BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SELMA, TX—JUNE 13, 2017—A total of 57 2-year-olds, headed by Jose Guadalupe Rodriguez’s Shades Of Gray, has been entered in Friday’s TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity (RG3) trials at Retama Park. The 10 fastest qualifiers from Friday’s seven 350-yard trials will meet in the $50,000-added TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity final on ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JUNE 12, 2017—Pete and Evelyn Parrella’s Legacy Ranch will look to score its richest racing victory ever when their homebred Platki, a full brother to their AQHA champion filly, Flying Fig, heads the running of the $1,000,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity on Sunday at Los Alamitos. Legacy Ranch has enjoyed a rich history in ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SHAKOPEE, MN—JUNE 9, 2017—A total of 56 juveniles has been entered in Sunday’s 350-yard Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity trials at Canterbury Park. First Of 15, a sorrel daughter of Apollitical Jess racing for Richard L. Tobin, is coming off of a Remington Park spring ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JUNE 3, 2017—The road to the Grade 1, $162,600 Vessels Maturity starts on Sunday night with three trials featuring a total of 22 standouts are on tap, and headed by Grade 1 winners BH Lisas Boy, Zoomin For Spuds, Jess Good Reason and defending Vessels Maturity winner He Looks Hot at Los Alamitos Race Course. The horses ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI IDAHO FALLS, ID—JUNE 8, 2017—A total of 43 juveniles, headed by stakes winners Kool Odds and Wagonfullofdividends, has been entered in Saturday’s 350-yard Bitterroot Futurity (R) trials at Sandy Downs. The 7-5 morning-line favorite in the first of six heats, Kool Odds is trained by Mark Hanson for owners Hanson ...

VINTON, LA—JUNE 8, 2017—Together To The End, a homebred daughter of champion Inseperable racing for Alejandro Moya, will make her next start in Saturday’s 350-yard Firecracker Futurity (G2) trials at Delta Downs. Together To The End will be making her first start since March 22, when the sorrel filly ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SELMA, TX—JUNE 2, 2017—Brookside, a homebred 4-year-old Brookstone Bay mare and a stakes winner during the Sam Houston Race Park meet, is one of 10 distaffers entered in Friday’s 350-yard, $20,000 Selma Stakes, the feature race on Retama Park’s 10-race opening-night ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 6, 2017—A pair of experienced futurity horses with the top-qualifying times — High Rate Of Motion and Eagle Jazz — face promising rivals in the Grade 1, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs. There were two days of 350-yard time trials on May 26-27. The horses with the five fastest times on ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—JUNE 6, 2017—Florentino Leon’s Graceful Eagle, a stakes-winning daughter of One Famous Eagle, is one of 28 3-year-olds entered in Friday’s 400-yard Firecracker Derby (G3) trials at Delta Downs. Graceful Eagle is trained by Eusevio Huitron and will be making her ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 5, 2017—Beth and Michael Harper’s fastest-qualifier Firing Tools faces the big challenge when he lines up against a strong field in Grade 1, $800,000 Ruidoso Derby at 400 yards on Saturday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs. First post time is 1 p.m. with free parking and free general admission. The $100,000 Mr Jess Perry, for horses who did not qualify for the Ruidoso Derby, is on the program. It will be led by champion and 2016 All American Futurity Winner Imperial ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SHELBYVILLE, IN—JUNE 2, 2017—First Cucuy, a gelded son of the Bono Jazz stallion Jazz Be First owned and trained by Sacramento Chavez, is one of 10 state-bred sophomores entered back in Saturday’s 350-yard, $75,000-added Harley Greene Derby (R) at Indiana Grand. The fastest qualifier, First Cucuy made his season debut with a three-quarter length victory on a sloppy and sealed track in the second of three trials on May 19. The gelding drew post 5 and will be ridden by Jose Davila. