Apollitical Pence Makes It A Double Of Champion Of Champions Wins LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 11, 2021—Ed Allred's Monopolist will look to close out his sophomore campaign in style when he headlines a 10-horse field in the running of the Grade 2, $150,600 Southern California Derby at 400 yards on closing night, Sunday at Alamitos. As the final card of the meet, the 10-race program will feature a mandatory payout in the $2 Pick 6, which gets underway in race 5 on Sunday night. First post is 5 p.m. (PST). Monopolist has posted some of the most impressive races of the season and has been the fastest qualifier to ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 11, 2021—The closing weekend of the 2021 meet is here with three outstanding stakes event, a pair of events for 3-year-olds and one for 3-year-olds of upwards. The two stakes for sophomores are the A Ransom Handicap on Saturday night at the Grade 2 Southern California Derby on Sunday evening. The First Down Dash ...

OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 16, 2021—Restricted Grade 1 winners Blood Money and San Lorenzeaux will face off for the third-time in their career on Saturday night when they clash in the $1,000,000 LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity(RG1) to determine who is the top 2-year-old in the state. Each one has pocketed a RG1 win with the other running ...

OPELOUSAS, LA—DECEMBER 16, 2021—Fastest qualifier El Camino CL is one of 10 state-bred sophomores entered back in the 400-yard, $216,594 Louisiana QHBA Breeders' Derby (RG3) Saturday night at Evangeline Downs. Trained by Jose Luis Sanchez III for owner Delfino Lozano IV, El Camino CL is a homebred son of leading sire ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—DECEMBER 15, 2021—His Time To Deal, a homebred 3-year-old son of Dealagame racing for Pete A. Scarmardo, is one of a dozen Texas-bred sprinters entered in Saturday’s 400-yard, $50,000 B.F. Phillips Jr. Stakes (RG3) at Lone Star Park. His Time To Deal has earned $47,561 from five races this season, and his two wins include a wire-to-wire, 1 3/4-length victory in the August 7, $89,000 TQHA Sires’ Cup Derby (R) at Sam Houston Race Park. The homebred gelding drew post 7 and will be ridden by Francisco Calderon for trainer John Stinebaugh. Other ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 13, 2021—Eleven juveniles, topped by multiple winner Heartache Tonite, are entered in Wednesday’s 350-yard, $56,000 AQRA Futurity (R) at Turf Paradise. A homebred son son of Corona Cartel stallion Texas Icon ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 10, 2021—Rosenthal Ranch’s Bomb Cyclone, who dazzled in his trial victory to the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, is the 7-5 morning line favorite when a tremendous group of juveniles lineup to race in California’s richest Quarter Horse race, the $2,036,825 Two Million final here at 400 yards. To be ridden by Eduardo Nicasio for trainer Chris O’Dell, Bomb Cyclone will start from post number one, which is the exact same spot as he clobbered the field to the tune of a four-length win in the trials. It was O’Dell who placed the son of a leading sire, Favorite Cartel, on the rail during the special post-position draw to took place on Wednesday at Los Alamitos. ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 10, 2021—The field to the $17,500 Evening Snow is led by Jesus Avila and Jesus Cuevas' Set For It, who enters on a three race win streak that includes a victory in the $20,000 Tolltac Handicap at 350 yards.  The gelding by a leading third-crop sire, Seperate ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—DECEMBER 10, 2021—The year-long Quarter Horse racing season reaches its crescendo on the weekend of December 11-12, as Los Alamitos Race Course hosts the running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions on Saturday and the running of the Grade 1, $2.03 million Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on Sunday. In the ...

