Consistent with the protocol used for the 2024 Racing Champions announcements, the American Quarter Horse Association is recognizing the category winners for the 2025 Racing Champions, and will announce the winners of divisional awards and the overall world champion live at the AQHA Racing Champions Ceremony January 14 at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City – where all of these champions will be recognized.
Each year, a committee of geographically diverse horsemen gather during a multi-day process to carefully consider the voting for champion titles. Voters review extensive past performance information and race video for contenders before making their selections in each category. Horses or horsemen falling under the stipulations outlined in the AQHA Racing Medication Awards and Publicity Policy are ineligible for consideration. Voters are also allowed to consider whether or not the reputation of the individual or horse will adversely reflect on the prestigious honor of being selected as a champion. The full racing champions guidelines are available on aqha.com/racing.
Adding to an already historic family legacy, Enforce is honored as the 2-year-old champion colt. Owned by past champion owners West Texas Racing Partners LLC, Enforce is by Favorite Cartel and out of all-time leading dam Remember Me Rose, making him a full brother to champion Cyber Attack and Grade 1 winners Bomb Cyclone, Powerful Favorite, Runforyourlife and Cyber Monday. The Dr. Steve Burns-bred colt is a winner of three of seven starts including the Golden State Million Futurity (G1), and he has earned $606,079. He was trained by Christopher O’Dell and ridden by Jesus Ayala.
Oklahoma-bred Flying Joy 1 is the 2-year-old champion filly after winning or placing in five of six starts. Bred by Cuadra JM LLC and owned by David R. Rogers, the Flying Cowboy 123 filly out of the First Moonflash mare Kylee Joy captured the Oklahoma Futurity (G2) and contested the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity (RG1). She won three races in total and earned $230,834. She was trained by Trey Wood and ridden by Ricky Ramirez.
A consistent runner all year, Political Twist is the 2-year-old champion gelding for owners La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC and Ray Willis. The winner of six of eight starts, he won the West Texas Futurity (G2) and Ruidoso Futurity (G1). He was second in the All American Futurity (G1) and a finalist in the Los Alamitos 2 Million Futurity (G1). Bred by MJ Farms, he is by Apollitical Jess and out of the Tres Seis mare C Twister Seis. He was trained by Xavier E. Rodriguez and ridden by Luis Martinez.
Just Dulce, a full brother to champion Dulce Sin Tacha, is also adding to a proud legacy as he is named the champion 3-year-old colt. Bred by Bob and Jerry Gaston, he is by Jess Good Candy and out of the Tempting Dash mare Prissy Sin Tacha. Owned by the Just Dulce Partnership, he won the Texas Classic Derby (G1) and Dash For Cash Derby (G2), with a record of three wins from five starts and earnings of $200,736. He was trained by Marc Jungers and ridden by Christian Ramos.
Homebred Shaken Goin On is the champion 3-year-old filly for James Sills and Abel Flores. They watched their filly win the Los Alamitos Oaks (G1), Southern California Derby (G2) and Justanoldlove Handicap, as well as finish third against older mares in the Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap (G1). A winner of six of eight starts in the year, the filly is by Freighttrain B and out of the Pappasito mare Shaken Pappasito. She was trained by Eddie D. Willis, Albert Valles and Rodolfo Valles and ridden by Justine Klaiber.
The first All American Derby-Champion of Champions winner in more than 35 years, FDD Dreams is the champion 3-year-old gelding. A homebred for Feliz Montana Ranch LLC, FDD Dreams clipped off the Ruidoso Derby (G1), All American Derby (G1) and Champion of Champions (G1), had five wins from eight starts and earnings of $1,281,034. The gelding is by FDD Dynasty and out of the Apollitical Jess mare Treasured Dreams. He was trained by Xavier E. Rodriguez and ridden by Luis Martinez.
