Sunday’s Sandy Ridge Finals Mark Culmination Of Long Journey For Kentucky QH Racing
By Greg Thompson, StallioneSearch
ASHLAND, KY — September 5, 2026
When the gates open Sunday for the $266,250 BOCO Futurity and $165,600 Blue Grass Derby, the races will represent far more than two of the richest events of the inaugural Sandy Ridge meet.
The two races will mark the culmination of a journey years in the making—the effort to establish a permanent home for American Quarter Horse racing in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
After the first two years of the Sandy Ridge Quarter Horse meet were conducted at The Red Mile in Lexington, the 2026 season finally brought Quarter Horse Racing to its intended home in Ashland. The opening of Sandy Ridge represents the payoff from years of work involving Kentucky legislators, racing associations, horsemen and Revolutionary Racing to turn the vision of a dedicated Quarter Horse racetrack in the Commonwealth into reality.
Sunday's championship program brings that journey full circle.
For those who worked behind the scenes to make Sandy Ridge possible, the BOCO Futurity and Blue Grass Derby finals serve as a fitting conclusion to the facility's historic first meet. They also provide a glimpse at what the new racetrack could mean for the future of Quarter Horse racing in Kentucky.
SHESAINNOCENTPILOTO HEADLINES THE $266,250 BOCO FUTURITY
Shesainnocentpiloto enters Sunday's 350-yard BOCO Futurity as the fastest qualifier after an impressive trial victory.
The 2-year-old filly broke sharply, immediately took command and held her advantage to the wire to win by a half-length. She stopped the timer in :17.645, earning a 106 speed index. Jockey Adrian Morales rode Shesainnocentpiloto for owner Jorge Antonio Silva and trainer Jose Estrada.
Bred in Louisiana by Grant Farms LLC, Shesainnocentpiloto was a $4,000 repurchase at the LQHBA Yearling Sale. The filly is by Hes Innocent and out of the Mr Piloto mare Famous Flying Piloto. Her female family includes champion One Famous Eagle ($1,387,453). Her trial victory was her third consecutive win and improved her record to 5-3-1-0 with earnings of $41,820.
Keep On Rollin 123 will enter the final as the second-fastest qualifier after winning his trial in :17.667, also earning a 106 speed index. Despite breaking outward and bumping at the start, the gelding quickly recovered, gained the advantage and drew clear to win by a length.
Martin Munoz rode Keep On Rollin 123 for trainer Ricardo Martinez. Bred by Whiting Ranch and owned by Whiting Ranch and Raymond Whitmire, the gelding is by champion Flying Cowboy 123 and out of the Lota Pyc mare Flashy Lota. Keep On Rollin 123 brings a two-race winning streak into Sunday's final.
AJ REMEMBER ME LEADS STRONG BLUEGRASS DERBY FIELD
Sunday's $165,600 Blue Grass Derby will be headline by a well accomplished 3-year-old by the name of AJ Remember Me, who turned in the fastest time from four 400-yard trials. AJ Remember Me broke on top from the inside and never surrendered the advantage, defeating Bandita by three-quarters of a length in :19.758, good for a 110 speed index.
Bred by Rancho El Cabresto Inc., AJ Remember Me is a $120,000 Heritage Place Yearling Sale graduate by world champion Apollitical Jess and out of the Tres Seis mare Remember Robyn. His résumé also includes a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity and third-place finishes in the Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity and Ah Sigh Handicap.
Cynter Of Attention qualified second-fastest with a wire-to-wire trial victory in :19.800, earning a 109 speed index. The filly hopped at the start but quickly recovered and took command before defeating Parajax by three-quarters of a length. Irving Moncada rode Cynter Of Attention for LCI LLC and trainer Joseph Davis. Bred by Steve D. Burns DVM, she is by Favorite Cartel and out of graded stakes winner and Dam of Distinction Remember Me Rose, by Corona Cartel.
Also on tap for the lucrative day in eastern Kentucky is the $75,000 Cherokee Overnight Stakes for three year-olds and up going 440-yards. Samuel Valdivia trained Socially Fun, who was victorious in allowance company last time out early in the meet at Sandy Ridge, has been installed as the 5/2 morning-line favorite.
The 10-race card gets underway with a post-time of the first race being 1:30PM EST.
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