Morning-line favorite Warning Shott headlines the $30,000 Regional Adequan Derby Challenge Final on Saturday at Century Mile.

© Ryan Haynes Photography

By Kathy Butkovic

ALBERTA, CA–JUNE 19, 2026–Quarter Horse racing fans will have the opportunity to watch some of Alberta’s top young horses compete for a chance at an international stage this Saturday, June 20, as Century Mile Racetrack and Casino hosts the AQHA Regional Challenge of the Adequan Derby Challenge and Regional John Deere Juvenile Challenge.

Part of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Racing Challenge program, these division races serve as regional qualifiers for the 2026 Racing Challenge Championships, scheduled for October 17 at The Downs at Albuquerque. The prestigious championship event brings together qualifiers from across Canada, the United States, and Mexico to compete in five divisions.

The day’s action begins with the Regional John Deere Juvenile Challenge Final Futurity in Race 1, with a post time of 4:45 p.m. MT. The $30,000, 350-yard final features five promising 2-year-old Quarter Horses that are looking to take the next step toward Albuquerque.

Carson Frey is a familiar face in Alberta Thoroughbred racing, but his roots in racing began with Quarter Horses. Frey got his start working for veteran trainer William H. Leech at just 14 years old and spent four years learning the ropes with one of Alberta's most accomplished Quarter Horse horsemen.

This weekend, Frey will saddle his first AQHA Racing Challenge starters, sending out A Dashing Wagon and Secret Wagon in Saturday’s Regional John Deere Juvenile Challenge Final. The race also brings a familiar connection, as Frey will go up against his former teacher, with Leech-trained Great Falls entering the futurity as the morning-line favourite.

"It's pretty exciting," said Frey. "A couple of other trainers joked and said, 'Go get that buckle!' I never really thought about that, but it would be cool."

Frey currently has 15 Thoroughbreds in training, with A Dashing Wagon and Secret Wagon his only two Quarter Horses. The pair are homebreds owned and bred by Delton and Betty Gehring of Nanton, Alberta, and sired by JD Wagonboss. Frey says simply reaching the AQHA Regional Challenge is an accomplishment.

"I appreciate Del trusting me to prepare and take care of his homebreds," said Frey. "With 2-year-olds, there's always a little more pressure. You're always thinking, 'Did I do everything I can to prepare you for this?' You want them to do everything right on race day, but most importantly, you want them to come back safe and sound."

While a spot in the AQHA Racing Challenge Championships remains the ultimate goal, Frey is focused on giving the Gehring family a race to remember.

"The Challenge races are all exciting," he said. "Just to be involved in this race is pretty intense. It would be extra special if we could do well for Del and Betty with a couple that they raised."

Regional John Deere Juvenile Challenge Final Futurity

Race 1

Post Time: 4:45 p.m. MT
Purse: $30,000

Distance: 350 yards

2-Year-Old Quarter Horses

The Regional Adequan Derby Challenge will follow in Race 3 at 5:45 p.m. MT, featuring seven talented 3-year-olds competing over 400 yards for a $30,000 purse and the opportunity to advance toward the 2026 AQHA Racing Challenge Championships.

The Derby field features a strong hand from the red-hot barn of trainer William H. Leech, who recently celebrated an impressive milestone of 900 career Quarter Horse training wins. Leech sends out three of the seven finalists in the 400-yard championship event, all owned by Alberta Quarter Horse Racing Association (AQHRA) President Jerry Stojan: Warning Shott (CA), West Southwest (CA), and Cervezas Fire (AB).

Stojan’s success in the AQHA Racing Challenge program extends beyond Saturday’s entries, as he was named the 2025 AQHA Racing Challenge Champion Owner, recognizing his outstanding accomplishments throughout the regional qualifying season. With three contenders in Saturday’sDerby final, Stojan will look to continue that success on the road toward Albuquerque.

Warning Shott enters the final with a perfect record at Century Mile in 2026, having won both of her starts at the track this season. The 3-year-old filly will now take on the increased 400-yard distance as she looks to continue her winning season in the $30,000 Regional Adequan Derby Challenge Final.

The field also features O Sawyer (AB), who returns at three years old after capturing last year’s Regional John Deere Juvenile Challenge title at Century Mile as a 2-year-old. The gelding will look to continue his successful Challenge journey and earn another opportunity to compete on the championship stage in Albuquerque.

Regional Adequan Derby Challenge Final

Race 3

Post Time: 5:45 p.m. MT
Purse: $30,000

Distance: 400 yards

3-Year-Old Quarter Horses

Alberta is home to the largest population of AQHA registered Quarter Horses in Canada, and Saturday’s Regional Challenge finals are a showcase of the depth and talent within the province’s Quarter Horse racing industry. Built by longtime owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys, and dedicated horsemen and women, Alberta’s Quarter Horse community continues to produce teams capable of competing at the highest levels of the sport.

With all eyes on Albuquerque, Saturday’s competitors will be racing for more than just a win. For the horses that reach the winner’s circle, the next stop will be the 2026 AQHA Racing Challenge Championships at The Downs at Albuquerque, where they will have the opportunity to represent Alberta on an international stage.

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