Point Blank Range becomes Tell Cartel’s seventh black-type horse of the year with a Grade 2 victory at Remington Park.

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By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

PHOENIX, AZ–JUNE 1, 2026–Tell Cartel continues to make his presence felt in 2026, adding another major victory to an already impressive season when Point Blank Range captured the Grade 2 Heritage Place Derby on Saturday night at Remington Park.

The young sire is represented by 20 winners this year, including seven black-type horses. His latest standout, Point Blank Range, delivered a determined performance to secure the biggest victory of his career in the $335,800 event for 3-year-old Quarter Horses.

Owned by 918 Bloodstock and trained by Dee Keener, Point Blank Range covered the 400 yards in :19.480 seconds while earning a 98 speed index. The Oklahoma-bred gelding collected $141,036 for the victory under jockey Roman Cruz.

Bred by J. Garvan Kelly and J. Lloyd Yother, Point Blank Range broke sharply, took command early, and had enough left in the final strides to hold off a late charge from stablemate Jc Speeding.

“I picked up the mount this meet,” Cruz said. “I watched the replays of his races, and he didn’t like to break. In the Heritage Place Derby trials, he didn’t break again, but he picked it up and won anyway, and we qualified.”

Cruz adjusted his strategy for the final in hopes of improving the gelding’s start.

“He’s not a break horse at all, but you work with the horses and find out what is better for them,” Cruz said. “I relaxed myself, and I think that’s what helped the horse most of all. I just breathed and relaxed, and the horse responded. I knew he could do it.”

A $40,000 purchase at the 2024 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, Point Blank Range has now won three of five starts and pushed his earnings to nearly $160,000.

Tell Cartel’s influence was felt elsewhere on the Remington Park card as well. Tellem Im In The 918 finished third in the FL Lady Bug Stakes-RG3. Also owned by 918 Bloodstock, the filly is trained by Keener and was ridden by Cruz. Bred in Oklahoma by Jay Ross, DVM, she is out of Recurring Dreams, by Hes Relentless.

The Heritage Place Derby-G2 victory further strengthens Tell Cartel’s position among the nation’s leading third-crop sires. He currently ranks third nationally among third-year sires while also leading all sires in Arizona from every crop to race.

His impact has been especially noticeable at Turf Paradise, where 10 of his 20 winners this season have found the winner’s circle. His progeny have consistently been among the fastest horses on the grounds, including a runner that established a new 330-yard track record.

Beyond Arizona, Tell Cartel has sired winners at Remington Park, Sam Houston Race Park, Sunland Park, Louisiana Downs, and Prairie Meadows.

His seven black-type horses in 2026 include Point Blank Range, Tell The Truth, who finished third in the Idaho Cup Futurity; Raising Tell, third in the Desert Classic Futurity; Swiftie Sass, third in the Desert Classic Juvenile Stakes; Block N Tell, third in the Desert Classic Derby; and Alittlelesstalk, third in the AQRA Derby.

From 80 starters, Tell Cartel has sired 18 black-type horses, representing 23 percent of his runners. His progeny have earned more than $1.8 million while averaging approximately $22,500 per starter.

His leading earners are headed by Show N Tell Cartel SI 98 with earnings of $272,163, followed by Point Blank Range SI 98 with earnings approaching $160,000, Kas He Tells You SI 95 with earnings of $92,840, and Alittlelesstalk SI 95 with earnings of $88,983.

A two-time champion, Tell Cartel SI 105 earned $796,386 on the racetrack. He was bred and is owned by Martha Wells of California. The son of leading sire Favorite Cartel comes from one of the breed’s most accomplished female families.

Tell Cartel stands at Fales Ranch for the 2026 breeding season for a fee of $5,500. For breeding information or contracts, contact Ralph and Carrie Fales at 520-723-7480 or email falesranch@gmail.com.