Relentless Rocket is among fourteen 3-year-olds lining up for the $42,300 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby trials on Thursday.

© Coady Media

By Louanne Wainscott / Stallionesearch

SHAKOPEE, MN–August 5, 2025–Thursday evening at Canterbury Park, the spotlight turns to the sophomore class as fourteen 3-year-olds line up for the $42,300 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby Trials.

Split into two heats, the top ten fastest times across both trials will earn coveted spots in the Canterbury Park Derby Finals on August 21, 2025.

With a mixture of proven stakes runners, local stars, and rising contenders, the trials promise a high-level showdown over 400 yards on the main track under the lights.

The first heat is headlined by Relentless Rocket, the 9-5 morning line favorite, who returns following a strong third-place finish in the $118,000 Prairie Meadows Gold Derby Finals on July 13. With career earnings of $93,195, the gelding already boasts major wins in the Northlands Futurity and Valley Junction Juvenile Stakes.

Sired by Hes Relentless and out of Mai Corona by Corona Cartel, Relentless Rocket was bred in South Dakota by Tom & Bill Maher and races for Tom Maher. Top trainer Jason L. Olmstead sends him out from post one with Ramiro H. Garcia aboard, aiming to punch his ticket to another stakes final.

Racing from post six, L Conejo enters with momentum after winning the $29,000 North Star State Derby and running second in the $20,000 Bob Morehouse Stakes. The One Sweet Jess gelding has two wins and eight in-the-money finishes from 12 starts, earning $47,303.

Bred in Minnesota by Jaqueline Moreno, L Conejo is owned and trained by Haley N. Hobbs, with Fernando Fonseca-Soto in the irons.

Don’t overlook Curlie D, a gutsy filly who has faced elite competition across the country. With $97,012 in earnings and 11 on-the-board finishes in 14 starts, she enters with the class to surprise.

By Uncle D and out of Veuve Clicquot by Pyc Paint Your Wagon, she’s campaigned by Cavenaugh Quarter Horses, LLC, trained by Jason Olmstead, and will break from post five under Francisco R. Ramirez, Jr.

In the second trial, Rompe Corazones draws top billing as the 9-5 morning line favorite for trainer Rigoberto Gullen. The filly has never missed the board in nine career starts, highlighted by a win in the $56,075 AQRA Turf Paradise Presidents Open Futurity Invitational and a runner-up finish in the AQRA Turf Paradise Open Spring Derby earlier this year.

By Corona Cartel out of Stars R Blue by Okey Dokey Dale, she was bred and is owned by Balgo Racing Team Inc., with Mark A. Jasso up from post five.

Breaking from post one, Da Lie Lah brings solid form off a hard-fought allowance win. The Apollitical Jess filly previously qualified for the $80,400 Northlands Futurity and competed in the North Star State Derby despite trouble at the break.

Out of Paint Or More by Pyc Paint Your Wagon, she was bred in Minnesota by Lunderborg, LLC, who also owns her. Jason L. Olmstead trains, with Armando Alvidrez in the saddle.

At the end of Thursday night’s trials, the ten fastest times will advance to the $42,300 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby Finals, where a strong purse and regional prestige await.

The Canterbury Park Races can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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