Relentless Purrsuit wins trial three of four and clocks fastest qualifying time to the $118,375 Prairie Meadows Gold Derby on Monday.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

ALTOONA, IA–JUNE 23, 2025–Relentless Purrsuit bounced back in a big way Monday night at Prairie Meadows, posting the fastest qualifying time to the $118,375 Prairie Meadows Gold Derby and notching his first win of the season.

The victory came in the fourth and final trial of the evening, which produced the top three fastest times of the night. Relentless Purrsuit finished strongly to secure the win, while the second and third place finishers, Im Missmerized and Too Sixy By Far, hit the wire together in a tight photo finish, with Im Missmerized getting the nod by a nose. The Derby finals are set for July 13.

Breaking late but finishing with authority, Relentless Purrsuit surged ahead under Ramiro Garcia, ultimately crossing the wire 3/4-length in front of Im Missmerized and jockey Joseph Belloc Jr. The Jason Olmstead trainee stopped the clock in 17.416 seconds over a wet 350-yard strip, earning a 97 speed index and rewarding backers at $5.40 as the post-time favorite.

The son of Hes Relentless was looking to rebound from a seventh-place finish in last month’s Heritage Place Derby (G2) at Remington Park and a prior run in the Mr Master Bug Stakes (G3) in April.

With Saturday’s performance, Relentless Purrsuit improved his record to 5 wins, 3 seconds, and one third from 13 starts, pushing his career earnings to $110,035. He finished third in last year’s Black Gold Colts & Geldings Futurity at Will Rogers and now looks to secure his first career stakes victory in the upcoming Prairie Meadows Gold Derby final.

Bred and owned in Oklahoma by Charles and Elizabeth Horton, he is out of the One Sweet Jess mare Redheads Run Hotter. The Hortons repurchased him for $45,000 at the 2023 Heritage Place Yearling Sale.

The second-fastest qualifier, Im Missmerized, a $21,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate, is by Kvn Corona. He posted a time of 17.545 and is owned by Alazanas Racing Inc.

Bred in Utah by McColee Land & Livestock LLC, he is out of Missmerizing, by Pyc Paint Your Wagon. Trained by James J. Gonzales II, the Im Missmerized has lit the board six of seven starts with $74,113 in the bank.

Too Sixy By Far, the third-fastest qualifier, is a 3-year-old filly by Corona Cartel. She clocked a time of 17.557 under Francisco Raul Ramirez Jr. and is also trained by Jason L. Olmstead.

Bred and owned in Oklahoma by Cavenaugh Quarter Horses, LLC, she is out of Jess So Sixy by Mr Jess Perry. Too Sixy By Far has yet to break her maiden from eight starts with earnings of $18,671.

CLICK HERE to view a detailed list of the top ten qualifiers, including name, sex, pedigree, time, owner, breeder, trainer, and jockey.

The remainder of the Prairie Meadows card was cancelled following the final trial due to inclement weather, cutting the evening’s action short after race five.
 

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