Royalist, under jockey Luis Vivanco, posted the fastest qualifying time for the Grade 3, $234,050 Sam Houston Derby on Thursday night at Sam Houston Race Park.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

HOUSTON, TX–MAY 21, 2026–Three trials were contested Thursday night at Sam Houston Race Park for the Grade 3, $234,050 Sam Houston Derby, with the ten fastest qualifiers advancing to the June 13 final.

Royalist posted the fastest qualifying time of the night after capturing the final trial while setting a new track record under jockey Luis Vivanco. The Hector Reina-owned colt covered the 400 yards in :19.346 seconds while earning a blazing 115 speed index.

Bred by Veronica Gail Kawananakoa and trained by Ben Olaveson, Royalist was a $120,000 purchase at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The colt is by world champion sire Corona Cartel and out of the stakes-winning One Famous Eagle mare Zigfield Follies, earner of $37,516. His female family traces back to world champion Dashing Folly, who earned $535,841 during her career.

Royalist now owns a record of 8-2-3-0 with earnings of $43,259 and remains in search of his first stakes victory. Last season, he qualified to the Evangeline Downs Futurity (G2).

Eagle On A June Bug finished second in the same trial under H. Javier Hernandez to secure the second fastest qualifying time of the evening. The gelding stopped the timer in :19.381 seconds and earned a 114 speed index after showing early speed throughout the race.

Bred by Robert Moudy III, Eagle On A June Bug is owned by Sergio Jimenez and Enrique Santollo and trained by Victor Oviedo. A $20,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate, the gelding is sired by champion Eagles Fly Higher and is out of the unraced Blushing Bug mare Sandy June Bug.

Eagle On A June Bug is a half-brother to stakes winners Colby James ($550,168), Daddys Blushing ($292,122), Junior June Bug ($289,078), and Hedge Fund ($51,454). He now carries a record of 9-5-2-0 with earnings of $270,456. Among his accomplishments are runner-up finishes in both the Louisiana Downs Futurity (G2) and the TQHA Sale Futurity (G1).

Third fastest qualifier Litenin captured the opening trial under jockey Victor Manuel Urieta, Jr. The Rene Roman-owned gelding covered the distance in :19.660 seconds for a 107 speed index.

Bred by Bullard Farms and trained by Janessa Lee Muniz, Litenin is a $17,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate. The gelding is by Class King and out of the Fishers Dash mare Fleet Elis. He is also a half-brother to graded stakes winner Dak, earner of $471,025.

Litenin improved his record to 9-3-0-3 with earnings of $62,360 following the trial victory. He was previously a finalist in last year’s TQHA Sale Juvenile Stakes.

Full list of qualifiers can be found HERE.

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