Flyin Chilitos has been set at 702 as the morning line favorite for the $130,100 Firecracker Derby (G3) on Friday, July 4, at Delta Downs.

© Dustin Orona Photography

By StallioneSearch

VINTON, LA–JULY 2, 2025–Delta Downs will light up Independence Day with the running of the $130,100 Firecracker Derby (G3) on Friday, July 4.

The 400-yard final brings together the ten fastest qualifiers from the June 12 trials, with an approximate post time of 8:25 p.m. (CDT).

The Grade 3 event is open to three-year-old Quarter Horses foaled in 2022 and features a purse boosted by $75,000 in added money.

Leading the field as the morning line favorite at odds of 7-2 is Flyin Chilitos. The Texas-bred double-registered gelding by second-crop sire Chilitos out of Sensational Senator by Louisiana Senator is owned by Omar Paredes and was bred by Claudia Miranda.

Trained by Leonel Hernandez, Flyin Chilitos will be ridden by champion jockey James A. Flores. Winner of the Texas Hero Futurity(G1) at Lone Star Park last fall, Flyin Chilitos will be looking for his first Quarter Horse stakes win in the Firecracker Derby.

He posted a sharp runner-up finish in the trials, losing by a nose to Seis Chilitos after setting the pace early and being caught right at the wire. He has four wins, four seconds, and one third from twelve career starts, earning over $100,500 to date. His past performances include strong efforts last year at Lone Star and Evangeline, with a career-best 96 speed index.

He’s proven himself a game competitor with solid form at this distance.

Co-morning line choices at 5-1 are #7 Seis Chilitos and #9 Famous Flyin Cowgirl. Seis Chilitos, also by Chilitos and out of Seis Passes by Tres Seis, was bred in Texas by Richard Arizpe and races for owner Jaime Cardenas.

Miguel A. Castillo trains the filly, which will be piloted by Jorge J. Garcia. She fought gamely in the trials to collar Flyin Chilitos at the finish, demonstrating her late kick with earnings of more than $113,000 in twelve starts.

 She won last year’s Sam Houston Juvenile and her trial for the Texas Classic, Dash For Cash and EVD Futurity and was fourth in that final, and she should relish the 400-yard distance of the Derby final.

Famous Flyin Cowgirl, meanwhile, brings local interest as a Louisiana-bred by leading third-crop sire Flying Cowboy 123 out of Famous Numbers Fly by One Famous Eagle.

Bred by Grant Farms LLC and owned by Raul A. Beltran Moreno, she is trained by Jose Carrizales and will have Ricardo Hernandez, Jr. aboard. Famous Flyin Cowgirl surged late to win her trial with a determined finish and has now won three of twelve starts for career earnings topping $54,000. She has hit the board consistently throughout her young career, including strong efforts this spring at Sunland Park.

With these top contenders and a deep field of ten set to go, the Firecracker Derby should deliver plenty of July 4 fireworks on the track at Delta Downs.

Fans can look forward to a full card of Quarter Horse racing, with exactas, trifectas, superfectas, and multi-race wagers available to celebrate the holiday under the Louisiana lights.

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