Kas Prietito, under jockey Luis Maldonado, easily won the restricted Grade 2 Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday night

© Jack Coady Photography

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

HOUSTON, TX–JUNE 13, 2026–Kas Prietito delivered a powerful late surge to score a convincing victory in Saturday night's $53,500 Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes (RG2) for accredited Texas-bred Quarter Horses at Sam Houston Race Park. It was the second consecutive black type victory for the 4-year-old gelding.

Ridden by Luis Maldonado, Kas Prietito covered 400 yards in 19.834 seconds over a fast track, earning a 103 speed index while defeating runner-up Sloww Downn by 2¼ lengths. The brown gelding earned $32,100 for the victory and recorded his strongest performance of the season in the Grade 2 stakes event.

Winner of the Sam Houston Classic Stakes(G2) in his last start, he has won five of 14 career starts and earned $138,766.

Bred in Texas by Rancho J S, Kas Prietito is by Kas Tempting and out of the Azoom mare Marys Corazon. He is owned by Fernando Soto and Rolando Soto and is trained by Sergio Fuentes. Breaking from post six, the gelding was fifth at the start before unleashing a powerful rally and drawing clear under strong handling from Maldonado.

The winning connections of Kas Prietito accept the Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes trophy at Sam Houston Race Park. © Jack Coady Photography

Sloww Downn, a 4-year-old brown filly by Lota Pyc out of Jess One More Thing, by Fly Jess Fly, rallied late under jockey Eliazar Vera to secure second by a head. Owned by Whiting Ranch and trained by Delbert McDowell, the Texas-bred filly was bred by Steve A. Holt and earned $10,700. She finished 2¼ lengths behind the winner while holding a head advantage over the third-place finisher. Stepping up in class off a $15,000 claim victory in her last start, May 14, she has banked $50,285.

Dm Chasing Money finished third and collected $5,885. The 4-year-old brown gelding is by This Is an Eagle and out of Dm Maryanna, by The Louisiana Cartel. Bred and owned-and bred by Donna Mushinski and trained by Kie Mushinski, Dm Chasing Money was ridden by Claudio Aguilar. He battled throughout before finishing a head behind Sloww Downn and a neck in front of the fourth-place horse. Third in the Leon Bard Memorial last season, Dm Chasing Money has earned $63,341.

Completing the order of finish were Ima Chili in fourth, Inflation in fifth, and Zef Lucky Seis in sixth. Kadillaking was scratched by the veterinarian prior to the race.

The Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes was contested at 400 yards and offered a purse of $53,500. The race was run under cloudy skies with temperatures near 90 degrees and a 10 mph headwind.

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Named in honor of Willie Stuard Hickman, the Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes recognizes one of the most beloved and influential figures in Texas racing. Hickman devoted his life to the sport, working throughout Texas and Louisiana while serving in a variety of roles, including jockey, trainer, stall superintendent, stakes coordinator, and jockey room coordinator. He spent more than two decades in the racing office at Sam Houston Race Park, where he became a fixture of the racing community. Following his death in March 2022, the track established the stakes race to celebrate his legacy and enduring impact on horse racing in the Southwest.

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