Dansing Queeen and jockey Alonso Rivera win their trial for the $60,525 Cherry Creek Futurity at Arapahoe Park on June 19, posting the fastest qualifying time for Sunday's final.

© Coady Media

By Louanne Wainscott, StallioneSearch

AURORA, CO–JULY 4, 2026–Sunday afternoon at Arapahoe Park features a seven-race program starting at 1:00 p.m., highlighted by two championship events showcasing the state's top Quarter Horses. The $37,150 Lucille Rowe Derby and the $60,525 Cherry Creek Futurity headline the card as Colorado-bred sophomores and juveniles compete for stakes honors.

The featured seventh race will showcase ten Colorado-bred 2-year-olds in the $60,525 Cherry Creek Futurity Final. The finalists earned their berths in the June 19 trial heats and will sprint 350 yards at approximately 4:00 p.m.

Dansing Queeen returns as the 6-5 morning-line favorite after a dominant performance in the trials. The filly drew away to win by 2¼ lengths and posted the fastest qualifying time. Prior to her trial victory, she made one start at Remington Park, finishing second by a neck in a maiden event.

Bred and owned in Colorado by Dr. Susan Raymond, DVM, Dansing Queeen is by B Cause Im A Hero and out of the Apollitical Jess mare Apollitical Senorita. James J. Gonzales II trains the filly, who will break from post 10, the outside post, with Alonso Rivera aboard.

Breaking from the rail is 2-1 second choice Tahitis French Kiss. The filly also impressed in the trials, leading from gate to wire to win by two lengths and posting the second-fastest qualifying time. She enters the final with two wins from four starts and career earnings of $21,840.

Owned and bred in Colorado by Francisco J. Cornejo, Tahitis French Kiss is by Kiss My Hocks and out of the Wave Carver mare Tahiti Wave. Haley N. Hobbs trains the filly and will send out Fernando Fonseca-Soto in search of another stakes victory.

On the card earlier, the fifth race features the $37,150 Lucille Rowe Derby, with eight Colorado-bred 3-year-olds competing over 350 yards at approximately 3:00 p.m.

Ronda Rowsey has been installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite. The talented filly captured both the 2025 Cherry Creek Futurity and the Mile High Futurity before beginning her sophomore campaign with two starts at Remington Park against allowance company. She returns to the track where she has enjoyed her greatest success, having earned all three of her career victories at Arapahoe Park. She has career earnings of $63,698.

Owned by George L. Seward, the Colorado-bred daughter of Favorite Cartel is out of the Apollitical Jess mare Ms Jess Knockout. Fernando Ivan Manriquez trains Ronda Rowsey, who will break from post four with Mauro J. Rodriguez in the saddle.

Sunday's program showcases the strength of Colorado's Quarter Horse breeding program as the state's top juveniles and sophomores compete in two prestigious stakes events. With accomplished runners returning alongside emerging young talent, both the Cherry Creek Futurity and the Lucille Rowe Derby promise competitive racing and an exciting afternoon for fans and bettors at Arapahoe Park.

The races at Arapahoe Park can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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