San Lorenzo Queen, under jockey Luis Vivanco, posted the fastest qualifying time over two nights of trials for the Grade 2 $461,835 Sam Houston Futurity at Sam Houston Race Park.

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HOUSTON, TX–MAY 13, 2023–Sam Houston Race Park ran 18 trials for the richest race of the 2023 Quarter Horse meet,  the $461,835 Sam Houston Futurity (G2). with impressive efforts on both Friday and Saturday evening. Five qualifiers from each night will return on Saturday, June 3.

The second night of trials had weather challenges with the first three trials running on schedule, but an intense thunderstorm delaying the running of the fifth race for an hour. However, it did not have an adverse effect on Rogelio Marquez, Jr.’s San Lorenzo Queen who made her racing debut in the sixth trial of the evening.

The daughter of Ivan James out of  the Heza Fast Dash mare Dashnunder Afullmoon set the fastest time of :16.873 seconds, over a sloppy track. Luis Vivanco had the call for trainer Jesus Marquez.

"We bred 12 horses in 2021 and San Lorenzo Queen and Apollitical Jess were the two standouts," said Rogelio Marquez. "I was nervous that our filly was making her first start under the lights and over a sloppy track. So grateful that she handled everything so professionally!"

Marquez, who lives in Rosenberg, Texas, has been a force in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas racing with the majority of his horses named after the Marquez family birthplace, San Lorenzo, Mexico. Dashnunder Afullmoon was his first stakes winner with a record of eight wins from 11 starts.  She banked $711,851 before retiring to the breeding shed.

"She was the mare who started everything for us," added Marquez.

The fastest clocking on Friday, May 12 was achieved by Gotagogh, who was making his second start for trainer Juan Diaz, who has won the last two editions of the Sam Houston Futurity. Triple Five bid $150,000 for the colt by Favorite Cartel at the 2022 TQHA Yearling Sale.

Breaking from the rail under jockey Jose Herbert, the colt bred by Bobby D. Cox, out of the Shazoom mare Signs Zoomer, surged to the finish line in :17.065 seconds, into a 12 mph headwind.  He prepped for his trial with a maiden win here on April 21, and Diaz was pleased that Gotagogh was making such progress at an early age.

"He has been great for us," said Diaz. "We were all there at the TQHA Yearling Sale. He was pricey, but got a lot of votes! The owners have been great; no pressure and trust the work that we do. You can’t go wrong with a fast horse!"

Triple Five is an ownership group comprised of five friends from San Antonio, Belton and Temple, Texas. Individually they have been involved in Quarter Horse racing for 15 years and Eduardo Leon and his wife, Vanessa, shared their experience.

"Everybody went to the Sale and were in agreement on purchasing Gotagoah," said Leon. "We liked his pedigree and felt confident in Juan as a trainer. "Watching him win his trial was an amazing experience! In 15 years, this is our first qualifier to a major Futurity; we can’t imagine how it will feel to watch him run in the final!"

In addition to Gotogogh on Friday night, Diaz also qualified Colley’s Cartel for owner Josefina Guzman;  Juan M Lozano’s homebred.Jess Flying Cowgirl, a daughter of leading first-crop sire Flying Cowboy 123, and Hardtotempt, by champion Tempting Dash, for owner-breeder Louis Malechek III.

The fifth-fastest qualifier on Friday night was Red Reddington, who advanced gamely under 2022 Sam Houston Race Park’s leading rider Ali Rivera. Bred by Naia and Tyler Graham, the son of Kiss My Hocks caught the eye of owner Reynaldo Munoz at the 2022 TQHA Yearling Sale, who purchased the colt for $82,000.

"My owner really liked him at the sale," said trainer Alvin Francis. "He ran well for us at Remington (on March 11) and in this trial, he ducked and dodged a little in the beginning, but finished really well. I ran him with the wrong blinkers; I’ll put the full cap blinkers on him in the final."

CLICK HERE for the ten qualifiers who will return for the 2023 Sam Houston Futurity on Saturday, June 3 with the winner taking home a check in the amount of $184,734.

First-crop sire Flying Cowboy 123 and second-crop sire This Is An Eagle got two qualifiers each in the to final.

In addition, the 11th through 20th qualifiers are invited to compete in the $51,315 Sam Houston Juvenile, which will also be contested on June 3. CLICK HERE for a list of the ten qualifiers eligible for the Sam Houston Juvenile.

The notable list of past Sam Houston Futurity champions includes War Colors, Azoom, All American Winner, Snowy Alibi, Especially Tres, Ivan James and This Is An Eagle. Several winners have gone on to national prominence, including  Kiss My Hocks, who won in 2014 and was honored as AQHA Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and Trump My Record, who was named 2019 AQHA Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding.

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About Sam Houston Race Park
Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertainment facility, located just 15 miles from downtown Houston.  Owned by Penn Entertainment Inc., the racetrack, which opened in 1994, offers a variety of attractions including a Suite Level featuring luxurious suites overlooking the racetrack, The Pavilion Centre, and award-winning dining options at the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and the Jockey Club. For more information on upcoming live racing, shows, events and tickets, please visit www.shrp.com.