BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

FARGO, NM–JULY 18, 2024–Nineteen North Dakota-bred juveniles led by stakes winner Im Rip are entered in Saturday's 350-yard NDQHRA Futurity (R) trials at North Dakota Horse Park.

A homebred son of the Corona Cartel stallion ...

AJAX, ONT–JULY 15, 2024–Two trials for the $55,000 Ontario Bred Futurity plus the $39,960 Ontario Bred Maturity, featuring the great Had to Be Ivory, highlight an action-packed card of racing at Ajax Downs this Wednesday, July 17.

The first race post time for the eight-race card is 1:30 p.m.

Fans get a double dose of racing at Ajax Downs this week. This Sunday, July 21, is the popular Craft Beer and Cider Day, featuring ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

TULSA, OK–JULY 15, 2024–Invincible Streak, a 4-year-old Painted Dash gelding racing for Paula Marchant, is one of eight distance specialists entered in Friday's 870-yard, $15,000 Walter Merrick Stakes at Fair Meadows at Tulsa.

Invincible Streak has won three of his seven starts at the 870-yard distance, including a $15,000 non-winners-of-three allowance race at Fair Meadows on June 21. Stacey Capps trains the Kansas-bred bay gelding.

Invincible Streak drew post 6 and will be ridden by Eugenio Navarette Jr.

The Walter Merrick Stakes honors the late Walter Merrick, a longtime breeder of racing American Quarter Horses who was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1993. The complete lineup, in post-position order, including jockey assignments:

1. HTR Slambam Tequilla (Gonzalo ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

POCATELLO, ID–JULY 11, 2024–Four stakes winners are among the 40 two-year-olds entered in Friday’s 350-yard Bitterroot Futurity (RG3) trials at Pocatello Downs. OJD Jess A Bug, an undefeated son of One Sweet Jess, is trained by Pedro Robles for owners Karla Diaz Gomez and Oscar Jaime Diaz. He has won both of his outs, including the 330-yard, $78,000 Hadley/Giles Futurity at Weber Downs in Ogden, Utah on May 19. He has earned $34,115. The gelding drew post three and will be ridden by Cristian Aguirre-Erives in the first of five trials.

Kue Tiz Due races for Scott Peterson from the barn of trainer Kylie ...

VINTON, LA–JULY 10, 2024–Eight official stakes -- led by the 350-yard, $654,014 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1) -- are scheduled for Delta Downs on Saturday, the closing night of the track’s 46-date American Quarter Horse meet.

Post time for the first race on the 11-race program is set for 5:15 p.m. (CDT).

In addition to the on-track racing action during what is known as “Louisiana Showcase Night,” the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders’ Association will conduct drawings for five college scholarships ...

VINTON, LA–JULY 9, 2024– Delta Downs will host the richest American Quarter Horse program of the year on Saturday, July 13 when Louisiana Showcase Night takes center stage.

The annual event is devoted to horses bred in Louisiana with nine stakes races during a 11-race card. The main event will be the $654,014 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1), which will be the 10th race on the program.

There will be a special early post time of 5:15 pm ...

AJAX, ONT–JULY 8, 2024–Fourteen Ontario-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses will contest in two trials for the $55,000-added Ontario Bred Futurity this Wednesday, July 10, at Ajax Downs. The ten fastest qualifiers will advance to the final on July 31.

The first race post time is Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. (ET)

With two stakes races for juveniles already in the books in 2024, fans have been treated to some exciting stars of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JULY 8, 2024–Hezgothelook Z, a gelded son of Favorite Cartel trained by Toby Keeton for owner Triple One Ranch, will continue his quest for the All American Triple Crown in Sunday's 400-yard, $1-million Rainbow Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs.

A $70,000 purchase at last year's Heritage Place Sale in Oklahoma City, Hezgothelook Z has earned $432,300 from four races, and he brings in a three-race win streak that includes a three-quarter length victory in the first leg of the Triple Crown, the ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JULY 5, 2024– Steve Holt and Jeff Jones’ Empressum, the 2022 AQHA World Champion, will look to become only the second horse in history to win three runnings of the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity when he heads the field in the 400-yard final on Sunday, July 7 at Los Alamitos.                                                                                     

Empressum, winner of the 2022 Champion of Champions, has won the last two runnings of the $150,000 Vessels Maturity, including an amazing victory when going in :19.32 on the way to ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JULY 4, 2024–Trials to the $275,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity and the $170,000 Governor’s Cup Derby for California breds will highlight the 8-race program of the Saturday evening card at Los Alamitos. Five trials to the Governor’s Cup Futurity will be contested as races two through six, while a pair of trials to the Governor’s Cup Derby will be held as races seven and eight.  

