Royalist Tops Retama Park Derby Qualifiers amd Bludz Valiant Policy Wins Selma Stakes, both under jockey Luis Vivanco.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

SELMA, TX–JULY 4, 2026– Friday night's card at Retama Park featured three trial heats for the $181,000 Retama Park Derby presented by 440 Equine, with 26 three-year-olds vying for ten berths in the July 25 final. The evening concluded with the $50,000 Grade 3 Selma Stakes, while fans also enjoyed live entertainment from the Broken Duck Feet Band and a post-race fireworks display.

The night's leading horsemen turned in standout performances. Luis Vivanco, Gilberto Linares, and Rosendo Pina Garcia shared riding honors with two wins apiece on the eight-race card. Vivanco was the only rider whose two victories came in stakes competition. He guided Royalist to the fastest qualifying time in the Retama Park Derby trials before returning to capture the Grade 3 Selma Stakes aboard Bludz Valiant Policy.

When asked about his win aboard Bludz Valiant Policy, Vivanco answered, "I'm very happy because the Bludz Valiant Policy won. Thank God we got the win."

All of Bludz Valiant Policy's previous stakes appearances had come at 400 yards. The Selma Stakes marked her first stakes start at the 350-yard distance.

When asked about the shorter distance and his strategy, Vivanco added, "It was a little shorter, and the strategy was to break out in front, but we started a bit behind. Still, thank God it didn't cause any trouble; we managed to close the gap and win."

Matching Vivanco's two-win night, Ben Olaveson was the only trainer with a pair of victories, teaming up with the veteran rider for both wins.

The strong performances on the racetrack were paralleled by another successful weekend at the betting windows. Retama Park continued to show positive year-over-year growth during its Independence Day racing weekend.

Thursday delivered the strongest gains when compared to the same race day in 2025. The on-track attendance handle more than doubled, increasing from $40,196 to $81,974, a 104 percent increase. Off-track wagering also surged from $334,202 to $526,443, an increase of more than 57 percent.

Friday's card continued to produce strong on-track support, with the on-track attendance handle climbing from $71,238 in 2025 to $108,243 in 2026, a 52 percent increase over the comparable race day last year.

“The weekend did not disappoint,” said Retama Park Racing Secretary, Mike Acton. “We had fantastic crowds, fast horses, and awesome fireworks displays! This Retama Park meet is one of the most exciting race meets in the country with all of the excellent promotions, competitive racing, and lots of graded stakes. It provides a great opportunity for Texas breeders to solidify their bloodstock.”

While there will be no live racing on July 4, Retama Park will host its free Stars & Stripes Spectacular presented by University Health Retama Hospital. The family-friendly celebration commemorates America's 250th Independence Day with a 21-minute patriotic fireworks show, live music by Dakota Avenue, family activities, horse rides, a CarfestSA car show, a Most Patriotic Hat Contest, local vendors, and more.

Gates open at 6:00 p.m., with the fireworks show scheduled to begin at approximately 9:00 p.m. Guests can enjoy free on-site parking along with both indoor and outdoor seating.

CLICK HERE to view the complete story and qualifiers list for the $181,000 Retama Park Derby

CLICK HERE to read the $50,000 Selma Stakes story..

ABOUT RETAMA PARK
Retama Park is a Class 1 pari-mutuel horse racetrack located in Selma, Texas, just 15 minutes from downtown San Antonio. Live Quarter Horse races take place each summer, while simulcast wagering and races from around the world are shown daily. Managed by Penn Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ – PENN), Retama Park opened in 1995 and is hosting its 31st season of horse racing in 2026. For more information and racing schedules, please visit www.RetamaPark.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube.

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