For the first time since 2010, a mare has captured the Grade 2 $43,010 AQHA California Regional Challenge, as Gentry Farms' Bold N Beautiful outran a talented field of males on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

© William Zuazo

By Orlando Gutierrez

CYPRESS, CA–AUGUST 2, 2026–For the first time since 2010, a mare has captured the Grade 2 $43,010 AQHA California Regional Challenge, as Gentry Farms' Bold N Beautiful outran a talented field of males on Saturday at Los Alamitos. The 4-year-old sorrel filly became the first female runner to win the regional final since Rancho El Alacran's My Lady First accomplished the feat 16 years ago.

Guided to victory by jockey Eduardo Nicasio, the daughter of Freighttrain B out of Always Dreaming covered the classic 440-yard distance in :21.727 and punched her ticket to the Grade 1, $250,000 est. AQHA Racing Challenge Championship at The Downs at Albuquerque on October 17.

Breaking sharply from post position two as the 0.90-1 favorite, Bold N Beautiful established an early head lead shortly after the start and was all grit from there to hold off last year's Grade 1 AQHA Racing Challenge Championship winner, Scoops Dynasty.

Winning connections of Bold N Beautiful. © William Zuazo

Bold N Beautiful earned $22,365 while improving her record to four wins and 13 top-three finishes from 19 starts, boosting her earnings to $216,937. She entered the race off a strong second-place effort to champion Shaken Goin On in the Grade 2 Abigail Kawananakoa Stakes. Bold N Beautiful competed in four major Oaks finals last year, including the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks and Grade 1 All American Oaks. Bred in Kentucky by Gentry Farms, her dam, Always Dreaming, is out of top stakes winner Fovee.

Winning trainer Juan Aleman was thrilled with her performance stretching out to a quarter mile.

"I knew she could handle 400. I think 400 is right at her distance. Four-forty may be stretching her out a little bit, but Mr Gentry wanted to see her go 440 and it worked out tonight against the boys," Aleman said. "Moving forward, the Mildred Vessels (on September 12) is what we want. That's going to be at 400 yards and she's going to need 400. She came up short going 350 (in the Miss Princess) but we'll be going 400 next time out."

Her victory could be the start of a big weekend for Gentry Farms, as they look toward Sunday night's Cox Ranch California Distaff Challenge with contender Ohana Spirit.

"You know, Ohana Spirit just hasn't been getting out of the gate, but hopefully she gets out of the in the Distaff and she'll be tough if she does," Aleman added. "It's been a pleasure and an honor to train for the Gentry Family. It's exciting because I've trained their mothers and their sisters and it actually goes back to their grandmothers. To have those families in the barn every year, it's just a great honor and privilege."

Aleman has trained several elite distaffers for Gentry Farms over the years, including Kiss Thru Fire, Fovee, Scatmandu, College Scandal, and Beach Walk.

Bold N Beautiful paid $3.80, $2.40, and $2.20 across the board. The feature race anchored a big wagering night, highlighted by a total Pick 6 pool of $262,231 where tickets with all six winners returned a massive $84,059.80.

Scoops Dynasty, the 7-year-old multiple Grade 1 winner, was ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala for trainer Diego Cervantes. He made a game bid but finished a neck short in second place while taking home $9,892. Equestix Consulting LLC's Invasive finished third and was followed by Hes My Sweetheart and Whiskey Wes to complete the field.

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