Tw Streakin Cowboy and jockey Diego Villamil Bocanegra posted the fastest Governors Stake trial time on Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

© Coady Media

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

SHELBYVILLE, IN—OCTOBER 4, 2025—Tw Streakin Cowboy emerged as the fastest qualifier from five trials held Saturday for the $320,750 Governors Stake at Horseshoe Indianapolis, stopping the timer in 19.933 for 400 yards under jockey Diego Villamil Bocanegra.

The 2-year-old gelding by leading sire Flying Cowboy 123 out of Wh Imastreakinbeach by Escondido Beach is owned and bred by Thomas Wylie of Indiana and trained by Natasha Perez.

Tw Streakin Cowboy edged Wr Hott Shott by a head in the second trial to earn the top qualifying spot and will return for the October 25 final, during the sixth annual Indiana Champions Day. Quarter Horses are featured in the program's second half and will offer record purses of $1 million for the day, the first in Indiana Quarter Horse history. 

Tw Streakin Cowboy entered the race off a stakes win in the John Deere Horseshoe Indianapolis Juvenile Challenge in his last start on September 16. He has banked $25,800 in four starts.

Mr Booombastic, under jockey Martin Munoz, winning the opening trial on Saturday. © Coady Media

Just a head behind was Wr Hott Shott, who posted the second-fastest time of 19.952 for owner Raymond A. Whitmire. The Oklahoma-bred gelding is by One Famous Eagle and out of Kontemporary by American Runaway, bred by Whitmire Ranch.

Trained by Tim Eggleston and ridden by Luis Eduardo Luna Diaz, Wr Hott Shott broke sharply and led much of the way before being caught near the wire by the eventual top qualifier. Second in the Heartland Futurity in July and second to Tw Streakin Cowboy in the John Deere Horseshoe Indianapolis Juvenile Challenge in his last start, Wr Hott Shott has earned $63,736 off a (6) 2-3-0 record.

Rounding out the top three qualifiers was Heza Hawkeye, who recorded a 20.103 clocking while finishing third in the same trial. The Texas-bred gelding by Hawkeye out of Sheza Bugsy by Azoom races for R Chavez Racing LLC and was bred by Torres Buildings.

Lynard, under jockey Luz Martinez, scored in the third Governors Stake trial on Saturday. © Coady Media

German Rodriguez trains and rides the gelding, purchased for $8,500 at the 2024 TQHA Yearling Sale. A winner of three of six starts, Heza Hawkeye won the Heartland Futurity in July and was a finalist in the QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity(RG3) in August. He has earned $122,273.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from the five trials will return for the Governors Stake final on Saturday, October 25, at Horseshoe Indianapolis, where the 2-year-olds will compete for the $320,750 purse at 400 yards.

Trainer Tim Eggleston saddles three for the final (WR Hott Shott, The Unsung Hero, One Magic Eagle) while Natasha Perez (TW Streakin Cowboy, TW Girls Gray Corona) and Ricardo Martinez (Mr Booombastic, Ole Slew Foot) each saddle two.

Tw Streakin Cowboy’s determined effort underlined the depth of this year’s field, with less than two-tenths of a second separating the top three finishers. All three colts will look to carry their trial form into the lucrative final later this month.

One Magic Eagle and jockey Luis Luna Diaz won the fourth Governors Stake trial Saturday. © Coady Media

Kicking off the day of racing in the first trial was a win by Mr Booombastic and Martin Munoz. The son of leading first-crop sire Dulce Sin Tacha led the field from gate to wire for the win by a neck in a three-horse photo in a time of 20.157 to be ranked as the fourth fastest behind the trial won by TW Streakin Cowboy.

First Angel and Fernando Morin finished second over The Unsung Hero and Eduardo Diaz.

Mr Booombastic scored his third win in five starts for Trainer Ricardo Martinez. Carlos Ramos owns the Oklahoma-bred out of Dancing Iam by Apollo (TB). The sorrel colt was a $22,000 Heritage Place September Yearling Sale purchase last fall.

"We bought him at the sale last year, looking for a deal on a new stud," said Martinez. "They all came out good from him this year, so you can’t get one of his foals now for the price we got. (Mr Booombastic) already has a stakes win for us, and he’s shown us a lot. He’s just a little short, but other than that, he is great."

Mr Booombastic and TW Streakin Cowboy set the bar early on the day, with two other trial winners, Lynard (L. Daniel Martinez) and One Magic Eagle (Eduardo Diaz), rounding out the top 10 headed to the final. Go Lota Girl, ridden by Martin Munoz, was the fifth trial winner but did not qualify for the final with a time of 20.613.

CLICK HERE for the entire field with times, breeding lines, and connections for the Governors Stake Final.

The second 10 fastest qualifiers from the Governors Stake trials are preferred invites to the $30,000 Governors Stake Juvenile that will also run back on Saturday, October 25, at Horseshoe Indianapolis. For a list of those horses, CLICK HERE.

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The Governors Stake is Indiana's oldest pari-mutuel Quarter Horse race. It was the first of three held during the inaugural night in 1997 at Hoosier Park and was won by Easys Night Beat with Carter Riley aboard for Trainer Randy Haffner and owners Mike and Mary Jo Renihan for a purse of $10,000. This year’s final at $320,750 will mark a new record for purse money for the race.

The 23rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Thursday, Nov. 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.

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