Mysterious Cartel, ridden by Cesar Moreno, wins his trial heat and clocks the fastest qualifying time to the Energy Downs Derby on Sunday.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

GILLETTE, WY–MAY 25, 2025–Forty-eight three-year-olds contended in five trials on Sunday for one of ten spots in the $75,000-added Energy Downs Derby. Favored to win, Mysterious Cartel remains undefeated for the 2025 season after winning his trial heat with the fastest qualifying time.

Piloted by Cesar Moreno, Mysterious Cartel broke best from the gates and commanded the lead with a wire-to-wire performance in the 350-yard trial. The son of leading sire Five Bar Cartel clocked a 101 speed index in 17.576 seconds, crossing the finish line a length ahead of King Eye Am, who also qualified.

Mysterious Cartel won his first out of the season in an Allowance at Weber Downs. The Texas-bred gelding has lit the board in eight of ten starts with $53,385 in earnings. Last year, he placed second in the Sweetwater Downs Futurity to Ojd Jess A Bug. He was also runner-up in the Beehive Juvenile Stakes and placed third in the Far West Futurity.

Luis Gonzalez, who owns and trains Mysterious Cartel, purchased him for $31,000 in the Heritage Place Yearling Sale. He is out of the Valiant Hero mare Mysterious Night and from the family of All American Derby-G1 winner Hotstepper.

The second-fastest qualifier, Ojd Jess A Bug, won trial three under jockey David Alvarez. The son of One Sweet Jess is undefeated from eight starts with $140,915 in the bank. His top wins include the Bitterroot Futurity-G3, Sweetwater Downs Futurity, and Hadley/Giles Futurity.

Karla Diaz-Gomez and Oscar Diaz bred and own Ojd Jess A Bug in Idaho. Trained by Javier Fuentes, the bay gelding is out of Bugs Wagon by Pyc Paint Your Wagon.

CLICK HERE for complete details on the $75,000-added Energy Downs Derby trials, including horse, sex, sire, dam, dam sire, owner, breeder, trainer, and jockey. Finals are to be run on June 8, 2025.

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