Retama Park's 2026 Schooling Races kick of Wednesday January 4.

© Jack Coady Photogrpahy

By StallioneSearch

SELMA, TX–JANUARY 31, 2026– Action for the 2026 2-year-old crop of American Quarter Horses will begin Wednesday, February 4, when Retama Park hosts 12 schooling races for juveniles.

The non-parimutuel races will be contested at 250 yards and are designed to provide young horses with experience as they prepare for their 2-year-old racing season.

Five six-figure sale graduates are entered to run Wednesday, including two graduates of the TQHA Yearling Sale.

Breaking from post 5 in race six is Not A Little Deal, a $100,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate. The colt is sired by Dealagame and out of the winning Jodys Money Pop mare Little Affection, a half-sister to Champion Kiss My Hocks and to the dam of 2025 leading second-year sire Chilitos. Not A Little Deal is a half-brother to stakes winner and Grade 1 finalist Hawkabye Baby. His second dam is Grade 1 stakes-placed Romancing Mary, a half-sister to the dam of Grade 1 winners San Lorenzo Ivory and Gold Digging Ashley, who set a new 300-yard track record at Will Rogers Downs. Victor Urieta Jr. will ride for owner Reynaldo Munoz and trainer B. Pena.

In race eight, breaking from post 6, is Dashing Cowboy, by Champion and leading sire Flying Cowboy 123. The colt is out of the multiple-winning Tempting Dash mare Entycing. His second dam is Jess Significant, by Mr Jess Perry, winner of the Ruidoso Futurity (G1), third in the Lubbock Stakes (G3), and a Grade 1 finalist in races including the All American Futurity. Owned by Valenzuelas Racing Stables, Dashing Cowboy will be ridden by E. Sanchez for trainer J. Sanchez III.

The highest-selling graduate entered Wednesday is AJ There He Goes, a $160,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate. Sired by all-time leading single-season sire Apollitical Jess, the gelding is out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Get There, who was stakes-placed in the Sam Houston Stakes. His pedigree traces to third dam Miss Racy Eyes, an established stakes performer by Mr Jess Perry who won the Speedhorse Gold and Silver Cup Futurity (G2), ran third in the Valley Junction Futurity (G2), and was a Grade 1 finalist. E. Sanchez will ride for trainer J. Sanchez III and owner Michael Valenzuela.

Champion and leading sire Flying Cowboy 123 is well represented in the group, accounting for eight of the runners entered. The Champion sire has produced more than $17.2 million in progeny earnings, including two-time Champion and All American Futurity (G1) winner Cowboys Gun Z and two-time Champion and Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) winner Lethal Cowboy 123.

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.

A program, including sires, dams, owners, trainers, jockeys, and summer sale prices where applicable is available HERE.

Additional schooling races are scheduled for February 18 and March 11 and 25, with April 1 added if needed. All races will begin at noon, with free admission and parking.

Retama Park’s regular Quarter Horse race meet will run from June 25 through August 22, with race nights on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday beginning at 6:30 p.m. (CT). A complete schedule of events and race dates is available at www.RetamaPark.com.

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ABOUT RETAMA PARK
Retama Park is a Class 1 pari-mutuel horse racetrack located in Selma, Texas, just 20 minutes from downtown San Antonio. Live Quarter Horse races occur each summer, while simulcast wagering and worldwide races are shown daily. Managed by Penn Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ – PENN), Retama Park opened in 1995 and is hosting its 31st horse racing season this year. For more information and racing schedules, please visit www.RetamaPark.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube.

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