Master Reigns (#5) battles Eye Will Decide (#8) to win the $54,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes on Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.

© Jack Coady Photography

By H. David Smith, StallioneSearch

HOUSTON, TX–JUNE 14, 2025–In a heart-pounding finish at Sam Houston Race Park, Master Reigns surged late on the outside to capture the $54,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes by a nose on Saturday.

The six-year-old sorrel gelding stopped the clock at 45.851 seconds over a fast track, earning a 96 speed index in the process. Battling into a 5-mph headwind, the Texas-bred son of multiple stakes sire Dash Master Jess out of Dancee Reigns by He Will Reign demonstrated grit and determination to secure the narrowest of victories.

The winning connections of Master Reigns accept the Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes trophy on Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park. © Jack Coady Photography

Owned and bred by Richard A. Hawkins and trained by Marc Jungers, Master Reigns was guided to victory by jockey Raul Hernandez, Jr.

"We gave him a little vacation after Sunland Park and brought him back to our farm in New Mexico," said Jungers.  "He had a couple of solid works;I can't say we were confident about our chances, but we are awfully proud of him!"

The win rewarded connections with a $32,400 winner’s share of the purse and added to an already distinguished resume for the seasoned runner. He increased his earnings to $116,083 with five wins in 31 career starts.

Eye Will Decide, a seven-year-old gelding by multiple stakes sire Majestic Cartel out of Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity winner Valiant Lil Lady by Valiant Hero, proved a game runner-up, just missing in a photo finish.

Bred and owned by Bryon Gardner and trained by Adan Guzman, Eye Will Decide battled gamely throughout in a two-wide position under jockey Froylan Ramirez. He earned $10,800 for the second-place effort, boosting the multiple stakes winner's earnings to $180,520

Rounding out the trifecta was Gjr Rooster, a four-year-old gelding by This Is An Eagle out of Granny Grump (TB) by A Little Illegal (TB). Bred by Gerald Rich and owned by the partnership of Richard Young, Joe David Yates, and Zack Stinebaugh, the bay gelding was trained by Zack Stinebaugh and ridden by Ali Rivera.

Gjr Rooster dueled on the inside but weakened slightly in the final yards, finishing 2¾ lengths behind the top pair. He collected $5,940 for third and posted a 95 speed index. The gelding was a $15,500 purchase from the 2022 TQHA Yearling Sale and has banked $534,974 in 15 starts.

Pari-mutuel payoffs rewarded bettors handsomely, with Master Reigns returning $38.60 to win, $12.60 to place, and $6.20 to show. Eye Will Decide paid $4.40 to place and $2.60 to show, while Gjr Rooster returned $2.80 to show.

The remaining order of finish included Determined, Big Daddy Dan, Dash Happen, and Superfragilistic.

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