Pocatello Downs hosted the AQHA Fort Hall Casino Bonus Challenge on Sunday's race card.

© Pocatello Downs

POCATELLO, ID—MAY 28, 2018—With a dominant win in the $14,100 AQHA Fort Hall Casino Bonus Challenge, A Cartel Hustle broke the Pocatello Downs track record for 400 yards. A Cartel Hustle and Nikeela Black stopped the clock in 19.299, earning a 120 speed index.

The 4-year-old Idaho-bred gelding defeated the field by nearly two lengths in the victory.

A Cartel Hustle ($3.60) is trained by Mark Hanson for owners Rtm Stables LLC, Larry Chapple, and Dick Wasia; Chapple, Wasia and J. Hanson also bred the son of Favorite Cartel, out of the Feature Mr Jess mare Mothers Gift.

The Memorial Day stakes victory was the eighth career win for A Cartel Hustle and he is two for two in 2018. His lifetime earnings of $56,921 include wins in the Idaho Cup Derby and Idaho Cup Futurity and appearances in the Bitterroot Derby and Bitterroot Futurity.

As with the first stakes race on the card, Mark Hanson also trained both halves of the exacta in the Bonus Challenge. Rtm Mr Caccia and Jesus Canales finished second, a half-length ahead of third-place finisher Bigtime Carter.

Rtm Mr Caccia is owned by RTM Stables LLC and was bred in Idaho by Susan Hanson. The 6-year-old gray gelding is by No Secrets Here and is out of the Dashin Is Easy mare Shirleys Secret.

In 24 career starts, Rtm Mr Caccia has eight wins, over $66,000 in earnings, and has only finished out of the money in four starts. In 2015, he won both the Idaho Cup Derby at Les Bois and the Double Down Derby at Sandy Downs.

Raphael Romero and Bigtime Carter completed the trifecta in the short field. Bigtime Carter is a 6-year-old son of Carters Cartel, out of the First Down Dash mare Ms Dashin Bigtime. He was bred in Oklahoma by Paris Wixon.

Bigtime Carter is owned and trained by Abel Romero.

Completing the field were Merrys Cartel and Awesomer.