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—JUNE 1, 2017—A total of seven American Quarter Horse stakes, headlined by Oklahoma’s richest race for any breed, are on the schedule for Remington Park on Saturday, closing night of the track’s 50-date spring meet. A total of $2,274,875 in purses will be offered for 12 races on Saturday. Ten 2-year-olds have been entered back in Saturday’s 350-yard, $1,154,700 Heritage Place Futurity (G1). However, three of the finalists -- Every Chicks Favorit, Hez Our Boy, and All American Stone -- will be scratched due to injury or illness. Despain GL, the ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JUNE 1, 2017—Exactly 100 juveniles will compete in trials to the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity as part of a full night of Quarter Horse racing on Sunday at Los Alamitos. Twelve races are on tap for the 350-yard trials with the horses with the 10 fastest times moving on to the million dollar final on ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—JUNE 1, 2017—Heza Louisiana Dash, a 5-year-old Heza Fast Dash gelding owned by Robert S. Holland’s TM Ranch, is one of six Louisiana-breds entered in Saturday’s 400-yard, $60,000 Vals Fortune Stakes (RG2) at Delta Downs. Heza Louisiana Dash has won 10 of 21 starts, including five of nine at Delta, and he has earned $381,641. The gelding made his season debut with a three-quarter length victory as the 3-5 favorite in the 350-yard, $50,000 Open Me A Corona Stakes (R) on April 22. Heza Louisiana Dash drew the rail post and will be ridden by Gilbert Ortiz for trainer ...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 31, 2017—Remington Park will wrap up the 2017 American Quarter Horse Season on Saturday, June 3 with its normal tradition of running the richest races on the final night of the season. The “Mega-Card” boasts a total of 12 races, eight of them big-money stakes events, led by the $1,154,700 Heritage Place Futurity. Overall, the total value of purses in the 2017 “Mega-Card” is $2,274,875. The record for the “Mega-Card” night of racing is $2,335,670 set in 2015. The field of 2-year-olds for the Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity qualified over 24 trials, ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI FARMINGTON, NM—MAY 31, 2017—Eduardo J. Lugo’s Mountain Holme, a graded stakes placed daughter of Gone To The Mountain trained by Jimmy Guerra Jr., will make his next start in Friday’s 350-yard Four Corners Futurity trials at SunRay Park. Mountain Holme is coming off of a second-place finish, a neck behind winner ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—MAY 30, 2017—A field of six, headed by Mo Racing’s B And G Fast Dash, has been entered in Friday’s 870-yard, $25,000 Virgil Bond Stakes at Delta Downs. Trained by Kenneth Roberts Sr., B And G Fast Dash will be making his season debut from post 5. The ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—MAY 29, 2017—Gary Hartstack’s Daddys Blushing takes on New Mexico-bred competition after beating open company in the Sam Houston Juvenile when he starts in the sixth of 12 350-yard trials to the $392,255 Mountain Top New Mexico-Bred Quarter Horse Futurity on Friday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs. First post time is 1 p.m. There is always free parking and free general admission at Ruidoso Downs. The horses with the 10-fastest times advance to the Mountain Top Futurity on June 17. Daddys Blushing may have found the perfect spot in the Mountain Top Futurity after winning his first two starts against open company at Sam ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 28, 2017—Sherry Gilmore’s Ima China Rush, a graded stakes winner during the meet, is one of 10 Oklahoma-bred 2-year-olds entered in Monday’s 330-yard, $61,800 FL Lady Bug Stakes (R) at Remington Park. A homebred daughter of the Agouti stallion Rushago trained by Guillermo Valdivia, Ima China Rush has earned $227,310 from three outs this season, and her two wins include a half-length victory as the 17-10 favorite in the 300-yard, $525,000 Oklahoma Futurity (G3) on March 25. The filly drew post 7 and will be ridden by Larry Payne. Ima China Rush’s nine opponents include The Only Knockout, a bay ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—MAY 28, 2017— The top-two finishers in last year’s Grade 1, $3-million All American Futurity — Imperial Eagle and The Marfa Lights — highlight the 12 trials to the Grade 1, $800,000 Ruidoso Derby today (Sunday) at Ruidoso Downs. The 10-fastest qualifiers from the 400-yard trials gain eligibility to the Ruidoso Derby. The next 10 fastest qualifiers have preference to race in the $100,000 Mr Jess Perry. Both races are on June 10. First post time on Sunday is 1:00 ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI AURORA, CO—MAY 27, 2017—Shiner Blond, a stakes winner during the 2016 meet, is one of eight sprinters entered in Sunday’s 300-yard, $15,000 Dash For Speed Stakes at Arapahoe Park. A homebred 4-year-old daughter of Make It Anywhere trained by Zachary Quezada for owner A and D Racing, Shiner Blond returns to Arapahoe from Remington Park in Oklahoma City, where the mare ran ninth in the 400-yard, $53,000 Merial Oklahoma Distaff Challenge (G3) on May 14. Shiner Blond earned $16,709 from five outs last season and scored a ...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 27, 2017—Remington Park features a special Memorial Day racing program with multiple stakes events for Oklahoma-bred American Quarter Horses. The $61,800 FL Lady Bug Stakes features 2-year-olds, including Ima China Rush, this season’s Oklahoma Futurity winner. Owned and bred by Sherry Gilmore of Sallisaw, Okla. ...

