Kiss My Hocks Dominates Night 1 of TQHA Yearling Sale Trials at Retama Park

SELMA, TX–JULY 4, 2024–The 2024 leading 2-year-old sire of money earners, Kiss My Hocks, continues to dominate this season, getting three of the top five qualifiers for the restricted Grade 1 $606,121 TQHA Yearling Sale Futurity on Thursday night at Retama Park.

The five fastest qualifiers from six trials tonight will join the five fastest from six trials on Friday night (July 5) when they return in the Friday, July 26 final, vying for a winner's purse valued at $269,723.

Joose Boxx raced to his third career win in five starts to get the fastest qualifying time in the fifth trial. The Grade 2 winning son of Kiss My Hocks bobbled the start under jockey Nestor Duran but quickly recovered to win by 1-3/4 lengths, stopping the clock in 17.998, an 86-speed index into a 15 mph headwind.

Juan Diaz, Jr. trains the $100,000 TQHA Yearling Sale repurchase for owner Javier De Los Santos Muzquiz. Bred in Texas by Gerry Sigman and Diane Tatum, from the Big Daddy Cartel mare Cd Daddys Home, Joose Boxx won the Oklahoma Futurity(G1) in March and was fourth in the Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity in his previous start. He has earned $286,004.

Diaz also sent out Grade 1-placed Kiss My Maruska in the opening trial to finish second and post the third fastest time of 18.229 seconds, an 80-speed index into a 15 mph headwind. Heavy Hitters Racing Stables owns the Kiss My Hocks gelding out of Ms Highmaitenance by Favorite Cartel.

Bred in Texas by Tyler and Naia Graham, Kiss My Maruska has earned $211,265 in five starts. The $88,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate was second in the Louisiana Downs Futurity(G2) and third in the Heritage Place Futurity(G1) in his last start. Victor Urieta, Jr. had the riding assignment.

Trainer John Stinebaugh sent Pete Scarmardo's homebred This Eagles Armed to a half-length win over Kiss My Maruska in the opening trial. The son of multiple stakes sire This Is An Eagle earned it the second-fastest clocking of 18.152 seconds, an 82-speed index, and a 15 mph headwind.

The $23,000 TQHA repurchase is from the Tac It Like A Man mare Empty Arms. This Eagles Armed has won three of five starts this year, including the Oklahoma Juvenile. Ali Rivera rode the $38,091 earner.

Trainer Toby Keeton saddled Kiss My Hock's third finalist, Kiss My Tail Lights, who was second to fastest qualifier Joose Boxx. Racing for owner Mike Greene, the $30,000 TQHA Yearling graduate clocked the fourth fastest time of 18.272 seconds.

T.C. Flack bred Kiss My Tail Lights in Texas from the Furyofthewind mare Just Another Natural. She has earned $15,240 off a (3) 1-2-0 record. Luis Vivanco was up.

Jess Louisiana Girl finished a nose back in the fastest trial behind Joose Boxx and Kiss My Tail Lights, getting the fifth-fastest time of 18.281 seconds. Raul E. Galvan trains the $23,000 TQHA repurchase for owner Eleazar Martinez; Sr. Gerardo Luna had the riding call aboard the filly by first-crop sire Chilitos.

Anahi Martinez bred the two-time winner in Texas from Sissy Cartel by The Louisiana Cartel. Also a finalist in the Sam Houston Juvenile, Jess Louisiana Girl has banked $15,627.

CLICK HERE for a list of Night 1 TQHA Yearling Sale Futurity(RG1) qualifiers, with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

The second five fastest qualifiers from each night of trials are preferred invites to the $45,553 TQHA Yearling Sale Juvenile, which will also run back on Friday, July 26. For that list, CLICK HERE.

Live racing returns to Retama Park on Friday (July 5) with a nine-race card featuring six trials for the TQHA Yearling Sale Futurity(RG1). The first post is 6:15 p.m. (CDT), and the first trial is Race 3, with an estimated post of 7:09 p.m.