jose Herbert, captured the $58,344 Adequan Sam Houston Derby on Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park

© Jack Coady Photography

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

HOUSTON, TX–May 9, 2026—The Valiant Flame delivered a breakout performance Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park, drawing away late under Jose Herbert to capture the $58,344 Adequan Sam Houston Derby at 400 yards.

The three-year-old filly stopped the clock in :20.177 over a muddy sealed racetrack while earning a 93 speed index. Sent off as the post-time favorite, The Valiant Flame surged to the lead and pulled clear late to score by a 1/2-length.

Owned and bred by Torres Buildings, The Valiant Flame is trained by Brian Stroud and ridden by Jose R. Herbert. The filly is sired by The Louisiana Cartel and out of the Valiant Hero mare Valiant Flame.

The winning connections of The Valiant Flame accept the $58,344 Adequan Sam Houston Derby trophy at Sam Houston on Saturday. © Jack Coady Photography

“During her two year old year she looked really good, but she got a little sore on us. We had to perform surgery and back off of her for the rest of the year.  Since then, she's had a bullet work down here (at Sam Houston) one day, and we prepped her for the trials. We like her,” said Stroud.

When asked where she’s going next, Stroud said that she is entered in the Oaks in a couple of weeks. "We will need to assess her condition in the next two or three days to decide whether to continue with that plan or give her a brief break until we return to Retama,” he concluded.

Saturday’s victory marked the first stakes win of her career after multiple graded stakes finalist appearances during her juvenile campaign, including the Grade 2 TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity and the Grade 3 Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge Stakes.

With the win, The Valiant Flame improved her record to three wins and two runner-up finishes from seven starts while boosting her earnings to $62,274.

Following the race, jockey Jose Herbert praised the filly’s professionalism.

“She broke well, she ran well,” Herbert said. “She’s a mare that does her job well. She’s perfect.”

VP Dash For Texas crossed the wire second under Nestor Duran but was disqualified and placed sixth following a stewards’ inquiry concerning interference shortly after the start.

The disqualification elevated Corona Streakin Jess to second. Ridden by Gilberto Linares, the gelding races for owner RDS Legacy Racing LLC and trainer John Stinebaugh.

Bred by Jeff State, Corona Streakin Jess is sired by Corona Cartel and out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Streakin Jesszee, a winning mare who captured the Future of Iowa Stakes twice.

Still searching for his first stakes victory, the gelding previously finished second in the Hawkeye Futurity and third in the Jim Bader Futurity. Following Saturday’s runner-up effort, Corona Streakin Jess now owns a record of 9-2-2-2 with earnings of $71,387.

FDD El Jefe completed the trifecta under Victor Urieta Jr. for owner-breeder John McKee and trainer Brian Stroud.

The gelding is sired by FDD Dynasty and out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Shanas Fast Prize. Following the effort, FDD El Jefe improved his record to 10-2-1-1 with earnings of $30,346. He previously qualified to the Ochoa Stakes final.

Won Salty Corona finished fourth with Inflation fifth. VP Dash For Texas was officially placed sixth following the disqualification and was followed by Otts Moore and The Evangelist. Fastest qualifier Full Throttle N 25 and The Texas Hammer were both scratched.

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