Beachum and jockey Cristian Penaloza power to the fastest qualifying time for the $103,000 Harley Greene Derby Thursday night at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

© Coady Media

By Tammy Knox

SHELBYVILLE, IN–MAY 14, 2026– He may be fairly new to racing, but Beachum definitely knows how to win. After winning both his starts as a two-year-old last year, Beachum returned for his three-year-old debut and not only won his trial, but he established himself as the top qualifier headed to the $103,000 Harley Greene Derby Final.

Beachum and jockey Cristian Penaloza entered the gate in post five and came out of the gate with the pack. However, it didn’t take the Escondido Beach gelding long to take over in the 350-yard dash. He led the field of eight down the track, fending off a late charge by last year’s Quarter Horse of the Year in Indiana Rock N The Beach and Edgar Diaz to win by a neck in :17.821. Rock N The Beach was a clear cut second over Whiskey Beach and Eduardo Diaz for third.

Beachum was overlooked by the betting public, paying $20.60 for the win. The product of the Cleary Family breeding operation of Indiana, Deane Lehman now owns the gelding, who is trained by Ron Raper. Beachum is a perfect three for three in his young career.

While the first trial of the night had excitement with Beachum, the last of four trials also provided a lift in enthusiasm. CV Denali and Edgar Diaz and Caelus and Diego Villamil Bocanegra could not be separated at the wire for the dead heat performance in a time of :27.842. A Flare for Politics and Eduardo Diaz finished third.

CV Denali, trained by Claudio Barraza, comes from a royally bred family. She is a sister to both Botticelli Beach and Shakeitonthebeach, both multiple stakes winners in Indiana. Campos Family Ventures owns the Escondido Beach filly, who is now four for five in her career.

For Caelus, it was his first start of 2026 and only his second career win. The Racy Secret gelding is owned by Perez Racing Stable and trained by Natasha Perez. Both CV Denali and Caelus share the second spot on the top 10 qualifiers heading to the Harley Greene Derby final set for Saturday, May 30 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The full field advancing to the Greene Derby Final, in order of time with jockey, includes: Beachum (:17.821, Cristian Penaloza); CV Delani (:17.842, Edgar Diaz) and Caelus (:17.842, Diego Villamil Bocanegra); Seven Beaches (:17.844, Yovani Flores-Munoz); Rock N The Beach (:17.874, Edgar Diaz); HH Shakem Cate (:17.878, Giovani Vazquez-Gomez); Victory Beach (:17.893, Eduardo Diaz); HF Kiss This Too (:17.904, Diego Villamil Bocanegra); Nitro Beach (:17.962, Fernando Morin); One Sweet Wagon (:17.966, Cristian Penaloza). Trainer Tim Eggleston, 2025 Leading Quarter Horse trainer, will saddle three for the final (Rock N The Beach, Victory Beach, Nitro Beach) while Ron Raper (Beachum, One Sweet Wagon) and Natasha Perez (Caelus, HF Kiss This Too) will each saddle two.

The Harley Greene Derby Final will be the featured event on the first all-Quarter Horse racing program of 2026 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. It will be joined by the $30,000 Maiden Stakes Final as well as $70,000 Born Runner Classic and trials for the Horseshoe Indianapolis QHRAI Derby. First post for the day is 10:45 a.m.

The 24th season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse extends through Friday, November 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.

About Horseshoe Indianapolis
Horseshoe Indianapolis, owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR), holds multiple awards for customer service, entertainment, gaming, racing, dining, and diversity. Located just minutes from Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Ind., this one-of-a-kind property has wall to wall excitement on the 105,940 square foot gaming floor, featuring more than 1,600 slots and 72 table games along with a state-of-the-art World Series of Poker Room containing 20 tables. In addition, Horseshoe Indianapolis offers the only live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing in the state showcased on a one-mile dirt racecourse and a seven-eighths mile turf course. Simulcast and sports wagering is offered year-round at Caesars Race & Sportsbook, also located on the casino floor, with additional gaming provided at Caesars Race & Sportsbook in Clarksville, Ind. Players can reap benefits from Caesars Rewards, the industry’s most lucrative bonus program now offered at more than 50 destinations. Please visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis for more information and find Horseshoe Indianapolis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing at racetracks and 21 or older to gamble at sports books and casinos. Please play responsibly. If you think you or someone you care about may have a gambling problem, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (1-800-994-8448). ©2026 Caesars License Company, LLC.

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