The Governor’s Cup Futurity trials will feature 36 juveniles, of which 10 have already visited the winner’s circle. The lineup will be headed by Antonio Diaz’s Exploiter, who raced in the Grade 2 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity, as well as Ed Allred’s impressive maiden winners Call Her Perfect and Listen Now and CD Horses, Inc.’s CD Favorite Lady.        

The Scott Willoughby trainee ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI ALTOONA, IA–JULY 4, 2024–Three official American Quarter Horse stakes -- led by the Grade 3, 350-yard Keokuk Stakes -- will be contested Sunday at Prairie Meadows. Bradbury Racing's Nothin Like You and Brenda Reiswig's Apollitical Payoff are two of the seven aged sprinters entered in the $40,000 Keokuk Stakes. A homebred 5-year-old Favorite Cartel gelding trained by John ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM--JULY 2, 2024--Harken, a graded stakes winning son of Eye Am King racing for Ernesto Soto, is one of 129 New Mexico-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses entered in Friday’s 400-yard Zia Futurity (RG1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

A $145,000 yearling purchase from breeder MJ Farms at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale, Harken has earned $157,566 from ...

AJAX, ONT–JULY 2, 2024–Some of Ajax Downs' top 3-year-old Quarter Horses will vie for the winner's share of the $56,880 purse in the 13th edition of the Ontario Bred Derby on Wednesday, July 3.

The 300-yard Derby has attracted a strong field of the ten fastest qualifiers from two Trials held on June 12. The Derby final is race six on Wednesday, and the first race post time is 1:30 p.m.

General Skywalker, ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JULY 1, 2024–The 350-yard, $50,000 Vista Distaff Stakes (R) for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares, originally scheduled for June 22, has been rescheduled to be contested this Thursday, July 4, at Ruidoso Downs.

A dozen state-bred distaffers enter the 350-yard stakes race, led by EBW ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SELMA, TX–JULY 1, 2024–An even 100 state-bred 2-year-olds are entered in this week's Texas QHA Sale Futurity (RG1) trials at Retama Park.

A total of 12 trials will be contested, six on Thursday and six on Friday. The five fastest qualifiers from each night of trials will meet in the July 27, $200,000-added TQHA Sale Futurity final.

Joose Boxx and Kiss My Maruska headline Thursday's trials. A gray son of Kiss My Hocks trained by Juan Diaz Jr. for owner Javier De Los Santos Muzquiz, Joose Boxx is coming off of a Remington Park spring campaign during which the gelding ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SELMA, TX–JUNE 30, 2024–Fire Cowboy, a multiple graded stakes winning Flying Cowboy 123 gelding owned by Emmanuel Villarreal, is one of 32 sophomores entered in Wednesday's 350-yard Retama Park Derby trials at Retama Park

Fire Cowboy is on a seven-race win streak, which includes a 1 1/2-length victory in the 350-yard, $280,000 Sam Houston Derby (G3) on June 15. Last year, he won the 350-yard, $131,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) at Lone Star Park and the 400-yard, $238,000 Evangeline Downs Futurity (G3). The ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SHELBYVILLE, IN–JUNE 27, 2024–Ricardo Martinez's Nachor Secret and Pattie Marshall's Red Headed Beach are two of 34 state-bred sophomores entered in Tuesday's 400-yard Blue River Derby (R) trials at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

A gray Habits Secret colt trained by Martinez, Nachor Secret has won the first two outs of his 3-year-old season, and he will be stretching out in distance off of his three-quarter length victory in the 350-yard, $99,000 Harley Greene Derby (R) on ...

GILLETTE, WY—JUNE 27, 2024—Fastest qualifier Y O At A Glance will be looking for his first career stakes win on Saturday when he faces a full field in the $50,000-added Wyoming Bred Futurity at Energy Downs 307 Racing.

For accredited Wyoming-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses, the $50,000-added event will be contested as Race 6 over 300 yards. The estimated post time is 3:35 p.m. (MDT).

