Multiple stakes winner Relentless Rocket, with jockey Armando Alvidrez aboard, posted the fastest time for the $110,420 Altoona Derby on Monday afternoon at Prairie Meadows.

© Jack Coady Photography

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

ALTOONA, IA—SEPTEMBER 8, 2025—Relentless Rocket soared to the top of the leaderboard on Monday afternoon at Prairie Meadows, posting the fastest qualifying time from two trials contested for the $110,420 Altoona Derby.

Ten 3-year-olds earned their berths into the 400-yard final, which will be run on Friday, September 26.

Owned by Tom Maher and trained by Jason L. Olmstead, Relentless Rocket covered the distance in 20.274 seconds with Armando Alvidrez aboard, defeating The Criminal by 1 ¼ lengths in the first of two trials.

Bred in South Dakota by Tom and Bill Maher, the gelded son of Hes Relentless is out of the Corona Cartel mare Mai Corona. Relentless Rocket, who has been a consistent performer this season, handled a 10-mph headwind and a fast track surface easily to secure his spot as the fastest qualifier.

Relentless Rocket has won three consecutive races and entered the trials after winning the Canterbury Park Derby on August 21. The gelding, who also won last season's Northlands Futurity and Valley Junction Juvenile, has won eight of 16 starts and banked $120,960.

The second-fastest time of the afternoon belonged to I Know You Know, who edged clear late to win the second trial in 20.364 seconds under jockey Miguel Josue Ramirez.

The gray gelding is owned by Bradbury Racing and John D. Hammes and is trained by Hammes. Bred in Oklahoma by Tom Bradbury and John Hammes, I Know You Know is by champion Kvn Corona and out of Who You Know, a daughter of One Famous Eagle. Third in the John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile last year, I Know You Know has banked $37,582 in 12 starts.

Other notable qualifiers include Too Sixy By Far, a filly by Corona Cartel, and The Criminal, a $50,000 Ruidoso Yearling Sale purchase by Apollitical Jess, who finished second in Relentless Rocket’s heat.

The $110,420 Altoona Derby final is set for Friday, September 26, 2025, at Prairie Meadows, where the ten fastest from today’s trials will return to decide championship honors over 400 yards.

CLICK HERE for the complete lists including connections, times, and breeding.
 

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