Cowboys Flying, ridden by Victor Manuel Urieta Jr., sets the fastest qualifying time in the Texas Breeders Futurity trials at Sam Houston Race Park on April 17.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

HOUSTON, TX–APRIL 17, 2026– Sam Houston Race Park hosted 15 trials for the Texas Breeders Futurity to determine the 10 fastest qualifiers to the $541,000 final. The trials were contested at 330 yards.

Flying Cowboy 123 made a major impact on the trials, siring six of the 10 qualifiers, including the three fastest times of the night.

Fastest qualifier Cowboys Flying delivered the top performance, stopping the clock in :16.834 seconds while posting a 94 speed index in the ninth trial. The gelding broke sharply and dueled early before finishing with a strong drive to secure the fastest time.

Bred by Dr. Tommy Hays, he is owned by Double J Racing, trained by Ramiro Villarreal and ridden by Victor Manuel Urieta Jr., who qualified four runners.

A $53,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate, Cowboys Flying is out of the winning Carters Cartel mare Cartels Lady. The gelding earned $6,000 from his first career start.

Second fastest qualifier Apollitical Cowboy finished second to the top qualifier after dueling throughout the race, stopping the clock in :16.964 seconds with a 90 speed index.

Bred by JP Quarter Horses, the only breeder to qualify more than one runner, he is owned by Armando Luis Castellanos and Alfonso Rangel, trained by Santiago Villaseca and ridden by Jorge Javier Garcia, who also qualified another runner.

The $50,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate is out of the High Rate Of Return mare Too Kool To Return. The female family includes Grade 1 winner Beduinos Rusty and world champion Whosleavingwho.

Third fastest qualifier Reverzcowgirl, also sired by Flying Cowboy 123, won the 14th trial by 1 1/2 lengths, stopping the clock in :16.983 seconds while posting a 90 speed index.

A $60,000 repurchase at the TQHA Yearling Sale, she is a homebred for Melissa Tiner, who also owns her. The filly is trained by John Stinebaugh and was ridden by Gilberto Linares. S

he is out of the winning Tres Seis mare Miz Kay and from the family of graded stakes winner Makeala.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will return for the Texas Breeders Futurity final on May 9 at Sam Houston Race Park.

Full qualifier list can be viewed HERE.

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