Ocho Rojo, ridden by Victor Urieta Jr, won his heat and clocked the fastest qualifying time on day one of the Grade 2 Sam Houston Futurity trials.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

HOUSTON, TX–MAY 23, 2025–The first night of trials for the $697,725 Sam Houston Futurity [G2] wrapped up Friday evening at Sam Houston Race Park with five horses securing spots in the 350-yard final on June 14.

Leading the group was Ocho Rojo, who delivered the top performance of the evening, stopping the clock in 17.695 with a 95 speed index in the fourth of eight trials.

The Favorite Cartel gelding broke sharply and led wire to wire. Trained by Oscar Constancio, Jr. and ridden by Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr., Ocho Rojo is owned by Florentino Leon.

Ocho Rojo is the first foal out of the Walk Thru Fire mare Sizzling N Fast, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Imaqtpie and from the family of champion Tiny First Effort.

The $135,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate now has two wins from three starts and earnings of $20,233, including a previous appearance as a finalist in the Oklahoma Futurity [G2].

The second-fastest qualifier, Kas He Tells You, posted a time of 17.767 from trial seven. The gelding by Tell Cartel, out of Beaukas by Make It Anywhere, is trained and co-owned by Francisco Javier Garza alongside Carlos Ponce.

Bred by Patrick L. Clemons, he was a $21,000 repurchase from the TQHA Yearling Sale. Kas He Tells You has two wins from three starts, with earnings of $16,840 and a third-place finish in the West Texas Juvenile Stakes. Victor Manuel also rode him.

Joining Ocho Rojo and Kas, He Tells You in the finals, Flawless Grace, A Maverick, and Cm Heavenly Cowboy.

Flawless Grace is a filly by Dulce Sin Tacha out of Heroic Grace by Apollitical Jess. She qualified with a time of 17.928 for trainer Patrick Clemons and jockey Nestor Duran. She is owned by Kelly Yother Equine LLC and bred in Oklahoma by Rolando Resendez.

A Maverick, a gelding by A Revenant out of Down Some Gold by First Down Dash, finished in 18.004. He is trained by Yasmine M. Medina and was ridden by Claudio Ponce Aguilar for owner Triple K Farms.

Rounding out the night’s top five was Cm Heavenly Cowboy, a gelding by Flying Cowboy 123 out of Rays Heavenly Trip by Tac It Like A Man. Bred and owned by Alvaro Munoz, he qualified with a time of 18.020 under jockey H. Javier Hernandez and trainer Bonifacio Bustos.

These three join the top two to complete the five qualifiers from the first night, with five more to be determined in Saturday’s second set of trials. CLICK HERE for the complete results on day on of the Sam Houston Futurity trials.

The second five fastest qualifiers from each day of trials are preferred invites to the $77,525 Sam Houston Juvenile.

Relentless Dasher, a gelding by Kiss My Hocks out of Relentless Rose by Hes Relentless, is top of the list of preferred invitees from day one, who posted the sixth-fastest time of the night at 18.092. Owned by Gerardo Rodriguez and trained by Bobby Muniz Pena, the Texas-bred was bred by Garlyn O. Shelton and ridden by Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr.

CLICK HERE for complete details on day on of the Sam Houston Juvenile trials.

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