Retama Park wrapped up three nights of stakes trials August 6-8, setting the stage for five stakes finals during closing weekend August 20-22.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

SELMA, TX–AUGUST 10, 2026–Retama Park hosted three nights of Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa stakes trials August 6-8, beginning Thursday with trials for the $61,972 Colors of the Alamo Paint & Appaloosa Futurity-G3 and continuing Friday and Saturday with trials for the $230,000 TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity-RG2 and $100,000 TQHA Sires' Cup Derby-RG3.

The three-day trial weekend concluded Saturday with a strong day of wagering. On-track handle reached $108,232, a 24% increase over the $87,274 wagered on the corresponding Saturday in 2025. Off-track wagering climbed nearly 8% to $522,618, bringing total Saturday wagering to $630,850, an increase of more than 10% from last year.

Overall, the three-day program generated $226,684 in on-track handle and more than $1.2 million in off-track wagering. Saturday drew 2,474 fans to Retama Park's Family Fun Night, providing a strong finish to three days of Paint, Appaloosa, and Quarter Horse trials.

Family Fun Night featured free face painting, bounce houses, a petting zoo and pony rides, along with the LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers) Learning Lab. The free educational program offered behind-the-scenes tours, interaction with racing professionals, and equine science and veterinary demonstrations with the track's pony horses.

Saturday was a great example of what we want our fans to experience at Retama Park," said Retama Park General Manager Bryan Pettigrew. "We had a great racing program, strong crowd, and activities that gave families an opportunity to enjoy the track and learn more about the people and horses that make racing possible. We're looking forward to carrying that momentum into the next two weekends of racing."

The three nights of trials helped set the stage for closing weekend, which will feature five stakes races and some of the meet's top horses and connections.

"We are really excited with how well these races came together this year and the quality of horses that participated," said TQHA Director of Racing Scott Sherwood. "We wish everyone good luck in the finals."

Sherwood also pointed to the continued growth of the TQHA Sires' Cup program and the support behind it.

"The TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity and Derby are restricted to foals sired by stallions that participated in the TQHA Stallion Auction during the applicable breeding season, making these races an important showcase for our stallions and their offspring," Sherwood said. "The Sires' Cup continues to get stronger each year, and we were pleased to see that reflected in the quality of this year's races. The continued support of our stallion owners and breeding farms has helped us grow these races year after year, with a record $38,380 in stallion awards being returned in 2026."

$230,000 TQHA SIRES' CUP FUTURITY-RG2
Post-time favorite Ruse Man Crystal posted the fastest qualifying time Friday night from eight trials for a spot in the $230,000 finals. With Victor Manuel Urieta Jr. aboard, the filly drew away to win the seventh 350-yard trial by two lengths in :17.869, earning a 95 speed index.

Jose Garcia trains the Louisiana-bred daughter of KJ Mucho Macho Man for owner K K Horse Racing. Third in the Oklahoma Futurity (G2), Ruse Man Crystal has won two of three starts and earned $59,818.

Get Aggressive recorded the second-fastest time of :17.949 with a 1 1/4-length victory in the final trial under Claudio Ponce Aguilar. The One Famous Eagle gelding, owned by Melchor Mendez and trained by Jose Luis Sanchez III, has won two of three starts and earned $28,377.

Dk Marney 123 was the third-fastest qualifier after winning the fifth trial by one length in :17.961 under Urieta. Trained by Miguel Pizana for CH Horse Racing LLC, the Flying Cowboy 123 filly earned her first career victory and has banked $15,287.

CLICK HERE for the 10 fastest qualifiers

$100,000 TQHA SIRES' CUP DERBY-RG3
Karma Cha Ching continued her winning streak Saturday night, posting the fastest qualifying time from three 400-yard trials over morning line favorites Shes Ec To Tempt and Di Kvn Waven. With Nestor Duran aboard, the sorrel filly took charge at first call and never looked back defeating Chloes Man by a neck in :20.042, and earning a 98 speed index.

