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Maiden Runners Chase First Career Victory In $30,000 G.C.F.A. Maiden Classic Stakes
Sunday afternoon at Gillespie County Fairgrounds features a 10-race program beginning at 1:00 p.m. The featured event is the tenth and final race.

© Gillespie County Fair
Maiden Runners Chase First Career Victory In $30,000 G.C.F.A. Maiden Classic Stakes

By Louanne Wainscott, StallioneSearch

FREDERICKSBURG, TX–JULY 4, 2026–Sunday afternoon at Gillespie County Fairgrounds features a 10-race program beginning at 1:00 p.m. The featured event is the tenth and final race, in which a field of 10 maidens, 3-year-olds and up, will sprint 350 yards in the $30,000 G.C.F.A. Maiden Classic Stakes at approximately 4:45 p.m.

Iceman Watters has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The three-year-old gelding has been knocking on the door of his first career victory, finishing second twice and third three times in 11 starts. He enters the stakes in consistent form, having hit the board in each of his last three outings, including a runner-up finish in his most recent start. He has earned $14,070.

Owned and bred in Texas by Sunset Well Service, Inc., Iceman Watters is by Muddy Watters and out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Takillya Gurl. Arnold Lewis trains the gelding, who will break from post three with jockey Oliver E. Martinez aboard.

Favorito Cartier is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line and brings plenty of upside to the race. The lightly raced three-year-old gelding has made just three career starts and delivered a strong runner-up effort at Remington Park in his only 2026 start. He ships to Gillespie County looking to turn that promising performance into his first career victory.

Owned by Cream Of The Crop, Inc., the California-bred gelding is by Favorite Cartel and out of the One Famous Eagle mare La Eagle. He is trained by Heber Deyta-Melendez and will break from post nine with Ruben Castro in the saddle.

The rest of the field consists of consistent maidens who have shown enough ability to make this one of the most competitive races on the program. With several runners coming off strong efforts and all seeking their first trip to the winner's circle, the $30,000 G.C.F.A. Maiden Classic Stakes has the ingredients for an exciting finish down the 350-yard stretch.

 

 

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