Reliance Ranches LLC owns Unrelentless, who is crowned the champion aged stallion in a Grade 1-winning year. The 2021 stallion was bred by Flag Ranch LLC and is by Hes Relentless and out of the PYC Paint Your Wagon mare Painted Wine Wagon. He won the Brad McKinzie Winter Championship Stakes (G1) and was third in both the Leo Stakes (G1) and Champion of Champions (G1). He won two of eight starts and earned $148,475. He was trained by Eddie D. Willis, Albert Valles and Kevin Willis and ridden by Eduardo Nicasio and Justine Klaiber.
Curls Joyful Wagon, a homebred for Martin Stacy, is the sport’s champion aged mare. Racing throughout the year, the 5-year-old mare won the Junos Request Stakes (G1) and Decketta Stakes (G2), was second in the Las Damas Handicap (G2) and third in the Charger Bar Handicap (G1). Another winner with a champion pedigree, the mare by PYC Paint Your Wagon and out of the Spit Curl Jess mare Eye A Spit Curl Girl is a full sister to champion Curls Happy Wagon, and she this year won two of seven starts and earned $139,700. She was trained by John Stinebaugh and ridden by Edwin Escobeno, Francisco Calderon and Ali Rivera Cardona.
Homebred runner Hooked N Gone is the champion aged gelding for his breeder and owner Regina Laymon. The 2020 gelding won the prestigious Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1) and the AQHA Racing Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge (G2). He was second in the Dee Raper Sooner State Stakes and third in the AQHA Racing Championship Challenge (G1). During the year, he won two of five starts and earned $234,908. Another champion by PYC Paint Your Wagon, Hooked N Gone is out of the Pretty Boy Perry mare Pretty Girl Kate. He was trained by Dean R. Frey and Victor Iberra and ridden by Rolando Raudales, Jesus Ayala and Bryan Candanosa.
From claimer to champion, Handin Out Candy is the sport’s distance champion. Owner Emilio Perez spotted the horse and saw the 6-year-old gelding’s potential, winning a shake to claim the horse for $20,000 back in 2023. This year, the horse won six of seven starts, including the Q-Racing Video Distance Challenge Championship (G1), Downs at Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G2) and King Rick Rack Stakes (G2). He earned $182,813 during the year. Bred by Paris Wixon, the gelding is by Jess Good Candy and out of the Dash Ta Fame mare Ole Auntie Em. He was trained by Paul Sedillo and Jorge Luis Sanchez Jr. and ridden by Noe Villatoro and Omar Iturralde.
The Mexican champion is Rey De Manny, who left no room for doubt with an undefeated six-race year that included the Mexico Triple Crown, winning the Mexico Futurity (RG3), Garonones Futurity (RG2) and Subasta Selecta Futurity (RG2) for owner Joel Reyes Camelo. Bred by Abelardo Gallegos, the sorrel gelding is by Krash Cartel and out of the Jesse James Jr mare Jess Blazin Queen. He earned $260,440 in the year. He was trained by Ashley Cirilo Cirilo and ridden by N.E. Duran.
Repeating as the sport’s Canadian champion, Had To Be Fabulous also left no doubt in her sophomore year as she won all seven starts and earned $70,299. She is raced by breeders Carol and Jaime Robertson, and she won the Norman Picov Derby, Princess Derby, Ontario-Bred Derby and QROOI Open Derby. The filly is by One Fabulous Eagle and out of the Hadtobenuts mare Had To Be Fandango; she is a half sister to champion Had To Be Ivory. She was trained by Bryn Robertson and ridden by Eliud Mosqueira.
MJ Farms repeats as the champion breeder after a year where its horses earned more than $6.6 million with 92 wins from 129 starts, led by All American Futurity (G1) winner King Of The Tide. La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC is the champion owner; in their own name, they raced the earners of more than $2 million, led by homebred FDD Dreams. They also raced in partnerships, including champion Political Twist. Xavier E. Rodriguez trained champions Political Twist and FDD Dreams, and is the Blane Schvaneveldt champion trainer after a year that saw his horses earn more than $3.2 million. Luis Martinez is the champion jockey after a year that saw his mounts earn more than $3.8 million.
-republished from AQHA