By Martha Claussen NEW ORLEANS, LA—DECEMBER 7, 2021—One of the premier days of the annual Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots live racing season is Louisiana Champions Day. The 13-race card, saluting Louisiana-bred racehorses, is set for Saturday, December 11. Three Quarter Horse stakes will kick off the afternoon, with full fields in each of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—DECEMBER 6, 2021—Southern Electric, a homebred 4-year-old son of Crm Livewire campaigned by Dan and Kaye Jones, is one of 10 Paints entered in Saturday’s 400-yard, $20,000 Olympia Jone Stakes at Lone Star Park. Southern Electric opened his Lone Star meet with a neck victory in the 350-yard, $39,500 Karen Utecht Stakes September 25. Ty Blackwell trains the sorrel gelding. Southern Electric drew post 8 and will be ridden by Cody Smith. The complete lineup, in post position order including ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 5, 2021—Chrissy Ledoux, a homebred daughter of champion FDD Dynasty racing for Ralph and Carolyn Fales, will put her win streak on the line in Friday’s ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—DECEMBER 2, 2021—Valentin Jqm and Outta Debt are among the dozen sprinters entered in Wednesday’s 350-yard, $30,000 Mike Hastings Memorial Stakes at Turf Paradise. Valentin Jqm is coming off of a neck victory at odds of 11-1 in the 300-yard, $30,000 Wayne Brasher Memorial Stakes at Turf Paradise on ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOBBS, NM—DECEMBER 1, 2021—Zia Park will present four stakes -- all graded -- during its 10-race program on Sunday. Post time for the first race is set for 12 p.m. (MST). Following are previews of all four stakes. Zia Park Championship (G1) Eight aged runners are entered in Sunday’s 440-yard, $100,000 Zia ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 30, 2021—A total of 46 3-year-olds, headed by Grade 3 winner Famous Chief, are entered in Saturday’s 400-yard Evangeline Downs Derby at Evangeline Downs. A gelded son of One Famous Eagle trained by Eric Long for owner Ramon Calvillo Jr., Famous Chief ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 28, 2021—Graded stakes winners Mr Spud and Doc McCrocklin are among the 100 juveniles entered in Friday’s 400-yard Evangeline Downs Futurity (G3) trials at Evangeline Downs. The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $100,000-added Evangeline Downs Futurity final on December 30. A bay son of The Louisiana Cartel owned by Christopher A. Villatoro and a $7,200 purchase at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, Mr Spud will be ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ—NOVEMBER 28, 2021—Katella Avenue, a gelded son of champion Foose owned and trained by Valentin Zamudio, is one of 22 3-year-olds entered in Thursday’s 400-yard Arizona QRA Turf Paradise Open Derby trials at Turf Paradise Racetrack. A finalist in the October 2, ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 26, 2021—Multiple derby winner Favorite Colossus will be joined by four Los Alamitos Super Derby finalists plus talented runners like Monopolist, J Best Boogie, Tuckk and Just A Dasha Hero in the trials to the Grade 2, $150,600 Southern California Derby on Sunday at Los Alamitos. The Southern California Derby trials represent the final stakes trials of the season and will the 10 horses that will move on to the 400-yard final to be held on the meet’s closing night on Sunday, December 19. Twenty-six sophomores will race in the trials that will be held in races 8,9 and 10 on Sunday. Super Derby finalists ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 25, 2021—Rockin J Running Horses’ Viva Le Don is the 6-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 870-yard, $50,000 Devil His Due Stakes at Lone Star Park. A homebred 5-year-old Rock Solid Jess gelding trained by Tammy Johnson, Viva Le Don won three stakes during his summer campaign, all at the 870-yard distance, including the June 12, $81,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial Stakes (R) for Texas-breds at Sam Houston Race Park. All told, the gelding has won 11 of 31 races -- including five of eight ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 