PHOENIX, AZ—OCTOBER 14, 2018—Jockey Ernie Aispuro rode his first official winner Sunday at Turf Paradise when he guided Higher Icon to an upset win over stakes winner Unregulated Cash in the first of three trials contested for the AQRA-President's Open Quarter Horse Derby.

Higher Icon, who stepped-up from the claiming ranks at Los Alamitos Race Course last month, completed the 400 yards in :19.594 seconds, a 102 speed index with an 11 mph tailwind, for the fastest qualifying time.

Trainer Eloy Navarro saddled the son of leading Arizona sire Texas Icon for owner Jesus Avila. Bred in Arizona by Martha Wells, the brown gelding out Flyhigher by On A High, won back-to-back races at Los Alamitos over the summer for $10,000 and $16,000. He finished sixth for $16,0000 in a troubled race October 12th before shipping back to Turf Paradise.

Second in The Plan Handicap at Los Alamitos and a finalist in the Desert Classic Futurity at 2, Higher Icon has earned $34,647.

Heavy post-time favorite Unregulated Cash finished second in that trial, breaking his four-race win streak, however he still held on to the second fastest trial clocking of :19.656 seconds.

Owned-and-trained by Jose Botello, the stakes winning son of multiple stakes sire Favorite Cartel had jockey Martin Osuna riding. Bred in California by Paul Jones and Vince Genco, Unregulated Cash has won five of 13 starts and earned $41,873. He is out of the Check Him Out mare Checkcashingability.

Corona Thru Fire, another California-bred 3-year-old, posted a 2-˝ length win in the final trial under jockey Rodolfo Arvizu, to record the fourth fastest time of :19.722 seconds, a 98 speed index with no wind.

Racing for owner Juan Macias, Corona Thru Fire was the first of two qualifiers for trainer Ubaldo Guerrero. Third in the Oatman Handicap at Los Alamitos last February, Corona Thru Fire was bred by Pedro Barbizan Santiago Leite from the Corona Cartel mare Corona Perfection. He has three wins and earnings of $22,836.

The only other trainer with multiple finalists was Eloy Mendoza who saddled Marshall Valentine to the 9th fastest and Priceless Mr Jess 10th fastest times.

The ten fastest qualifiers will return to Turf Paradise on Sunday, December 9 to vie for the winner's share of a $15,000-added purse going 400 yards.

For the complete list of AQRA-President's Open QH Derby qualifiers, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.