Wyoming Downs Futurity winner Deja Dulce will head three trials for the Mile High Futurity on Friday at Arapahoe Park.

© Coady Media

By Stallionesearch / Louanne Wainscott

ARAPAHOE, CO–OCTOBER 29, 2025—Friday’s action at Arapahoe Park will feature an exciting six-race program highlighted by two sets of trials for Colorado’s top Quarter Horse prospects. Seventeen juveniles will line up across three trials for the Mile High Futurity, while nineteen sophomores will compete in the remaining three heats for the Mile High Derby. Each division will determine the ten fastest qualifiers who will return for their respective finales on November 16.

The Mile High Futurity trials, contested at 400 yards, will kick off at 1:00 PM. The standout in the opening heat is Deja Dulce, the top earner in the field. The talented gelding has made eight career starts, capturing four victories, including the $235,000 Wyoming Downs Futurity, and finishing second in the $250,000 Sweetwater Downs Futurity. His career earnings stand at $179,885, making him one of the more accomplished juveniles on the card.

Sired by Dulce Sin Tacha and out of La Deja Blue (by Carters Cartel), Deja Dulce was bred in Oklahoma by Flag Ranch and races for Daisy Carlson and Joe Goggins. Jess R. Matt trains him and will break from post three with Jacob Cardenas aboard.

Also entered in the first trial is Ronda Rowsey, a homebred filly owned and bred in Colorado by George L. Seward. By Favorite Cartel and out of Ms Jess Knockout (by Apollitical Jess).

Fernando Manriquez trains the filly and will be ridden by Mauro J. Rodriguez. Ronda Rowsey has recorded two wins, including the $63,000 Cherry Creek Futurity, and has earned $35,324 in her young career.

These seventeen juveniles will compete for a chance to return in the Mile High Futurity Finals, which will offer an estimated purse of $93,000.

The final three races on the card will feature the Mile High Derby trials, beginning at 2:24 PM, where nineteen sophomores will contest 400 yards in search of qualifying times for the $84,000 estimated Mile High Derby Finals.

Leading the field in the final trial is Sheza Fearless Eagle, who enters off a win in the $55,000 Lucile Rowe Derby. The filly has also qualified for the G2 $300,000 Heritage Place Oaks and the G1 $702,000 All American Oaks, boasting six victories and total earnings of $233,909 for owner Jill Cook. Bred in Colorado by Vaughn M. and Jill Cook, the daughter of One Fabulous Eagle out of Ima Fearless Fire (by Tres Seis) will break from post five under Mauro J. Rodriguez.

Among her challengers is Russel, who finished third behind Sheza Fearless Eagle in the Lucile Rowe Derby trials. The Pyc Fun N Fancy gelding, out of One Two (by One Sweet Jess), was bred in Colorado by Bill and Marsha Drake and races for Celenes’s Racing, LLC. Trained by Chris Gandarilla, Russel will start from post four with Jose J. Olivo in the irons as he looks to regain winning form after just three career starts.

With both futurity and derby hopefuls chasing fast qualifying times, Friday’s card at Arapahoe Park promises a full afternoon of competitive racing and emerging talent as Colorado’s best Quarter Horses vie for their places in next month’s Mile High Finals.

The Arapahoe Park races can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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