Esteban Rubio trains the homebred daughter of Pa Cha Ching for owner and breeder Sarah Huskey. Coming off victories in the La Villita Stakes and Sam Houston Oaks, Karma Cha Ching has now won four straight and owns a record of 5-1-0 from 12 starts with earnings of $133,302.

Chloes Man secured the second-fastest qualifying time after finishing a neck behind Karma Cha Ching under Victor Urieta Jr. Trained by Oscar Nunez for Rudy Rudolfo Munoz, the son of This Is An Eagle, has a record of 2-2-1 from eight starts and $27,305.

Shes Ec To Tempt kept her winning streak alive by capturing her eighth consecutive victory from nine starts in final trial for the third-fastest time. The multiple stakes winning daughter of Tempting Dash defeated two-time Grade 2 winner Di Kvn Waven by a half-length for the third fastest time.

CLICK HERE for the 10 fastest qualifiers

$61,972 COLORS OF THE ALAMO PAINT & APPALOOSA FUTURITY-G3
Leading third-year sire, Chilitos, sired the three fastest qualifiers and five finalists overall, led by Miss Chilitos. Ridden by Oliver Martinez, she won the second 350-yard trial by 3 1/4 lengths in :17.845 for a 96 speed index.

Trained by Jose Martinez for owner Edgar Rivera Hernandez, the Connie Nobles-bred $13,500 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate is double registered APHA/AQHA and has earned $70,924 with a third in the Grade 2 Colors of Houston Futurity and a berth in the Grade 1 TQHA Sale Futurity.

JVM Hot Victoria and jockey Rosendo Pina Garcia won the opening trial by one length in :18.023 for a 91 speed index and the second-fastest qualifying time. The Wendy Garcia-trained filly has won four of six starts and earned $33,646, including victories in the Grade 2 Colors of Houston Futurity and TBHBA Paint Horse Juvenile. Muy Piscosita EG, ridden by Ali Rivera, finished second to JVM Hot Victoria to give Chilitos the three fastest qualifiers.

CLICK HERE for the 10 fastest qualifiers

Across the three sets of trials, several owners, trainers, and jockeys stood out by qualifying multiple horses to their respective finals.

Jose Ivan Martinez led all trainers with five qualifiers. He advanced Miss Chilitos, Muy Piscosita Eg, and Catalina Scratch to the Colors of the Alamo Paint & Appaloosa Futurity, Di Kvn Waven to the TQHA Sires' Cup Derby, and Our Eagle Has Landed to the TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity.

Jose A. Garcia qualified three finalists, while Gilberto Gonzalez and Jose Luis Sanchez III each advanced two. K K Horse Racing led owners with three qualifiers, while Guerras Racing Stables qualified two.

Victor Manuel Urieta Jr. topped the jockey standings with seven qualifiers across the three events. Oliver E. Martinez and Rosendo E. Pina Garcia each rode three qualifiers, while Nestor Duran, Jose R. Herbert, Ali Rivera, Claudio Ponce Aguilar, and Luis L. Vivanco each qualified two.

Among sires, Chilitos led with five qualifiers, followed by This Is an Eagle with four. Flying Cowboy 123, Kiss My Hocks, and KJ Mucho Macho Man each sired two qualifiers.

"We are excited to cap another competitive and successful Retama Park meet with a strong final weekend of racing," said Retama Park Racing Secretary Mike Acton. "The races for leading owner, trainer and jockey are among the closest I have seen during my time in Texas, which reflects just how competitive this meet has been from start to finish."

The 10 fastest qualifiers from each set of trials will return for the finals on August 22 as part of Retama Park's closing weekend. The program will also feature the Colors of the Wind Paint and Appaloosa Maturity and the AQHA Racing Championship Challenge-G3.

The annual Retama Park Weenie Dog Races will add to the closing-weekend festivities, giving participants the opportunity to race in front of one of the meet's largest crowds, with cash prizes awarded to the top three finishers.

Registration for the Weenie Dog Races closes August 14. The entry fee is $25 per dog, and space is limited. Owners can register through the "Register Here" link on the Retama Park website or event page.

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.