DM Moonpie headlines the $60,000 TQHA Classic Stakes [RG2], one of six stakes Texas-bred stakes races scheduled for Friday at Retama Park.

© Coady Photography

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SELMA, TX–JULY 23, 2024–Six Texas-bred stakes -- led by the 400-yard, $60,000 TQHA Classic Stakes (RG2) -- will headline Friday's 11-race program at Retama Park near San Antonio.

Post time for the first race is set for 6:15 p.m. (CDT).

Donna Mushinski's DM Moonpie is one of seven state-bred runners who entered Friday's TQHA Classic Stakes. A homebred 5-year-old son of Moonin The Eagle trained by Kie Mushinski, DM Moonpie is coming off of a neck victory in the June 5, 400-yard Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes (R) at Sam Houston Race Park.

DM Moonpie drew post three and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco.

The complete lineup, in post-position order, including jockey assignments:

Grace N Dash (Oliver E. Martinez)

1. Kartendo Fast Dash (H.J. Hernandez)
2. DM Moonpie (Luis Vivanco)
3. Jess The Leader (Oscar Andrade Jr.)
4. Hes A Jet One (Ali Rivera)
5. JB Shiner Bok (Adrian X. Morales)
6. Brock Landers (Gerardo Luna)

Seven state-bred distance specialists will contest Friday's 870-yard, $50,000 Benny Pennington Memorial Stakes (R).

Open Jessies Corona has won his last two races, including the June 15, 870-yard Jesse Yoakum Memorial Stakes (R) at Sam Houston Race Park. Arnold Lewis trains the homebred 4-year-old gelding for owners Ty and Sierra Sadler.

Open Jessies Corona drew post six and will be ridden by Claudio Aguilar.

Leavinematthebar, a homebred 4-year-old Power Jam (TB) gelding racing for Joye Leann Nalls and James Hrabovsky, is one of six middle-distance specialists entered in Friday's 550-yard, $50,000 TQHA 550 Stakes (RG3).

Leavinematthebar won both of his two starts on the 550 trip, including the June 28, $46,000 Gary Baber Stakes at Retama Park. Toby Keeton trains the sorrel gelding.

Leavinematthebar drew post four and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco.

Friday's 400-yard, $50,000 TQHA Sophomore Stakes (R) has attracted eight state-bred 3-year-olds who passed through the 2022 TQHA Yearling Sale.

Eleazar Martinez Sr.'s Jess Star Struck won both starts during the Sam Houston Race Park spring meet, including the June 15, $55,000 Sam Houston 250 Stakes (R). Raul Galvan trains the gelded son of Jess Lips.

Jess Star Struck drew post five and will be ridden by Gerardo Luna.

Tempting Alibi, a sorrel son of champion Tempting Dash trained by Jose Sanchez for owner Cruz E. Nava, headlines Friday's 250-yard, $50,000 TQHA 250 Stakes (R).

Tempting Alibi will be shortening in distance off of his second-place finish, one length behind winner Frankie Jr, in the June 27, 330-yard Silver Bullet Stakes (R) at Retama Park. The gelding has won one of his two starts at the 250-yard distance, a $15,000 maiden-special-weight dash at Retama Park on August 3, 2023.

Tempting Alibi drew post three and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco.

First Time For Wine, a homebred 4-year-old daughter of champion First Moonflash racing for Pete Scarmardo of Caldwell, Texas, is one of 10 state-bred fillies and mares entered in Friday's 400-yard, $50,000 Miss Retama Stakes (R).

First Time For Wine will be making her first career start at Retama Park, and she will be stretching out in distance off of her neck victory in the June 15, 330-yard Miss Sam Houston Stakes (R) at Sam Houston Race Park. John Stinebaugh trains the brown mare.

First Time For Wine drew post three and will be ridden by Oscar Andrade Jr.

All Retama Park races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.