Apolitical Wagon, ridden by Giovani Vazquez-Gomez, wins the $117,286 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Saturday.

© Coady Media

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

SHELBYVILLE, IN–AUGUST 30, 2025–After settling for runner-up honors in his last three outings, Apolitical Wagon finally broke through in a big way with a his first career stakes victory in the $117,286 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Derby on Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The tenth-fastest qualifier from the trials dueled throughout and held firm at the wire, scoring by a neck over his rival Jolie Laide and fastest qualifier Zoomin Feature. Under jockey Giovani Vazquez-Gomez, the Apolitical Wagon covered the 400 yards in 19.875 seconds into a 5 mph tailwind, earning a 94 speed index. His determined performance rewarded backers with $13.20 on 5-1 odds and added $45,742 to his bankroll.

Apolitical Wagon is campaigned by owner Darryl Murray and conditioned by Jessica Vazquez. Bred in Oklahoma by Bob Moore Farms LLC, the son of Apollitical Blood is out of Pyc First Prize Fany, by Pyc Paint Your Wagon. He was purchased for $45,000 at the 2023 Heritage Place Yearling Sale.

With Saturday’s victory, he has now started 15 times with four wins, four seconds, and one third, boosting his career earnings to $131,911.

Jolie Laide, who had defeated Apolitical Wagon earlier this season in the Horseshoe Indianapolis QHRAI Derby on June 19, could not hold him off this time and settled for second, beaten by a neck under rider Luis Luna Diaz.

The connections of Apolitical Wagon accept the $117,286 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Derby winning trophy at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Saturday. © Coady Media

Trained by Tim Eggleston for owner and breeder Doug Ruby, the brown filly is by Big Lew and out of the Jesse James Jr mare Two Wines. A $22,000 repurchase at the 2023 Heritage Place Yearling Sale, she has put together a record of five wins and four seconds from 12 starts, with $154,132 in earnings.

Fastest qualifier Zoomin Feature broke on top and dueled gamely before being outfinished at the wire another head back in third. The brown gelding by Jess Zoomin is out of Brookstones Feature, by Brookstone Bay. Bred and owned by Campos Family Ventures LLC, he is trained by Claudio Barraza and ridden by Edgar Diaz.

Zoomin Feature has started 10 times, recording four wins, two seconds, and a third, with earnings of $165,617. His résumé includes last year’s Gordon Mobley Futurity victory and a runner-up effort in this season’s Harley Greene Derby.

Kadillaking finished fourth, followed by Chiln in fifth, Ap Political Patriot sixth, Runninagainstdwind seventh, Tw Trumps Secrets eighth, Racindirtysecrets ninth, and Mercy Im Hot tenth.

About Horseshoe Indianapolis
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