Surfinoverthemoon and jockey Jacob Cardenas roll to the fastest qualifying time of :15.236 in the Don Lockie Derby trials May 3 at Miles City.

© Bucking Horse Sale

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

MILES CITY, MT–MAY 3, 2026– Five trial heats were contested May 3 at Miles City to determine the finalists for the $50,000-estimated Don Lockie Derby, with three-year-olds racing 300 yards. The final is scheduled for May 16.

Surfinoverthemoon and jockey Jacob Cardenas secured the fastest qualifying time of :15.236, earning a 107 speed index while winning the fourth trial by 1 1/4 lengths.

The gelding broke sharply from the inside and quickly drew clear for owner Lana Matt and trainer Jess Matt.

Bred by Walter Larson, Surfinoverthemoon is by Corona Surfer and out of the Apollo (TB) mare Dashmetothemoon, a stakes winner. He now owns a 9-2-4-1 record with $30,852 in earnings and was previously fourth in the Energy Downs Futurity.

Kit Karsyn posted the second-fastest qualifying time of :15.258 with a 106 speed index, winning the third trial by 1 1/4 lengths under Luis Peralta. The gelding was bred by Steve Denny and is owned by Juanita Villegas, who also trains.

Sired by champion Dulce Sin Tacha, he is out of the Apollitical Jess mare Ventura Highway. His female family includes a half-sister to stakes winner Not For Long ($154,048). Kit Karsyn now holds a race record of 7-2-2-1 with $32,297 in earnings and was third in last year’s Bucking Horse Sale Futurity.

Rc Juliet secured the third-fastest qualifying time of :15.314 while earning a 104 speed index in the final trial. Ridden by Damion Marinelarena, the filly dueled throughout before getting up by a neck for owner Anthony Ruiz and trainer Abraham Felix.

Bred by R C Running Horses, she is by champion The Fiscal Cliff and out of the Stoli mare Ms Otoole. Rc Juliet is a half-sister to stakes winner Chendo ($193,327) and stakes-placed RC Jet Two ($20,996), from the family of champion Eyesa Special ($1,294,911). She now owns a 5-3-1-0 record with $21,175 in earnings and ended her 2025 season with a runner-up finish in the Mile High Futurity.

The Don Lockie Derby final on May 16 is expected to feature a competitive field, with the top qualifiers separated by just over a tenth of a second following a fast night of trials.

View full list of qualifiers HERE.

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