Mc Blue Cartel turned in the fastest time of the day under Victor Urieta during Friday’s schooling races at Louisiana Downs.

© Ann Switalski Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

BOSSIER CITY, LA–FEBRUARY 13, 2026–Louisiana Downs held its first 2026 schooling race Friday, February 13, conducting 14 races for two-year-olds preparing for the upcoming Louisiana Downs Futurity and Mardi Gras Futurity. The card provided an early look at the 2024 foal crop as the spring stakes schedule approaches.

A total of 83 juveniles were entered, with 69 going to the gate. Of those, 53 were graduates of the LQHBA Yearling Sale. Apollitical Latino, the highest-priced LQHBA graduate on Friday’s card at $77,000, captured the third race under jockey Victor Urieta for owner Jaime Cardenas.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE RESULTS

Mc Blue Cartel turned in the fastest time of the day, winning race 12 in 12.021 seconds under jockey Victor Urieta from post two. Josue Ponce trains the filly by Carters Cartel for owner Jaime Cardenas. She was bred in Louisiana by Bottoms Up Racing out of Mc Bluecorona by Jess Louisiana Blue. The filly was a $10,000 repurchase at the 2025 LQHBA Yearling Sale.

The second-fastest clocking came in race four when Epyphany stopped the timer in 12.133 seconds with Yaidel Rodriguez aboard. The colt is by Apollitical Blood. He was bred by Jagger Horse Racing out of W Project by Power Storm. Luis Martinez trains the $27,000 LQHBA Yearling Sale graduate for owner Rene Adan Rodriguez.

Jes Innocent posted the third-fastest time of the day while finishing second to Mc Blue Cartel in race 12. Ismael Solis trains the filly for owner Dewey Kendrick III. She was bred by Eddie Cramer along with Tom and Bill Maher out of Jess All That by Corona Cartel. The black filly sold for $15,000 at last year’s LQHBA Yearling Sale.

The schooling races resume Saturday at 11 a.m. with seven additional races on the schedule. These training events serve as a key stepping stone toward the 2026 Mardi Gras Futurity and the 2026 Louisiana Downs Open Futurity (G3).

The Mardi Gras Futurity, restricted to accredited Louisiana-bred foals of 2024, will offer $100,000 added and an estimated purse of $600,000. Trials are set for March 7, with the 300-yard final scheduled for March 28.

The Louisiana Downs Open Futurity, open to all Quarter Horse foals of 2024, will feature $75,000 added and an estimated purse of $250,000. Trials will be contested March 5, with the final also scheduled for March 28 at 300 yards. In both futurities, the 10 fastest qualifiers from the trials will advance to their respective finals.

CHECK OUT THE SCHOOLING RACES ONLINE
StallioneSearch.com will provide complete coverage of all schooling races throughout the season, including names, times, finishes, sire, dam, sale price, owner, trainer, and jockey, giving horsemen an early evaluation tool ahead of trial entries.

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Results for the schooling races will be available on StallioneSearch.com. SIGN UP for email updates to receive schooling race results and additional industry information.

COMPLETE RESULTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE
CLICK HERE for complete results, including sires, dams, owners, trainers, jockeys, and summer sale prices where applicable.

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About Louisiana Downs
Located on 280 acres near Shreveport in Bossier City, Louisiana, it opened on October 30, 1974, with approximately 15,000 fans in attendance for the first day of its inaugural meet. Built by the late shopping center magnate Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr., the track was a success, setting numerous national records for handling and attendance throughout the 1970s and ’80s. In 1980, plans were announced for the first running of the Super Derby, a 1-1/4 mile race to be run in the fall with the hope of attracting the best three-year-olds in the country and impacting the end-of-the-year championships. With a $500,000 purse, the race was the richest ever for three-year-old Thoroughbreds.

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