SHELBYVILLE, IN—MAY 26, 2017— It will be a battle to the wire between two standout Indiana sired Quarter Horses Saturday, May 27 when the field enters the starting gate for the eighth running of the $84,200 Born Runner Classic. WH Design by Dash and Beach Cartel, who shared honors in 2016 as the Quarter Horse Association of Indiana (QHRAI) ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SOUTH JORDAN, UT—MAY 26, 2017—Two sets of futurity trials are part of Saturday’s 12-race program at Laurel Brown Racetrack near Salt Lake City, Utah. Saturday’s 350-yard Beehive Futurity trials have drawn 61 juveniles. Sb Hoonigan, a stakes-winning son of first crop sire Jr Dynasty Mountain trained by Alvaro Torres for owner Steve Berry, drew post 6 in the seventh of eight trials. Sb Hoonigan is coming off of a head victory in the 300-yard, $74,000 Hadley/Giles Memorial Futurity at Weber Downs in Ogden, Utah. Sb Hoonigan will be ridden by Jesus Canales. The homebred gelding’s seven opponents in the seventh heat ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SHELBYVILLE, IN—MAY 25, 2017—Beach Cartel, a homebred 5-year-old gelding racing for Sheri Miller, drew post 9 for Saturday’s 400-yard, $84,200 Born Runner Classic Stakes (R) for state-breds at Indiana Grand. Beach Cartel made his season debut with a victory in a 400-yard, $20,000 open-condition allowance for Indiana-breds on May 5. The Escondido Beach gelding earned $98,290 from six outs in 2006, and his four ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SHAKOPEE, MN—-MAY 25, 2017—A total of 25 3-year-olds, led by John G. Johnson’s Faster Than Hasta, has been entered in Saturday’s 400-yard Gopher State Derby trials at Canterbury Park. Trained by Robert Johnson, Faster Than Hasta will be making his season debut from post 4 in the last of three trials. A bay son of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—MAY 23, 2017—Brave Heart Won, a 4-year-old son of Apollitical Jess campaigned by Dwayne Saucier and trainer Michael Taylor, will make his season debut in Saturday’s 350-yard, $25,000 Develop A Plan Stakes (G3) at Delta Downs. Brave Heart Won is coming off of a sophomore season during which the sorrel gelding earned $303,410 from seven outs and ran third in both the $2.415-million All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs and $363,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1) ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI FARMINGTON, NM—MAY 22, 2017—A field of eight New Mexico-breds, headed by morning-line favorite Seis Menudos, has been entered in Friday’s 400-yard, $40,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes (R) at SunRay Park. A 6-year-old Southern Corona gelding trained by Michael Megariz III for owner Eloy Humberto Pena, Seis Menudos will be making his first start since March 4, when he scored ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOUSTON, TX—MAY 21, 2017—Samuel Martinez’s Barefoot Beach, stakes-placed twice at the current meet, will be seeking her first stakes win of the season in Monday’s 300-yard, $15,000 Sam Houston Distaff at Sam Houston Race Park. Trained by reigning champion trainer Judd Kearl, Barefoot Beach will be shortening in distance off of her second-place finish, a neck behind winner Brookside, in the 400-yard, $28,000 Merial Texas Distaff Challenge on April 22. The 4-year-old daughter of ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MAY 21, 2017—im Walker’s Champion of Champions winner Zoomin For Spuds, the AQHA champion 3-year-old gelding last year, drilled 220 yards from the gate in an impressive :12.10 clocking under jockey Jesus Rios Ayala on Saturday morning at Los Alamitos. Zoomin For Spuds worked in ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—MAY 20, 2017—The Ruidoso Downs racing season starts on Friday with the start of the summer long million-dollar theme when the trials to the Grade 1, $1-million Ruidoso Futurity fill the first two days of racing action. The horses with the five-fastest times