24, 2021—KJ Desparado, a gelded son of world champion Apollitical Jess, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 400-yard, $1,114,816 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park. KJ Desparado is trained by Wes Giles for owners John Lee, ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 23, 2021—Apollitical High and Sir Louisiana Dash are among the 21 state-bred sophomores entered in Saturday’s Louisiana QHBA Breeders’ Derby (RG3) trials at Evangeline Downs. The 10 fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s three 400-yard heats will meet in the December 18, $100,000-added LQHBA Breeders’ Derby final. Apollitical High is a sorrel son of Apollitical Blood trained by Rosendo Valdez Jr. for ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 22, 2021—A total of 119 state-bred 2-year-olds, headed by multiple graded stakes winner Blood Money, are entered in Friday’s 400-yard Louisiana QHBA Million Futurity (RG1) trials at Evangeline Downs. Post time for the first of 13 trials is set for 4:35 p.m. (CST). The last heat is scheduled to go off at 9:35. Blood Money has won five of six races and has earned $672,142 while racing exclusively in Louisiana. A $17,000 purchase at last ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 19, 2021—A full night of trials to the richest running of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity since 2014 are on the marquee for the Sunday night action that begins at 5:15 p.m. (PSD). Fourteen trials at 400 yards are on tap with every race featuring either an eight or nine horse field. The juveniles with the 10 fastest times will advance to the $2,036,825 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity to be held on Sunday, December 12. Consensus selections for each of the 14 trials can be found on page 6 of the ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 19, 2021—Kiss Thru Fire and Cat Daddys Lil Girl, who finished 1-2, respectively, in the Grade 1 $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap in January will meet again when they headline a strong group of fillies and mares in the Grade 3, $50,000 Las Damas Handicap on Saturday night. Racing for Gentry Farms and trainer Juan Aleman, Kiss Thru Fire has been the top aged mare in California this year. In addition to her victory in the Charger Bar, Kiss Thru Fire has also won the Denim N Diamonds Handicap, Matron Stakes ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOBBS, NM—NOVEMBER 16, 2021—Hotsempting, a 4-year-old daughter of champion Tempting Dash racing for Miguel Y. Gallegos and Mauricio Gallegos, will make her first official start in more than 10 months in Sunday’s 400-yard, $50,000 Lovington Stakes (G2) at Zia Park. Hotsempting began her 4-year-old campaign with a fourth-race finish, 1 1/4 lengths behind winner Kiss Thru Fire, in the January 3, $100,000 Charger Bar ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 15, 2021—Ten sprinters, headed by Love The Way You Fly and On Point, are entered in Saturday’s 300-yard, $25,000 Gentilly Dash Stakes at Evangeline Downs. Love The Way You Fly is a 4-year-old son of Furyofthewind trained by Trey Ellis for owner Todd Matte. The stallion has earned $41,550 from ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 12, 2021—Walker Family Trust’s Zoomin For Spuds will look to qualify to the Champion of Champions for record sixth time when he leads a great cast of 19 horses in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials on Sunday at Los Alamitos. There will be two divisions of the Directors Trials with the horses with the two ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI PHOENIX, AZ-—NOVEMBER 11, 2021—Skysthalimitcarver and Senor Frogs are among the dozen sprinters entered in Wednesday’s 300-yard, $30,000 Wayne Brasher Memorial Stakes at Turf Paradise. A sorrel daughter of world champion Wave Carver trained by Vanessa Marquez for owner Anastacio Mariscal Jr., Skysthalimitcarver is ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 12, 2021—Noe Cano’s Woman Secrets, the winner of the first running of the Los Alamitos Claiming Futurity, looks to add the $17,000 Dream A Secret Stakes to his resume when he faces