Paradise Pete draws clear under Luis Martinez to score a length victory in the $67,875 AQRA–Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby on Wednesday.

© Coady Media

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 31, 2025—Paradise Pete ended the 2025 season with an exclamation mark on Wednesday, earning his first black type score with a minor upset in the $67,875 AQRA–Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby at Turf Paradise.

Breaking fifth from the gates under Luis Martinez, Paradise Pete quickly made that early position irrelevant. The three-year-old gelding gathered himself within a few strides, powered to the front at the first call and kept right on going, drawing clear late for a length victory over Cd Favorite Lady.

He missed wiping the standing 400-yard track record by only 4/1000ths of a second, stopping the clock in 19.488 seconds and earning a 107 speed index, just a blink away from the 19.484 mark set in 2019 by One Famous Icon. The win paid $12.20, and the Derby was worth $33,938 to the winner.

Pardise Pete’s winning connections from the $67,875 AQRA–Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby on Wednesday.© Coady Media

Owned by Stephen Harris and trained by David Gomez-Barraza, Paradise Pete was piloted by Martinez for his fourth career win from 14 starts, pushing his lifetime earnings to $91,256..

The son of leading third-year sire Flying Cowboy 123 is out of Fire Specialist by Walk Thru Fire, and was bred in Maryland by Stephen Marshall Harris. The Derby was Paradise Pete’s first stakes win, and it fit right in with the rest of his season, which included a second-place finish in the Ruidoso Maiden Stakes and a finalist effort in the La Fiesta Derby.

Cd Favorite Lady held second after a determined chase throughout but was outfinished late, coming homea length behind the winner and a neck in front of the third-place finisher. The chestnut filly is bred and owned by Cesar Dabdoub, trained by Havid Canez and was ridden by Cerapio Figueroa.

She has now made 15 starts with four wins, four seconds and three thirds, and her lifetime earnings stand at $69,628. The California-bred daughter of Favorite Cartel is out of Jessa Lady Cee by Mr Jess Perry. Earlier this season, Cd Favorite Lady won the Downs Fall Distaff Stakes, was third in the AQRA Presidents Open Spring Derby and was a finalist in the Wayne Brasher Memorial Stakes.

Fly Girl 123 completed the trifecta after staying in contention to the wire but hanging late, settling for third half a length back under Brian Barraza for owner-trainer Heber Deyta-Melendez. From 12 starts, the bay filly has recorded two wins, two seconds and two thirds, with lifetime earnings of $50,984. She also placed third behind Paradise Pete earlier this season in the Ruidoso Maiden Stakes.

Fly Girl 123 is by also Flying Cowboy 123 and out of Miss Southern Dd by FDD Dynasty. The A $30,000 Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale graduate was bred in Oklahoma by Sam W Green. Fly Girl 123.

Four Sweet Kid finished fourth, followed by Nine One Won in fifth, Set the Edge in sixth, Fedra in seventh, Jess a Dash of Class in eighth, Imm a Heart On Fire in ninth and Sweet Fire Wes rounding out the field in tenth.

AQRA–Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby Consolation Recap
Goodbye Tyme delivered a sharp front-running performance to take the $17,800 AQRA–Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Derby Consolation on December 31, stopping the clock in 19.690 seconds over 400 yards. Breaking clean from the rail, the sorrel gelding by Tell Cartel cleared the field early, drifted slightly late, but had enough in reserve to hold safe at the wire under Oscar Andrade Jr.

Sassy Angel finished second following disqualification of Masters Hand, who was demoted from second to fourth for interference in the stretch drive. High Flying Cowgirl was elevated to third after being crowded late, while Fire Is Burnin completed the superfecta with a steady mid-pack effort.

Heartlande checked in sixth after breaking inward and finishing evenly. Rr More was seventh with no mishap, while A Shot of Luck finished eighth after being crowded and pushed in the stretch. Quick Disciple Dash completed the order of finish in ninth after being crowded and checked early in the running.

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