on each trial day advance to the 350-yard Ruidoso Futurity on ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI AJAX, ONT—MAY 19, 2017—Ruth F. Barbour’s Country Boy 123 is one of 16 aged sprinters entered in Sunday’s 300-yard Picov Maturity trials at Ajax Downs. Country Boy 123 will be making his first start since October 29, when the 4-year-old son of champion Country Chicks Man ran fourth, one length behind winner Jess Good Reason, in the 400-yard, $202,000 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3) at Los Alamitos, his first-ever start away from Ajax Downs. The gelding drew the ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SHELBYVILLE, IN—MAY 18, 2017—--Heisasgoodasheis, a homebred Chilled Corona gelding owned and trained by Joe M. Davis and a stakes winner as a 2-year-old, is one of 23 state-bred 3-year-olds entered in Friday’s 350-yard Harley Greene Derby (R) trials at Indiana Grand. Heisasgoodasheis has earned $115,625 from seven starts, all at Indiana Grand, and his two wins include a nose victory in last year’s 300-yard, $191,000 Gordon Mobley Futurity (R). The gelding drew post 7 and ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—MAY 18, 2017—Stakes winners Zooboo and Hez Kwik are among the eight Louisiana-bred sophomores entered in Saturday’s 400-yard, $50,000 Vinton Stakes (R) at Delta Downs. Zooboo will be stretching out in distance off of his neck victory at odds of 18-1 in the 350-yard, $94,000 Mardi Gras Derby (R) at Louisiana Downs on March 18. The gelded son of Coronas Leaving You is trained by Martin Trejo for owner Rosalio ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—MAY 17, 2017—Rayne Knight’s The Cazador, a sorrel son of Sir Runaway Dash and the fastest qualifier, is one of 10 state-bred 2-year-old colts and geldings entered back in Saturday’s 330-yard, $266,140 Louisiana Breeders’ Laddie Futurity (RG2) at Delta Downs. The Cazador made his debut with a 1 1/4-length victory in the eighth of 12 trials on April 29. The colt drew post 7 and will be ridden by John Hamilton. Other contenders include TM Ranch’s Jls Dash N ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA--MAY 16, 2017--Jorge Meraz’s Ttt Kas, a bay daughter of the Corona Cartel stallion Kas I Said So and the fastest qualifier, is one of 10 state-bred fillies entered back in Friday’s 330-yard, $322,285 Louisiana Breeders’ Lassie Futurity (RG2) at Delta Downs. Trained by Jose Sanchez, Ttt Kas has won two of three starts and has earned $36,773, and her resume includes a third-place finish, one length behind winner ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOUSTON, TX—MAY 16, 2017—Pete Scarmardo’s Dash Quick Perry, a homebred Down N Dash gelding who is a graded stakes placed during the current meet, is one of eight sprinters entered in Friday’s 350-yard, $15,000 Sam Houston Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park. Dash Quick Perry is ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MAY 14, 2017—A pair of unbeaten fillies, one the darling of the juvenile division so far at Los Alamitos, and the other with a name that fits her performances this season, will headline the running of the $303,600 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity at 300 yards on Sunday. First post for the nine-race card is 5:48 p.m. Owned by Paul Jones and Thompson Racing, Inc., Summertime Favorite has been stellar in her two starts in 2017. The Favorite Cartel filly was spectacular in her debut, as she recorded a wire-to-wire 2 1/2 length victory on April 9. She returned 21 days later in a much tougher race, but she still prevailed to win by a neck while posting the fastest ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 13, 2017—Graded stakes winners Duponte and Eye N Capo are among the 52 3-year-olds entered in Sunday’s 400-yard Heritage Place Derby (G2) trials at Remington Park. Duponte will be making his season debut from post 8 in the first of six trials. A sorrel son of American Runaway trained by Josue Ponce for ...

