Treadwell Seeks Victory in Namesake $75,000 Stakes Saturday at Eureka Downs

Kansas Quarter Horse breeder and owner Paul Treadwell will have an opportunity to capture a stakes race bearing his and his wife's names Saturday, October 31, when he sends out morning-line favorite Ajs Wingman and stablemate Racket Ridge in the $75,000 Guaranteed Paul and Virginia Treadwell Stakes at Eureka Downs.

The 400-yard event for Kansas-bred Quarter Horses, 3-year-olds and upward, is scheduled as the seventh race on Saturday's program, with an approximate post time of 3:30 p.m. (CDT). The five-horse field will compete for a purse funded through the Kansas Breeders Development Fund.

Treadwell, a Derby, Kansas, horseman, has established a successful breeding and racing program that has produced competitors on some of Quarter Horse racing's biggest stages. His homebred Ajs Wingman finished fifth in the $3 million All American Futurity (G1) in 2025 before returning this season to win the $100,000 All American Invitational.

Both Ajs Wingman and Racket Ridge qualified for the Grade 2 Heritage Place Derby earlier this year, demonstrating the competitiveness of Treadwell's Kansas breeding operation against national competition.

Saturday's race carries special significance for Treadwell, whose name, along with that of his wife, Virginia, is honored in the stakes title. His two entrants, both sons of leading sire Apollitical Jess and trained by Jason L. Olmstead, are the top two morning-line selections in the five-horse field.

Ajs Wingman, installed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite, enters Saturday's race following a victory in the $100,000 All American Invitational at Albuquerque Downs on September 6. The 3-year-old sorrel gelding covered 440 yards in 21.008 seconds, earning a 94 speed index while defeating Stellor by one-half length.

The son of Apollitical Jess out of Xoom, by Shazoom, has compiled five wins, four seconds and one third from 15 career starts, earning $266,834. His 2026 record includes two victories, three seconds and one third from eight outings, with $91,739 in seasonal earnings.

Ajs Wingman also won an Albuquerque derby trial on August 9 by 1¼ lengths and finished second in a $100,000 invitational on July 11. Ramiro H. Garcia has the riding assignment aboard the Treadwell homebred, who will break from post five.

Stablemate Racket Ridge, the 2-1 second choice, gives Treadwell another strong opportunity in the namesake event. The 3-year-old sorrel gelding is by Apollitical Jess out of Lovepop, by Pyc Paint Your Wagon.

Racket Ridge enters with three wins, four seconds and one third from 16 career starts and earnings of $77,745. He finished second by a neck to Notoryous in the $30,000 Will Rogers Downs Derby Challenge on September 28, earning a career-best 91 speed index.

Most recently, Racket Ridge competed in the $179,000 Grade 3 AQHA Derby Challenge Championship at Albuquerque on October 17, finishing seventh against national-level competition. He has earned $61,121 during his 2026 campaign.

Ryder Olmstead will ride Racket Ridge from post four for his dad, trainer Jason L. Olmstead.

Canelosecret, the 6-1 third choice, brings the most extensive racing experience into the field with 24 career starts. The 4-year-old sorrel gelding has registered four wins, four seconds and five thirds while earning $46,075.

Owned by Copper Creek Stables LLC and trained by Abraham Felix, Canelosecret is a son of Secret Effort Dash out of Miss Furyofthewind, by Furyofthewind. He was bred by Isidro Aldana.

The gelding won consecutive 110-yard allowance races at Arapahoe Park on July 31 and August 15 before finishing third at Prairie Meadows on September 5. He has a second and a third from three previous starts at Saturday's 400-yard distance.

Erik Esqueda will ride Canelosecret from post three.

El Paisano, an 8-1 morning-line selection, will break from the inside post for owner and breeder Vaqueros Racing LLC. The 3-year-old sorrel gelding is by Freal out of Sweet Daisey Mae, by Red Storm Cat.

Trained by Rodrigo Covarrubias and ridden by Giovany Estrada, El Paisano has won twice and finished second twice in five career starts, earning $20,180.

He broke his maiden at Prairie Meadows on June 20 and returned to win a $15,000 claiming race on August 1. In his most recent start, he finished second to Apollitical Menace at Prairie Meadows on August 29. His career-best speed index is 85.

Completing the field is Baja Lights, the 15-1 outsider who returns to action just six days after a victory at Eureka Downs.

The 4-year-old sorrel mare captured a 300-yard claiming event on October 25, prevailing by a nose while earning a 71 speed index. She also won a maiden claiming race at Prairie Meadows on July 5.

Baja Lights is a daughter of The Marfa Lights out of Baja Rosa, by Dean Miracle. Bred by Starlet Hunt, she is owned and trained by Jose Hernandez-Martinez and will be ridden by Gonzalo Valles Jr. from post two.

She has earned $29,918 from 15 career starts, recording two wins, three seconds and four thirds. Her 2026 campaign includes two victories, one second and one third from four outings.

The Paul and Virginia Treadwell Stakes is one of three stakes events scheduled for Saturday's Eureka Downs program. The $30,000 Martin and Jeanne Burtin Memorial, a 350-yard event for Kansas-bred maidens, is scheduled as the third race at 1:30 p.m. The $35,000 Lee and Betty Smith Memorial, a 400-yard allowance for Kansas-owned fillies and mares, follows the Treadwell Stakes as the eighth race at approximately 4 p.m.

Saturday's 10-race program begins at 12:30 p.m. (CDT).

For Treadwell, Saturday offers more than another opportunity to add a stakes victory to his racing record. With two homebred runners occupying the top two positions on the morning line, he has a chance to win a race honoring his family's contributions to Kansas Quarter Horse racing.

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