V Golden Game, ridden by Victor Urieta, Jr., wins the $27,000 Colors Of Texas Paint Maturity-G2 at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

HOUSTON, TX—JUNE 7, 2025–V Golden Game secured his first career stakes victory on Saturday by completing a strong finish in the Colors Of Texas Paint Maturity-G2 at Sam Houston Race Park. This 350-yard event is open to Paint and Appaloosa horses aged three years and older, with a purse of $27,000.

Jockey Victor Urieta Jr guided V Golden Game to a 3/4-length victory over the post-time favorite Cowboy Heartbreak. The son of leading sire CRM Livewire clocked an 83 speed index in 18.095 seconds against a five mph headwind. The upset paid $15.20 to win on 6-1 odds.

V Golden Games’s connections accept the Colors Of Texas Paint Maturity winning trophy at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday. © Jack Coady Photography

The $10,260 winner’s share of the purse boosted V Golden Game’s lifetime earnings to $70,985. Trained by Raul Rodriguez Jr., the four-year-old gelding has a record of 2-2-6 from 20 starts, including a third-place finish in last year’s Olympia Joe Stakes.

Even though this is V Golden Game’s second career win and first stakes victory, he was a finalist in seven other stakes competition races, including fourth-place finishes in the Oklahoma P&A Futurity-G1, Victoria Ennis Memorial Stakes-G1, and Colors Of The Wind P&A Maturity.

Oscar Rivera Cardona owns V Golden Game, and Aubrey Garcia bred him in Oklahoma out of the Game Patriot mare Game Hi.

Cowboy Heartbreak, ridden by Oscar Andrade Jr, was on V Golden Game’s heels the entire trip but was outrun for a game second. The son of Boknaii has lit the board ten of 13 starts with four wins and earnings of $41,196.

The three-year-old gelding trained and owned by Zackery Rios was bred in Texas by Sandra Garnett. Cowboy Heartbreak is out of Camo Cowgirl by Awesome Chrome.

Rosario Tijeras, piloted by Claudio Aguilar, placed third a half-length behind Cowboy Heartbreak. Trainer Esteban Rubio saddled the three-year-old filly for owner-breeder Sarah Huskey of Texas.

The daughter of Boknaii has a record of 1-2-2 from seven starts and $15,845 in the bank. Last year, she was a finalist in the Grade 2 Colors Of Houston Futurity. Rosario Tijeras is out of Tres Miracles by View Me Flying.

Frenchy, Gangster Grip, Wl Karma, Crb Beauti, Vp Wired To Win, Moonpike, and Vp Gravel Pit Dancer complete the order of finish.

*******************

Would you like more industry news delivered directly to your inbox? Click here to sign up.