Trainer Jess Matt has named jockey Jarred Journet to ride the gelded son of multiple stakes sire Fiftyshadezofgrey. Gerald F. Kaul is the owner-breeder of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JUNE 24, 2024–Some of the best 3-year-old American Quarter Horses will be on display during Sunday's Rainbow Derby (G1) and Rainbow Oaks (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs. Forty-two sophomore fillies -- led by Flying Sophia, Asscher, and Running To The Moon -- are entered in five 440-yard Rainbow Oaks trials. A homebred Flying Cowboy 123 filly trained by Mike Joiner for owners Calder and Candy Ezzell of Roswell, New Mexico, Flying Sophia will be facing 3-year-olds off of her half-length victory over aged distaffers in the ...

AJAX, JUNE 24, 2024–Racing fans coming out to Ajax Downs this Wednesday, June 26, are in for a treat with two stakes races on a big, seven-race card. The final for the $34,020 Unclassified Stakes has a competitive field of 10 going 330 yards, and the second running of the $35,650 Stallion Auction Futurity has a fascinating field of nine 2-year-olds. The first race post time is 1:30 p.m

Cindy Loo, Who, winner of the faster trial for the Unclassified Stakes, has drawn post position four in the final, and Robert Bailey's 3-year-old filly seeks her third win since ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JUNE 23, 2024–Triple One Ranch’s Hezgothelook Z, a Grade 1-winning son of Favorite Cartel trained by Toby Keeton, will make his next start in this week’s 400-yard Rainbow Futurity (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs.

A total of 34 trials will be contested Friday and Saturday, 17 each day. Post time is set for 11 a.m. (MDT) each day. The five fastest qualifiers from each day of trials will meet in the July 14, $1-million Rainbow Futurity ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SELMA, TX–JUNE 23, 2024–Two stakes headline Friday's 11-race program at Retama Park near San Antonio. Post time for the first race is set for 6:15 p.m. (CDT). Friday's 550-yard, $40,000 Gary Baber Memorial Stakes has drawn a full field of 10 middle-distance specialists, led by morning-line favorite Leavinematthebar and Onthrocks. A 4-year-old son of Power Jam (TB) ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SHELBYVILLE, IN–JUNE 23, 2024–Thirty-six Indiana-bred 2-year-olds enter Thursday’s 350-yard Jaguar Rocket Futurity R trials at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Williams Racing Stables Inc.’s WRS Mynameisrip is coming ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SELMA, TX–JUNE 23, 2024–Tempting Alibi, a stakes-winning son of champion Tempting Dash racing for Cruz E. Nava, is one of eight Texas-bred sophomores entered in Thursday's 330-yard, $40,000 Silver Bullet Stakes (R) at Retama Park. Tempting Alibi is shortening in distance off of his neck victory in the May 10, 350-yard Leon Bard Memorial Stakes (R) at Sam Houston Race Park. The gelding drew post 7 and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco for trainer Jose Sanchez. Other contenders include Leslie Martinez-Castanon's LGM Flirting Hero, a stakes-placed son of the ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

EDMONTON, ALB–JUNE 20, 2024–Jerry Stojan's One Real Boss, a daughter of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon stallion JD Wagon Boss and the fastest qualifier, is one of 10 juveniles entered back in Saturday's 300-yard, $48,835(CAN) Alberta Sales Futurity (R) at Century Mile Racetrack.

One Real Boss made her official career debut with a ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

ALTOONA, IA–JUNE 18, 2024–Jess A Rednec Cowboy and Cardiac Cowboy lead a group of 25 sophomores entered in Sunday's 350-yard Prairie Meadows Gold Derby trials at Prairie Meadows Racetrack.

A homebred son of Flying Cowboy 123 trained by Jason Olmstead for owner Brenda Reiswig, Jess A Rednec Cowboy will be shortening in distance off of his seventh-place finish, 2 3/4 lengths behind winner SC Time To Run, in the June 1, 400-yard Heritage Place Derby (G2) at Remington Park. The sorrel gelding has banked $37,134 from four outs at ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

ALTOONA, IA–JUNE 17, 2024–Fifteen state-bred 3-year-olds led by stakes winners Foxy Cowgirl, TS Koko Inmyjeans, and Five Bar Phi are entered in Saturday's 350-yard Cyclone Derby (R) trials at Prairie Meadows.

The ten fastest qualifiers from Saturday's two heats will meet in the July 7, $75,000-est. final.

Foxy Cowgirl is a daughter of Flying Cowboy 123, trained by Ed Hardy for owners Paul Luedemann, Corey Wilmes, ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

VINTON, LA–JUNE 17, 2024–Graded stakes winners RF Fast Dash N Train, Gold Gun Z, and Hes Bold As Corona are three of the 109 Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds entered in Friday's 350-yard Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1) trials at Delta Downs.