five other 2-year-olds in this 350-yard event on Saturday at Los Alamitos. Cano and trainer Roman Figueroa won an ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI CLAREMORE, OK—NOVEMBER 10, 2021—Miss Beth Dutton, a sorrel daughter of Kiss My Hocks and a stakes winner during the Ruidoso Downs summer meet, is one of 10 2-year-old fillies entered back in Saturday’s 400-yard, $261,050 Black Gold Oaks Championship (R) at Will Rogers Downs. The fastest qualifier from four trials on October 29, Miss Beth Dutton has earned $52,510 from seven races, and her three wins include the ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—NOVEMBER 9, 2021—Christopher A. Villatoro’s Apollitical B Snow, a 4-year-old son of Apollitical Blood trained by Rosendo Valdez Jr., will put his four-race win streak on the line in Saturday’s 400-yard, $40,000 Opelousas Stakes (RG3) at Evangeline Downs. Apollitical B Snow will be stretching out in distance off of his half-length victory in the 350-yard, $35,000 Mid-City Stakes (RG3) on October 9. The gelding has won four stakes and has earned $132,798 ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRANTS PASS, OR—NOVEMBER 7, 2021—L Bar D Mistr Cartel, a homebred Majestic Cartel gelding racing for F. Darrell and Linda Sanders, heads a field of 10 2-year-olds entered back in Monday’s 400-yard, $83,000 Far West Futurity at Grants Pass Downs. L Bar D Mistr Cartel has ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 5, 2021—Dr. James Streelman of Dutch Masters III will look to win his fourth Grade 1 stakes race of the year when he’s represented by fastest qualifier Flash Bak in the $925,650 Los Alamitos Super Derby, the meet’s richest race for 3-year-olds, here on Sunday night. Streelman won two Grade 1 futurities at Ruidoso ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRANTS PASS, OR—NOVEMBER 5, 2021—Ten Oregon-bred 3-year-olds, headed by Malon L. Cowgill’s Dahock, are entered in Sunday’s 350-yard, $15,000 Memorial Stakes (R) at Grants Pass Downs. A homebred son of the Shazoom stallion Zoomin For Bux trained by Benito Curiel, Dahock will ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 5, 2021—Jockey Ramon Sanchez enjoyed his record tying 153rd career stakes win at Los Alamitos with Gentry Farms’ College Scandal in the Grade 3 PCQHRA Breeders Derby on October 2. College Scandal could once again help Sanchez achieve a milestone victory here, as the two will team up again, ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOBBS, NM—NOVEMBER 3, 2021—Midday News, a graded stakes winner during the Remington Park spring meet and winner of his last two races, heads a field of seven runners entered in Sunday’s 350-yard, $50,000 James Isaac Hobbs Stakes (G2) at Zia Park. A 5-year-old son of champion FDD ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 2, 2021—-Eighteen 400-yard Texas Classic Futurity (G1) trials — nine on Saturday and nine on Sunday — are on tap for Lone Star Park this weekend. The five fastest qualifiers from each night will meet in the November 27, $1-million Texas Classic Futurity final. Saturday’s trials are led by ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—NOVEMBER 1, 2021—Forty-eight 3-year-olds, headed by Grade 1 winners Empressum and Instygator, are entered in Friday’s 440-yard Texas Classic Derby (G1) trials at Lone Star Park. A homebred son of world champion Apollitical Jess trained by Heath Taylor for owners Jeff Jones and Steve Holt, Empressum has earned $788,685 from eight races this season, and he is coming off of a Ruidoso Downs summer campaign ...

AJAX, ONT—OCTOBER 27, 2021—Quarter Horse racing fans will not want to miss the final day of the 2021 Ajax Downs Quarter Horse racing season, Wednesday (Nov. 3) which kicks off with the first-ever 'hook' race in the track's history. A jam-packed 11-race card begins at 12:45 p.m. with a sneak-peek into the 2022 racing season with a non-wagering race at 770-yards, the first race to be held around a turn at the track. 'Hook' races for Quarter Horses - races around one turn - have been popular in other jurisdictions in North America, offering Quarter Horses the chance to race at slightly longer distances than 440-yards, or one-quarter of ...