FARMINGTON, NM—MAY 12, 2017—A full field of 10 state-bred 2-year-olds, headed by fastest qualifier Bug Daddy Cartel and morning-line favorite Jans Cartel, has been entered back in Sunday’s 350-yard, $100,000-est. New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity (RG3) at SunRay Park.  Bug Daddy Cartel, a homebred son of second-year sire ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 11, 2017—A total of 218 juveniles has been entered in this weekend’s Heritage Place Futurity (G1) trials at Remington Park. Twelve 350-yard heats will be contested on Friday and Saturday. The 10 fastest qualifiers -- five from Friday’s heats and five from Saturday’s -- will meet in the $1-million (est.) final on June 3. The Heritage Place Futurity is the richest race for any breed in the state of Oklahoma. Weetonas Lafawn, a stakes-winning daughter of ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MAY 10, 2017—The first official pari-mutuel race meet at Los Alamitos Race Course took place in December of 1951. Since then, hundreds of thousands of horses have left the starting gate and competed in exciting races at the Orange County oval. In more than six decades of racing here there have been 1,750 Quarter Horses ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOUSTON, TX— 10, 2017—Rogelio Garza Guajardo’s TLC Dale, a homebred 4-year-old gelding by The Louisiana Cartel, drew post 10 for Saturday’s 440-yard, $50,000 Sam Houston Classic Stakes (G2) at Sam Houston Race Park. TLC Dale is coming off of a second-place finish, a neck ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MAY 10, 2017—Jeff Aldstadt and Kim Pitcher’s Start Somethin Bad had the time of her life when she won the $220,000 La Primera Del Ano Derby on April 1. The Pappasito filly has also run in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity, finished second in the Los Alamitos Invitational Stakes and ran in the Seal Beach Handicap. Start Somethin Bad will look to keep the good times rolling when she headlines a full field of 10 in the $25,000 La Pacifica Handicap for fillies on Friday night at Los Alamitos. Trained by Paul Jones, Start Somethin ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—MAY 9, 2017—Flat Broke Racing’s The Cartel Warrior, a gelded son of The Louisiana Cartel and the fastest qualifier, drew post 10 for Saturday’s 330-yard, $81,430 Old South Futurity at Delta Downs. The Cartel Warrior broke his maiden with a neck victory in the fourth of six trials on April 22, and he was a $6,500 buy at last year’s Texas Quarter Horse Yearling Sale. Donald Guynes will ride the gelding for trainer Brian Stroud. Capitan Jimbob drew the rail ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—MAY 9, 2017—Jmf Dashing, a sorrel son of champion Tempting Dash and the fastest qualifier, is one of 10 sophomores entered back in Friday’s 350-yard, $62,715 Old South Derby at Delta Downs. Trained by Josue Ponce for Javier Marquez’s J and M Racing and Farm of Monahans, Texas, Jmf Dashing made his season debut with a head victory in the last of four trials on April 21. The gelding has banked $14,100 from four official starts in Texas and Louisiana. Jmf ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI KENNEWICK, WA—MAY 6 2017—San Gregorio Racing Stable Inc.’s Recking Ball, a gray daughter of One Dashing Eagle and the fastest qualifier, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Sunday’s 300-yard, $28,318 NQHRA Pot O’ Gold Futurity at Sun Downs. Trained by Danny Montes, Recking Ball made her debut with a three-quarter length victory in the first of four trials on April 23. The homebred filly drew post 3 and will be ridden by Cesar Franco. Kool Odds, the second-fastest ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OGDEN, UT—MAY 5, 2017—A full field of 10 2-year-olds, topped by fastest qualifier Yourdarkestnitemare, has been entered back in Saturday’s 300-yard, $73,885 Hadley/Giles Memorial Futurity at Weber Downs. A black daughter of Favorite Cartel trained by Martha Maldonado for ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—MAY 4, 2017—Bill Hoburg’s BH Lisas Boy, which earned a berth to the $750,000 Champion of Champions thanks to his victory in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Championship in his last start, returns to action to face a strong group of older runners in the Grade 3 $25,000 Kaweah Bar Handicap at Sunday at Los Alamitos. Trained by John Cooper, BH Lisas Boy won the Winter Championship by a half-length over reigning Champion of Champions winner Zoomin For Spuds. BH Lisas Boy victory in the February 19 event automatically qualified him to race in Quarter Horse racing’s most prestigious and richest race for older horses, the Champion of Champions to be held here ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—MAY 4, 2017—Michael C. Teel’s AJs High, a homebred son of Apollitical Jess trained by Charley Hunt, will make his 5-year-old season debut in Saturday’s 400-yard, $100,000 Sooner State Stakes (RG1) for Oklahoma-breds at Remington Park. AJs High will be ...