Gillespie County Fair Futurity Trials Set for Saturday
By BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI
FREDERICKSBURG, TX–AUGUST 8, 2024–Seventy-three 2-year-olds, led by Kevin Hogan's Hogans Hero, are entered in Saturday's 350-yard Gillespie County Fair Futurity trials at Fredericksburg, Texas.
Hogans Hero is a homebred daughter of Valiant Hero trained by Toby Keeton. The filly has earned $52,490 from five races -- all in Texas -- and his record includes a second-place finish in the 350-yard, $102,000 John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge (G3) on May 10.
Hogans Hero drew post 5 and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco in the sixth of eight trials.
Hiclass Bonita ran third in the Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge. An earner of $21,253 from four outs, the homebred Paint My Pilot filly is trained by Carlos Turrubiartes for owner Ivan Morales Flores.
Hiclass Bonita drew post 9 and will be ridden by Oliver E. Martinez in the seventh heat.
Trainer Juan Diaz Jr. will send out A Twisted Cowboy, a stakes-placed son of Flying Cowboy 123 owned by Carlos Ponce. A $100,000 purchase at last year's Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, the sorrel gelding has banked $23,331 from his first four races, and his record includes a third-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Perry Fast, in the 350-yard, $100,000 Heritage Place Juvenile Stakes at Remington Park on June 1.
A Twisted Cowboy drew post 8 and will be ridden by Nestor Duran in the eighth trial.
The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the August 25 Gillespie County Fair Futurity final.