SHELBYVILLE, IN—JULY 3, 2015—Nine races are carded for the second all-Quarter Horse racing night of the year at Indiana Grand tonight (Saturday), July 4 with the Gordon Mobley Futurity headlining the five-stakes race program.

The $199,200 purse this year matches last year’s amount, which marks the largest purse ever offered in the state of Indiana for Quarter Horse racing. In all, the Saturday, July 4 racing program offers purses in excess of $572,000.

Beach Bum Eddie and Jose Beltran have been selected as the morning line favorites in the Mobley Futurity due to their strong performance in the trials. The two-year-old son of Escondido Beach, 2014 Stallion of the Year in Indiana, won his event by one full length, turning in the quickest time of :15.741 seconds of the five trials. Beach Bum Eddie is now one for two in his brief career for owner-trainer Tony Cunningham.

The top 10 qualifiers in the Mobley Futurity all turned in faster trial times than the stakes record, set in 2013 by Doc Special and Harold Collins in a time of :16.130 seconds, setting this year’s race up to be a great event. Other qualifiers, in post position order with jockey and odds, includes: Pistol Packin Kid (Giovani Vazquez-Gomez, 20-1); Jess A Rockstar (Smitty Lee Oxendine, 20-1); My Louisiana Rod (Juan Guerrero, 3-1); Coco Beach (Harold Collins, 4-1); Pepsi Perfect (Cristian Esqueda, 20-1); BV Romeo (Shanley Jackson, 20-1); Megatron Harry (Rodney Prescott, 4-1); WRS Kool Bob (Tommy Pompell, 8-1); Beach Bum Eddie (Jose Beltran, 5-2); and Devil Quarterback (Cesar Esqueda, 20-1) Trial winners, besides Beach Bum Eddie, were Jess A Rockstar, My Louisiana Rod, Megatron Harry and WRS Kool Bob.

Last year’s winner of the Mobley Futurity was Cant Catcha Corona ridden by Harold Collins for 2014 Leading Quarter Horse Trainer Randy Smith, who is currently leading the standings once again in 2015. Juan Guerrero, who tied with Shanley Jackson for 2014 Leading Quarter Horse honors, is currently leading the way among the jockeys this season with 16 wins over Jose Beltran, who has 10 wins in 2015.

The sixth running of the Gordon Mobley Futurity is slated as Race 7 with an estimated post time of 8:53 p.m. Other stakes on the card include the 13th running of the $132,700-added Jaguar Rocket Futurity, the seventh running of the $82,320 Heartland Futurity, the third running of the $49,250 Indiana Grand Classic, and the eighth running of the $48,160 Bradford Stakes. Post time for the first race is 6:05 p.m.

In addition to the action on the track, the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana will support the event with t-shirt tosses, $2 race wagers and a special guest appearance by Wrangler Q-Racing Ace Martha Claussen. Claussen will be set up at a table outside the winner’s circle during the racing program with items and wagers while supplies last. The evening also includes a RushShelby Energy Family Fun Night with an airbrush tattoo artist, caricature artist, bounce house and a strolling rodeo stilt walker and juggler.

Other all-Quarter Horse days planned for 2015 at Indiana Grand include Saturday, Aug. 1, Saturday, Aug. 29, Saturday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 24, which will include stakes with estimated purses in excess of $700,000. The 13th season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse continues through Saturday, Oct. 31. Racing is held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 2:05 p.m. with first post Saturdays set at 6:05 p.m.