Holy Guacamolee (#4) holds off Texas Pharoh (#5) and Relentless Dasher (#7) in the $50,300 TQHA Sale Juvenile on Saturday at Retama Park.

© Jack Coady Photography

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

SELMA, TX—JULY 26, 2025—Holy Guacamolee surged to a determined neck victory Saturday night in the $50,300 TQHA Sale Juvenile Stakes at Retama Park, capturing the 350-yard dash for 2-year-old Quarter Horses who did not qualify for the TQHA Sale Futurity.

The bay gelding by second-crop sire Chilitos out of So Into You, by Oak Tree Special, dug in late under jockey Nestor Duran to fend off a relentless charge from Texas Pharaoh and Relentless Dasher.

"At 50 yards, I knew we had it," Duran said. "I was a little worried about breaking out of the gate speed, but he broke good."

Owned by Dunn Ranch and trained by Marco Chavez-Gutierrez, Holy Guacamolee stopped the timer in 18  seconds flat, earning a 90 speed index while battling a 12-mph headwind on a fast track.

The winning connections of Holy Guacamolee accept the TQHA Sale Juvenile stakes trophy on Saturday at Retama Park. © Jack Coady Photography

"I was focused on getting the break a little bit sharper, Chavez-Gutierrez said after the race. "He’s a bigger horse—he doesn’t have much foot speed at 300 yards. But he broke today and got it done. We plan to take him back home, let him rest up, and see where it goes."

The Texas-bred juvenile, bred by Jorge Haddad, earned $17,605 for the win in a driving finish after dueling throughout. It was his second career win in four starts and boosted his earnings total to $26,667. He sold under the name Tammarindo in the 2024 TQHA Yearling Sale for $38,000.

Texas Pharaoh, a $120,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate by champion Tempting Dash out of Famous Eagle, by One Famous Eagle, finished a close second under Eddie Sanchez for owner Michael G. Valenzuela and trainer Jose Sanchez.

The sorrel gelding bred by Mary G. Thompson showed determination, matching strides with the winner before yielding late to earn $14,084. Fourth in the Grade 2 West Texas Futurity in April, Texas Pharaoh has banked $47,433 in four starts.

Another neck back in third was Relentless Dasher, a $40,000 purchase from the same 2024 sale. The sorrel colt by leading sire Kiss My Hocks out of Relentless Rose, by Hes Relentless, rallied strongly in the final yards under jockey Victor Urieta Jr. to earn $9,557 for owner Gerardo Rodriguez and trainer Bobby Pena.

Also second in the Sam Houston Juvenile in June, Relentelss Dasher is winless six starts to earn $31.027.

All three colts crossed the wire within a neck of one another in one of the most competitive finishes of the meet.

Holy Guacamolee returned $6.00 to win, $3.00 to place, and $2.60 to show. Texas Pharaoh paid $3.00 to place and $2.40 to show. Relentless Dasher returned $3.80 to show.

Rounding out the field were Gainz in fourth, followed by What the Fog in fifth, Hock Your Kisses sixth, Litenin seventh, and Favorite Sin Tacha eighth. Chloes Man, Full Moon Desire, Shes Ec to Tempt, and Spott were scratched from the race.

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