RF Fast Dash N Train is a bay daughter of Freighttrain B trained by Juan Diaz Jr. for owner Jaime Cardenas. A $57,000 purchase at last year's LQHBA Yearling Sale, the filly has earned $151,763 from three races, and her two wins include a head victory in the 330-yard, $291,000 Louisiana ...

LOS ALAMITOS–JUNE 16, 2024–Multiple Grade 1 winner London Toby and 2022 All American Futurity winner Hes Judgeandjury are among the seven that will race in the $25,000 Be A Bono Stakes on Sunday night.            

The Be A Bono gave preference to horses that were eligible to race in the trials to the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity. Among those who took advantage of the opportunity to run in the Be A Bono are London Toby, Hes Judgeandjury, Dont Sass KVN, Terrific Phoenix, Edberg Verde, and Normandy. The majority of these horses figure to be back for the Vessels Maturity final on Sunday, July 6.                                  

London Toby enters this race after winning the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship in mid-February. His most recent official moves were a pair of workouts, including an ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA– JUNE 13, 2024–Ed Allred’s Norco, who has been sensational in his two career starts, Keith Nellesen’s My Budd, the runner-up in the Grade 2, $256,000 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity, and Dunn Ranch’s Up To Party, the fastest qualifier and a bargain purchase at the 2023 Los Alamitos Equine Sale, are just three of the headliners among a tremendous field of 2-year-olds facing off in the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity at 350 yards on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Norco, a full-brother to Grade 1 winner Circle City and Grade 2 winner Nomadic, has been extremely impressive in a pair of outings, first when winning his debut by a jaw-dropping 2 1/4 lengths and then scoring a dominant 1 3/4 length victory in the fourth of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI ALTOONA, IA–JUNE 13, 2024–Sixty-five 2-year-olds, led by Remington Park stakes winners Relentless American and Anna Belle, are entered in Monday's Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity trials at Prairie Meadows Racetrack. The 10 fastest qualifiers from the seven 350-yard heats will meet in the July 6, $175,000-est. final. A homebred son of Hes Relentless racing for Tom Maher of Pierre, South Dakota, Relentless American is coming off of a Remington Park spring campaign during which the gelding won all three of his races -- including the 330-yard, $100,000 Remington Park Juvenile Stakes (R) for Oklahoma-breds on April 29 -- and earned $56,569. Jason Olmstead trains ...

HOUSTON, TX–JUNE 13, 2024–Sam Houston Race Park will close out its 2024 live racing season on Saturday, June 15, with eleven Quarter Horse races, beginning at 6:30 pm (CT). Accomplished sprinters and experienced distance runners will display their talent throughout the closing night program. In addition, San Houston Race Park will also pay tribute to trainer Jesse Yoakum, a longtime supporter of Texas racing, and Willie Hickman, who played many pivotal roles in the Sam Houston racing office.

Defending Champion Eye Will Decide Returns in the $50,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes An experienced field of distance specialists will enter the starting gate in the $50,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes. The race is named in honor of the late Quarter Horse trainer Jesse Yoakum, who passed away on October 3, 2019, at the age of 69.

Byron Gardner’s homebred Eye Will Decide is the defending champion. Rider Noe ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JUNE 13, 2024–Mendel, a gray son of Big Daddy Cartel and the fastest qualifier, drew post 2 for Sunday’s 350-yard, $351,484 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) for New Mexico-bred 2-year-old Quarter Horses at Ruidoso ...

LOS ALAMITOS–JUNE 12, 2024–The running of the Abigail Kawananakoa Stakes, which is the second $100,000 stakes event of the meet in the distaff division, will feature one of the strongest casts of Quarter Horse fillies and mares assembled this year led by 14-time stakes winner Pattys Saint, red-hot mare AJ Born Runnin and multiple Grade 1 stakes finalist Fearless Moon on Saturday at Los Alamitos. A field of 10 will compete in the 350-yard dash.                       

Dunn Ranch’s Pattys Saint is the marquee name in this outstanding race, as the queen of the Intermountain region looks to continue to shine in Southern California. The 6-year-old mare by Jess Got Easier scored her third graded stakes win at Los Alamitos on May 5 when she took the Grade 3, $60,000 ...

HOUSTON, TX –JUNE 12, 2024–Sam Houston Race Park will close out its 2024 live racing season on Saturday, June 15 with eleven Quarter Horse races, beginning at 6:30 pm (CT).

