The Lion Kingg, under jockey Nestor Duran, posted the fastest time from eight trials contested at Retama Park Thursday night for the $223,000 TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity (RG2).

© Jack Coady Photography

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

SELMA, TX—AUGUST 1, 2025—Ten 2-year-old Quarter Horses earned a spot in the $223,000 TQHA Sires' Cup Futurity (RG2) final to be held Saturday, August 16, 2025, at Retama Park.

The 350-yard event is restricted to juveniles sired by participating stallions. Eight trials were held on Friday night under clear skies and fast conditions.

Topping the qualifiers was The Lion Kingg, a sorrel gelding by champion Tempting Dash out of Tres Of Jess, by Tres Seis, who posted the fastest time of the evening in the sixth trial.

Piloted by Nestor Duran, the Dimas Sanchez trainee surged to a head victory over fellow qualifier Fire Chilitos, stopping the clock in 17.881 seconds. The gelding is owned by J.A. Racing LLC and was bred in Louisiana by Ross Roark.

Undefeated in three states, The Lion King has earned $25,920.

Second fastest on the night was The Valiant Flame, who dueled gamely in the final trial to win by three-quarters of a length in 17.883 seconds. The daughter of The Louisiana Cartel, out of Valiant Flame by Valiant Hero, was bred and is owned by Torres Buildings of Texas.

Trained by Brian Stroud and ridden by Jose Herbert, the brown filly secured her place in the final with a strong drive under mild headwinds. A finalist in the John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge two races back she has earned $20,987.

Rounding out the top three was Sam Houston Futurity(G2) runner-up Flawless Grace, who delivered a commanding performance in the fifth trial, pulling away to win by 2¼ lengths with the third-fastest qualifying time of 17.891 seconds.

The Oklahoma-bred daughter of leading first-crop sire Dulce Sin Tacha, out of Heroic Grace by Apollitical Jess, is trained by Al Ray Watson for owner Rolando Resendez and was bred by Kelly Yother Equine LLC. Jockey Nestor Duran was also aboard for the win, marking his second qualifier of the night.

With three wins in five starts, Flawless Grace has banked $167,635.

Among the finalists is Prize Time Lelo, who recorded a sharp 17.989 in the opening heat, winning by daylight under Froylan Tellez Ramirez for owner Jose Edelio Cantu, Jr. The colt by Pyc Prize Time out of Cosmo Lela, by Cosmograph, was bred in Texas by his owner.

The final starting position for the August 16 final was determined by a shake between Cm Heavenly Cowboy and Won Salty Corona, both of whom posted identical times of 18.171 seconds in separate trials, tying for the 10th-fastest clocking of the night. Won Salty Corona won the outcome, joining the rest of the field in the lucrative RG2 future.

The final of the TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity is slated for Saturday, August 16, at Retama Park, offering a rich purse of $223,000 for the ten fastest 2-year-olds sired by TQHA participating stallions. CLICK HERE for the list that includes times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

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