Two-time stakes winner Louisana Bunny will represent her recently passed owner/breeder Lee Markholt.

© Andrea Caudill / AQHA Racing

Q RACING—OCTOBER 22, 2020—When Louisana Bunny races in the $125,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge (G2), she will race for the memory of her owner and breeder Lee Markholt of Tacoma, Washington, who died on October 5.

Trainer Nick Lowe of Richfield, Washington, will saddle the Louisiana Senator filly for her breeder’s estate and his daughter, Amy Lee Markholt, for what is sure to be an emotional evening.

The filly is the last of Lee’s breeding program. She is out of the Best Advice mare My Best Bunny Yet, and from her four career starts she has stakes wins in the Grants Pass Firecracker Futurity and the John Deere Emerald Juvenile Challenge, with earnings of $45,571.

“The first two times I worked her by herself, I wasn’t sure she could run much,” Lowe says of the filly. “But the first time I worked her in company, ‘Ohmigosh, is that the same horse?’ She just blew their doors off.

“She’s only had four outs, but when she’s broke good, she’s won.”

Lee, a former NFR bullrider, is set to be inducted into the Idaho Rodeo Hall of Fame this year. He raced horses for about 20 years, including horses like Lucky Royal Rabbit ($53,191) and Royal Time Bunny ($32,688).

Lowe’s other contender is CM Once Ina Bluemoon, who will race in the the $100,000 Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1) for owner Chris Sutton.

The 5-year-old gelding was bred by Randy Dickerson and is by Ivory James and out of Cool Blue Corona by Jess Louisiana Blue.

He has won four of six starts this year, including his four most recent starts. He has a career record of 13 wins from 33 starts and earnings of $99,780, as well as setting track records at Grants Pass and Emerald Downs.

“He’s the most laid back horse, easy to be around, and loves to train,” Lowe says. “He loves to train, every day. He’s a perfect racehorse, he just bows his head to his chest and pulls, he’s real professional.”

The Northwest horses have settled in in New Mexico and are prepared for their respective graded stakes.

“Both of them have shipped well, trained well and I’m really happy with them,” Lowe says.

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