Relentless American, an Oklahoma-bred gelding, was named Horse of the Meet at the 2024 American Quarter Horse Association racing season at Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs.

© Jack Coady Photography

CLAREMORE, OK—SEPTEMBER 10, 2025—Fall is in the air, and Quarter Horses are back in the stables at Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs as the fall American Quarter Horse Association racing season in Claremore officially begins.

The 2025 Will Rogers Downs racing schedule features 28 AQHA, Appaloosa and Paint racing days through Nov. 11, with average daily purses around $150,000. Races are currently posting at 1 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Races will post at 1 p.m. three days a week -- on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays starting Sept. 21. Final races will post at 12 p.m. starting in November.

"The 2025 season marks a fresh start, and we're excited to move forward with the renewed energy we're feeling from the racing community," said John Lies, racing secretary and track announcer for Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs.

"We're now back up to full barn capacity of over 600 stalls and have seen much interest from the horsemen in the way of stall applications and completed hair tests. The AQHA Challenge races and Black Gold finals figure to be amongst the highlights of this meet."

The season includes Mystery Futurity stakes showcasing the top 2-year-old Quarter Horses going 350 yards, the AQHA Juvenile Challenge Final which includes a 350-yard-race for 2-year-olds and guarantees $30,000 in the purse and includes $15,000 from the AQHA, and the AQHA Distance Challenge and AQHA Distaff Challenge Finals that offer a $20,000 purse each.

Tuesday, Nov. 11 will close out the season with a final schedule that will include the $15,000 Speedhorse Paint and Appaloosa Futurity Championship Final and the Mystery Derby Final, which offers a $25,000 purse.

The final day will also feature the Don Drake Memorial, which offers a 350-yard race and guarantees a $15,000 purse, the $116,250 Black Gold Futurity Championship Final and the $116,250 Black Gold Fillies Futurity Championship Final.

For a full schedule of Will Rogers Downs' 2025 stakes, visit cherokeecasino.com/will-rogers-downs/amenities/races.

With more than 250 games, live music, heart-pounding horse racing action, and impeccable service, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs is your source of entertainment. The casino and track are three miles east of Claremore on Hwy 20. For more information, visit www.cherokeecasino.com and click the Will Rogers Downs tab, or call (918) 283-8800.

About Cherokee Nation Entertainment
Cherokee Nation Entertainment is the gaming and hospitality company of the Cherokee Nation. With three decades of expertise in providing exceptional gaming experiences, the company owns and operates Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa and nine Cherokee Casinos in Oklahoma, including a racino, three resort hotels, golf course and other retail operations. CNE also operates Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, Miss., one of the most recognizable gaming destinations in the region. For more information, visit www.HardRockCasinoTulsa.com, www.CherokeeCasino.com and www.GoldStrike.com.

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