No rain is forecast for the biggest night of the meet, with nine stakes to be contested, as well as the presentation of the end-of-the-meet honors for the leading owner, ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM--JUNE 11, 2024--Copy Of Jess, a sorrel daughter of Jesse James Jr racing for Denis and Julie Schoenhofer and the fastest qualifier, is one of 10 New Mexico-bred 3-year-old Quarter Horses entered back in Saturday’s 350-yard, $175,258 Mountain Top Derby (R) at Ruidoso Downs.

Copy Of Jess is coming off of a 1 1/4-length victory in the third of six trials on June 1. A $77,000 purchase at the 2022 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, the filly has won ...

HOUSTON, TX–JUNE 11, 2024–Sam Houston Race Park will close out its 30th anniversary live racing season with a stakes-filled card leading up to the richest race of the meet, the $621,810 Sam Houston Futurity (G2) on Saturday, June 15.

Since its first running in 1994, the 330-yard championship for two-year-old Quarter Horses has thrilled racing fans and rewarded breeders, trainers and jockeys with a memory that lasts for a lifetime.

Trainer Juan Diaz, Jr. to Saddle Five in the $621,810 Sam Houston Futurity (G2)

Two nights of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

VINTON, LA–JUNE 11, 2024–Party Tyme Racing's B Second Cowboy is one of two dozen 3-year-olds entered in Friday's 400-yard Firecracker Derby (G3) trials at Delta Downs.

B Second Cowboy is a sorrel homebred son of Flying Cowboy 123 trained by Jose R. Espinosa. The gelding has banked $101,053 from four races in Louisiana and ...

AJAX, ONT–JUNE 10, 2024– One of the best things about summertime racing at Ajax Downs is seeing the stars of the future, the new crop of 2-year-old Quarter Horses.

This Wednesday, June 12, some of these fresh faces will compete in the first baby stakes race of the season, the $31,050 Bonus Futurity at 250 yards.

The sixth day of the 2024 ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JUNE 7, 2024–Jose Luis Valdez’s Val Sofia, who qualified to the Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity, and J Lazy Six Racing’s Koli, whose troubled trip led her to being disqualified from winning a Kindergarten trial, will now square off in the featured eighth race on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.

Nine races are on tap, with the first six events being held around the turn before three straightaway races wrap up the card. Seven maiden fillies will be in action in the eighth race with the Seperate Interest filly Val Sofia heading the lineup after running a solid fifth in the Grade 2 Kindergarten final.

The Ramiro Zuazo trainee ran a bit of an in-and-out race as she broke out at the start before lugging inwards. Even with her less-than-perfect trip, she still finished in the top half of a strong Kindergarten ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

GILLETTE, WY–JUNE 7, 2024–Ten state-bred 3-year-olds, led by Docs Blazin Gal and fastest qualifier One Seperate Eagle, are entered back in Saturday's 350-yard, $50,000-added Wyoming-Bred Derby (R) at Energy Downs 307 Horse Racing.

Docs Blazin Gal is a homebred daughter of Docs Best Card racing for Pedro Mena. One of four finalists from the barn of trainer ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–JUNE 6, 2024–It's a carryover Saturday night once again at the track of the sunsets and starts, Los Alamitos Race Course.

The nine-race program will feature a two-night carryover of $68,173 and with the new money expected to be wagered the total pool could be around $230,000. 

The Los Alamitos racing office has curated a great six-race sequence beginning with the fourth event on the program. The race features a 10-horse field of juveniles, and finding the winner here is the key to a highly lucrative ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JUNE 5, 2024–Painted Eclispe, a graded stakes winning Pyc Paint Your Wagon gelding, will put his undefeated record on the line in Sunday's 350-yard, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. A $32,000 purchase from breeder Donald Friesen at last year's Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, Painted Eclispe is trained by Xavier Rodriguez for owners Shaun Hubbard, La Feliz Montana Ranch, and Ray Willis. The gelding has won all three of his races -- including the 300-yard, $312,000 West Texas Futurity (G2) at Sunland Park in ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–JUNE 3, 2024–Mystic Paint, the surprising fastest qualifier from 10 trials run May 26, is one of 10 sophomores entered back in Saturday's 400-yard, $832,707 Ruidoso Derby G1) at Ruidoso Downs.

A $43,000 purchase at the 2022 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, Mystic Paint is trained by Jason Ollmstead for owner William E. Harned. The graded stakes placed Pyc Paint Your Wagon colt is coming off of a 1 1/2-length ...