TW A Political Beach Tops Governors Stakes Trials at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Heartland Futurity winner TW A Political Beach turned in the fastest qualifying time Saturday as five trials were contested at Horseshoe Indianapolis to determine the 10 finalists for the $326,600 Governors Stakes.

The 10 fastest qualifiers from the 400-yard trials will return to Horseshoe Indianapolis for the Governors Stakes final on Saturday, October 24.

TW A Political Beach was much the best in the fourth trial, breaking on top and controlling the race throughout to defeat Chilito by one length. The sorrel filly stopped the timer in :20.061, the fastest clocking of the day.

Owned and bred in Indiana by Thomas Wylie, TW A Political Beach is trained by Natasha Perez and was ridden by Diego Villamil Bocanegra. The daughter of leading sire Apollitical Jess is out of Wh Imastreakinbeach, by Escondido Beach.

The victory improved TW A Political Beach's record to four wins from five starts and earnings of $132,246. She entered Saturday's trials as the winner of the Heartland Futurity.

Valiant Kiss posted the second-fastest qualifying time when he won the first trial in :20.090. The sorrel gelding broke alertly, dueled for the lead and prevailed over Kool Kisses by a neck.

Steve Zamler owns Valiant Kiss, a son of champion Kiss My Hocks from the Valiant Hero mare My Valiant Lady. Bred in Oklahoma by Gary and Monty McNair, he is trained by Tim Eggleston and was ridden by Rolando Del Rio Pina.

Valiant Kiss was a $50,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale purchase in 2025. He has won two of six career starts with one second and one third while earning $41,848. He was previously a finalist in the Heartland Futurity and QHRAI SSA Futurity (RG3).

Eggleston also saddled the day's third-fastest qualifier, Dangerous Carolina, who captured the fifth and final trial in :20.111. The bay filly angled out after the start, dueled with favored Red Sleeve and prevailed by a neck.

Owned by David and Tammy Hobbs and bred in Oklahoma by Bill W. Underwood, Dangerous Carolina was ridden by Rolando Del Rio Pina. She is a daughter of multiple stakes sire Coronado Cartel from the Leaving Memories mare Dangerous Dawn.

Dangerous Carolina was a $13,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale purchase in 2025. She has two wins, one second and one third from five career starts and earnings of $22,270.

Rounding out the 10 Governors Stakes finalists were Kool Kisses (:20.129), Red Sleeve (:20.139), Relentless Friend (:20.177), Chilito (:20.219), Flying Blonde 123 (:20.235), Mr Unico (:20.310) and Fatimaa (:20.352).

CLICK HERE for complete results on the $326,000 Governors Stakes qualifiers.

The second 10 fastest qualifiers from the Governors Stakes trials are preferred invites to the Governors Stakes Juvenile. CLICK HERE for the complete results on the top ten invites to the Juvenile.

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