Cowgurl Up (#2) edged past her rivals to win the $157,125 Miss Retama Stakes on Friday night at Retama Park.

© Jack Coady Photography

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

SELMA, TX—JULY 25, 2025—In a dramatic blanket finish under the lights at Retama Park, P & J Racing Ltd.’s Cowgurl Up edged past her rivals by the narrowest of margins to win the $57,125 Miss Retama Stakes on Friday night.

The 4-year-old sorrel filly prevailed by a nose over Magic Apollitical in the 400-yard dash for Accredited Texas-bred fillies and mares aged three and up.

With a final time of 20.149 seconds, Cowgurl Up recorded a 96-speed index, overcoming an eight-mph headwind on a fast track.

Guided by jockey Raul Hernandez, Jr., Cowgurl Up broke sharply from post 2 and engaged in a stretch-long duel before winning the head bob at the wire.

The winning connections of Cowgurl Up accept the Miss Retama Stakes trophy on Friday at Retama Park. © Jack Coady Photography

Trained by Carlos Lopez and bred in Texas by her owners, P & J Racing Ltd., the daughter of leading third-crop sire Flying Cowboy 123 out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Passem Up Perry earned $34,275 for the victory. She was a $95,000 purchase from the 2022 TQHA Yearling Sale. With four wins in nine starts, she has banked $78,534.

Finishing second in the thriller was Magic Apollitical, a 3-year-old filly by leading sire Apollitical Jess out of Visual Magic by Corona Cartel. Breaking from post 1 under jockey Nestor Duran, she was in contention throughout but was narrowly denied at the wire.

Magic Apollitical is trained by Miguel Castillo for AA Farms, LLC, and was bred by Turner Farms. A $95,000 RNA from the 2023 TQHA Yearling Sale, she picked up $11,425 for her runner-up finish, increasing her earnings to $112,492.

Third went to the 5-year-old stakes-winning mare First Time For Wine, who rallied late under jockey Ali Rivera to finish a neck and nose behind the winner.

The daughter of First Moonflash out of Time For Wine, by Mr Jess Perry, is owned and bred by Pete A. Scarmardo and trained by John Stinebaugh. Her effort was good for $6,284 to bring her earnings to $207,82 .

Cowgurl Up returned $9.80 to win, $5.20 to place, and $3.00 to show. Magic Apollitical paid $5.20 to place and $3.00 to show. First Time for Wine returned $2.40 to show.

The remainder of the field finished in the following order: Ladys Gotta Jet was fourth, followed by Trixiee in fifth, Quick Lights in sixth, Dm Bella Star in seventh, Lipstick Promise in eighth, and Tiffany Twistedd in ninth.

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