Idaho-bred runners will compete in Idaho Cup Futurity and Derby trials on May 2 to kick off the 2026 season at Pocatello Downs.

© Pocatello Downs

By Stallionesearch / Louanne Wainscott
 

POCATELLO, ID–April 29, 2026—The curtain rises on the 2026 season at Pocatello Downs this Saturday, May 2, as a nine-race card packed with Idaho-Bred talent takes center stage on Kentucky Derby Day. With hats on and anticipation high, fans will be treated to a full slate of trials for the IQHA Idaho Cup Futurity and IQHA Idaho Cup Derby, where speed is everything, and only the fastest will return for the finals on May 25.

Thirty Idaho-Bred juveniles headline the early portion of the card, competing in five trial heats at 300 yards in races two through six. Each youngster will be chasing a top ten qualifying time in what promises to be a fast and competitive debut stage. The Derby division follows in races seven and eight, where thirteen Idaho-Bred sophomores will line up at 350 yards, also vying for a spot in their respective final.

The first Futurity trial is scheduled as race two with a post time of approximately 1:30 PM, setting the tone for a day that blends new beginnings with high-stakes opportunity. Among the standout barns, trainers Sergio Canales and Ramiro Fregoso come loaded, each sending out five entrants across the trials.

Canales may hold a strong early hand in race two with Hr Trainsamovin, listed at 5-2 on the morning line. The filly has already turned heads in the mornings, posting the fastest gate work among the entrants with a sharp 220-yard drill in :12.09, ranking 3rd of 13 that day. By Freighttrain B and out of Bk Roxyamovin, the Hemsley Ranch runner appears well-prepared to fire fresh. Jockey Jesus J. Canales gets the call from post two for his brother and trainer.

Fregoso counters later in the card with Tillys Kiss of Power in the sixth race, the final Futurity trial. Installed at 2-1 morning line odds, the gelding brings a strong pedigree by Power Jam out of Kiss a Kardashian and represents Five Livestock Company, LLC. With Oscar Villa aboard from post five, he faces a deep field but has the credentials to contend.

Also in the final heat, an Idaho homebred filly owned by Eddie Jensen looms as the 8-5 morning line favorite. By Flying Cowboy 123 out of Royal Fooseperrypie, she has shown promise in two published gate works, including a 250-yard breeze in:13.04 that ranked 3rd of 50 on April 20. Trainer Tony Hyde appears to have her dialed in for a peak effort, with Luis Cruz Ruiz set to guide her from post three.

As these thirty juveniles break from the gate for the first time in their careers, connections will be looking not just for a clean trip, but for a clocking fast enough to earn a return trip on May 25. Every stride matters in these tightly contested sprints.

The spotlight then shifts to the Derby division, where thirteen sophomores step forward in races seven and eight at 350 yards. In the first trial, Rtm Hot Milk enters as the 2-1 morning line favorite and brings an undefeated resume into her three-year-old debut. The filly swept four starts last year, capturing the IQHA Idaho Cup Futurity, Prineville QH Futurity, and Idaho Bred QH Futurity while earning $28,940. By Kiss My Hocks and out of Rtm Say Your Prayers, she will break from the outside post seven under jockey Jose A. Figueroa for trainer Mark Hanson.

Race eight features’ Cartels Speedo as the 2-1 morning line favorite in the second Derby trial. The Idaho homebred gelding returns off a productive two-year-old season that included victories in the Bitterroot Juvenile Stakes and Elko Intermountain Futurity, compiling earnings of $30,036. By Iba Cartel and out of String a Game, he will be saddled by Sergio Canales and ridden by Jesus J. Canales from post five as he looks to stamp himself as a leading contender in the division.

The afternoon concludes with the $8,600 Pocatello Downs Spring Overnight Championship at 400 yards, where a field of seasoned runners will close the program. Mysterious Cartel stands out as the 3-1 morning line favorite, bringing a strong resume that includes a victory in the G3 AQHA Derby Challenge Championship Stakes. The four-year-old gelding has compiled six wins and seven seconds from seventeen starts, earning $192,439 for owner Luis A. Gonzalez. By Five Bar Cartel and out of Mysterious Night, he will break from post four under jockey Cesar T. Moreno for trainer Abelardo Gonzalez.

With a first post time of 1:00 PM, Pocatello Downs delivers a season opener filled with fresh faces, proven performers, and the electric urgency of qualifying trials. On a day that celebrates racing nationwide, Idaho’s best will seize the spotlight, chasing speed, opportunity, and a place in the finals.

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