HOBBS, NM—OCTOBER 30, 2021—The New Mexico Cup state-bred racing action that starts on Sunday continues into Monday, as three Quarter Horse stakes are scheduled at Zia Park. Eight New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds are entered in Monday’s 400-yard, $30,000 New Mexico Cup Sophomore Stakes (R). Icy Morning Breeze, the 3-2 morning-line favorite, is a homebred Winners Version filly trained by Jackie Riddle for the Estate of William R. and Mary Robertson. Icy Morning Breeze has finished sixth in her two most recent starts, but she started her 3-year-old season with a three-race win streak that ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—OCTOBER 29, 2021—Los Alamitos Race Course’s second million dollar futurity of the meet, the Grade 1, $1,112,300 Golden State Million Futurity, will have plenty of star power on display led by a quartet of Grade 1 futurity finalists among the eight Quarter Horses that will be in action here on Sunday night. Dunn Ranch LLC’s In Hott Pursuit, who was second in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity here on June 20, will be joined by fellow Ed Burke finalists Hallelujah Nights and Chizum, plus Rainbow Futurity finalist Significant Dynasty in this lineup. The field ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRANTS PASS, OR—OCTOBER 29, 2021—Chris Sutton’s CM Once Ina Bluemoon, a multiple stakes winning 6-year-old son of Ivory James, is one of six sprinters entered in Monday’s 600-yard, $15,000 Crater Lake Handicap at Grants Pass Downs. CM Once Ina Bluemoon is coming off of a ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—OCTOBER 29, 2021—Seventy-nine horses have entered the 10-race program on Saturday night which makes a solid average field per race of 7.9. The card will also feature four allowance events, highlighted by 1,000-yard allowance test featuring multiple stakes winner Ballast Point, who has posted some of the fastest times ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI CLAREMORE, OK—OCTOBER 28, 2021—Stakes winners Streakinlilwagon and One Kool Dreamer are among the 34 state-bred sophomores entered in Saturday’s 400-yard Oklahoma Horsemen’s Association Mystery Derby (R) trials at Will Rogers Downs. Streakinlilwagon is a homebred daughter of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI CLAREMORE, OK—OCTOBER 27, 2021—Thirty-two 2-year-old fillies are entered in Friday’s 400-yard Black Gold Oaks Championship (RG3) trials at Will Rogers Downs. The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the $120,000-added Black Gold Oaks Championship final on November 13. Miss Beth Dutton, a stakes winner during the Ruidoso Downs summer meet in New Mexico, drew post 6 in the first of five trials. Trained by Clint Crawford for owners Conda Maze and Judy Maze, the sorrel daughter of Kiss My Hocks has earned $49,618 from six races, and her two wins include the 400-yard, ...

HOBBS, NM—OCTOBER 27, 2021—Twelve state-bred stakes — eight for Thoroughbreds and four for Quarter Horses — will be contested on Sunday, New Mexico Cup Day at Zia Park in Hobbs. A total of 114 New Mexico-breds — 74 Thoroughbreds and 40 Quarter Horses — have been entered, and $1,506,880 in purses will be offered. Following is a preview of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI OPELOUSAS, LA—OCTOBER 26, 2021—Ten state-bred 2-year-olds, headed by multiple graded stakes winner Blood Money, are entered back in Saturday’s 350-yard, $382,415 Louisiana QHBA Sale Futurity (RG1) at Evangeline Downs. Blood Money is an undefeated bay son of leading third-crop sire Apollitical Blood trained by Rosendo Valdez Jr. for owner Rojas Racing Stables LLC. A $17,000 purchase at last year’s LQHBA Yearling Sale, the gelding has earned $607,131 from five races, and his record includes victories in the June 12, $347,000 Louisiana Breeders’ Laddie Futurity (RG2), and the July 31, $827,000 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1), both at Delta Downs. Blood Money drew post 7 ...

AJAX, ONT—OCTOBER 24, 2021—The richest Quarter Horse race in Canada headlines Ajax Downs' biggest day of racing on Wednesday. The $115,290(CAN) Alex Picov Memorial Futurity for 2-year-olds at 400-yards has a strong field of 10 juveniles, the fastest qualifiers from two Trial races held on Oct. 4. The 21st annual edition is race eight on a ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI ALBUQUERQUE, NM—OCTOBER 23, 2021—Five graded stakes, headed by the 440-yard, $250,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1), are on tap for Albuquerque Downs today (Saturday), as the track presents the 2021 AQHA/Bank of America Challenge Championships. The 10-race program, which also includes five undercard ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—OCTOBER 22, 2021—After an impressive allowance victory four weeks ago, Veronica Hernandez’s Jess Anothercommando looks to take another step forward when she heads eight 2-year-old fillies in the $20,000 Aqualina Handicap at 300 yards on Saturday at Los Alamitos. Ridden by Cruz Mendez for trainer Jose Flores, the ...