Indiana’s all-time Leading Quarter Horse Stallion Escondido Beach passes away

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. May 11, 2026 

The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission (“OHRC”), acting through the Board of Stewards at Remington Park, continues to enforce three Emergency Protective Orders issued on April 22, 2026, after evidence, video, and veterinary opinions documented an abnormal and materially elevated pattern of severe post-race distress among affected horses, including repeated incidents in which horses could not safely leave the track under their own power and required transport from the racing surface.

These orders are temporary, protective, and focused on one priority: horse welfare. The affected horses remain on the Stewards’ List and, where applicable, the Veterinarian’s List while they undergo individualized veterinary review, testing, records review, and monitored exercise protocols before any return to competition may be considered.

In the Alcala matter, the Oklahoma County District Court preserved the Emergency Protective Order, allowed entries to be accepted, and made clear that no horse may compete unless and until OHRC veterinarians and the Board of Stewards are satisfied that permitting the horse to run will not endanger equine welfare or compromise the integrity of racing. In the Garcia matter, materially identical agreed terms were reached. In the Vane matter, the Emergency Protective Order entered by the Board of Stewards was ordered to remain in place and Mr. Vane’s Temporary Restraining Order was dismissed. Accordingly those horses likewise remain subject to the Commission’s safety process.

“The protection of the horse comes first,” said Amanda English, Interim Executive Director of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission. “When the facts show a serious threat to equine welfare, the Commission will act. No horse will race until the safety review is complete and the horse is cleared through our process.”

OHRC’s removal protocol requires a separate application for each horse, full disclosure of relevant records, independent veterinary review, any necessary diagnostic testing, required sampling, and an observed work with post-work veterinary assessment. No horse is returned to eligibility based on assurances alone.

The Commission’s authority to take these actions is grounded in the Oklahoma Horse Racing Act and the Rules of Racing, which authorize OHRC and the Board of Stewards to protect horse welfare, determine eligibility, require examination and testing, and act when racing integrity is at risk.

OHRC will continue to evaluate each horse individually and will permit no horse to compete unless and until the Commission is satisfied, in writing, that the horse may safely and humanely race.

from OHRC

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Monday, May 11, 2026) – The first set of trials were held Monday, May 11 featuring four to establish the final field for the $30,000 Maiden Stakes Final set for the first all Quarter Horse day of the year Saturday, May 30 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Perrys Secret Gold and Eduardo Diaz earned top billing on the list of trial times with their win in the second of four trials in a time of :17.958.

Perrys Secret Gold was one of two winners in the trials for trainer Tim Eggleston and Jockey Eduardo Diaz, last year’s leading Quarter Horse trainer and jockey, respectively. Other trial winners on the day included Run Don’t Walk and Daniel Martinez, Jess Sinful, also ridden by Daniel Martinez, and Mi Blood Token, ridden by Eduardo Diaz.

Perrys Secret Gold was in contention the entire 350 yards for the lead, getting the advantage by a neck at the wire over stablemate Keep Her Off Tequila, ridden by Rolando Pina. Coyote Kiss and Daniel Martinez finished third.

Perrys Secret Gold is a four-year-old son of Racy Secret. The Indiana sired gelding is owned by Roger Cyrulik and was making his second start of 2026 and his fifth overall to break his maiden. 

The entire field for the Maiden Stakes Final, with jockey and time, includes: Perrys Secret Gold (Eduardo Diaz, 17.958); Run Don’t Walk (Daniel Martinez, 17.99); Keep Her Off Tequila (Rolando Pina, :17.99); Fav Streakin Cartel (Diego Villamil Bocanegra, :17.999); Coyote Kiss (Daniel Martinez, :18.03); Jess Sinful (Daniel Martinez, :18.069); Maleficent Dash (Erik Esqueda, :18.095); Jess A Favorite (Edgar Diaz, :18.114); Mi Blood Token (Eduardo Diaz, :18.206); and FA Lillys Of Wins (Erik Esqueda, :18.237). Trainers Tim Eggleston (Perrys Secret Gold, Keep Her off Tequila, Mi Blood Token) and Tony Cunningham (Run Don’t Walk, Coyote Kiss, Jess Sinful) have each qualified three for the finals while Trainer Caesar Esqueda will send two to the final (Maleficent Dash, FA Lillys of Wins).

The Maiden Stakes Final will join the Harley Greene Derby Final and the Horseshoe Indianapolis QHRAI Derby Trials Saturday, May 30 for the first all-Quarter Horse racing day. First post is 10:45 a.m.

The 24^th season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse extends through Friday, November 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.

By  Tammy Knox

LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA— Miguel Osorio’s homebred filly Call Me Candela was a bit restless in the gate, but once the latch popped for the Grade 2, $254,500 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity, she was all business. Breaking sharply from post five, the filly engaged in a spirited three-way duel with Monday Dynasty and Jaque before surging ahead to capture the meet’s first major futurity on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.

Piloting the winner was 20-year-old jockey Jose Rosario Alcala, who entered the night with only two career Quarter Horse wins to his credit. Despite his limited experience in the irons in big money races, Alcala showed veteran composure in the Kindergarten, guiding Call Me Candela to victory at odds of 4-1. At the wire, Call Me Candela held off the late charge of the Cyber Monday gelding Monday Dynasty by a neck, with the filly Jaque finishing a close third.

For trainer Jose Flores, the victory marked his fifth Kindergarten win, the third-most victories by a trainer in the 72-year history of the race. It was Flores’ first win in the juvenile classic since Old Girl in 2014. Flores also conditioned third-place finisher Jaque, fourth-place finisher Romoland, and sixth-place finisher My Favorite Paris.

In contrast to Flores’ decades of success, the young pilot Alcala arrived at this milestone with a much shorter resume. His only other career straightaway wins came with Call Me Candela during the trials on April 19 and with Angela Aquino’s Good Reason Jess back in February 2024. Aquino has provided Alcala with most of his riding opportunities, primarily with Thoroughbreds, where the Fontana native has won a total of 11 races.

Aquino and owner Ashley Garcia were the ones who encouraged Alcala to branch out and try riding Quarter Horses. They recommended him to Flores, who gave Alcala his big break on the night of the Kindergarten trials. After steering the filly—out of the Favorite Cartel mare DF First Down Cartel—to a qualifying win, Alcala earned the assignment on Call Me Candela for the final.

In the winner’s circle, Alcala was greeted by a large crowd of family and friends. “First, I’m so thankful and feel blessed to have this opportunity,” Alcala said, grinning from ear to ear. “To be truthful, I don’t have the words to be more thankful for this. I want to say thanks to my family who came to support me. My horse was moving around a little bit, but she broke nicely and took off. We were right there with the other filly (Jaque). To be honest, tonight I really felt the pressure in the final yards, but I’m just so thankful that we got it. When you cross the finish line and you realize that this became your turn to win a race, I didn’t even know how to react. It just felt so good, really good.

“To have all my family here—my dad, who has always supported me; my mother, who has always prayed for me; and my brothers, who have also always been there for me—it truly is priceless to have them by my side tonight. I also want to thank the owner for giving me a chance to ride La Candela. She truly is a great filly. For Jose Flores, he’s a very good person and the one who gave me the opportunity to be here. He’s a great boss. I just hope we keep it going with Candela.”

The victory was also a triumph for owner Miguel Osorio’s breeding program. Osorio is the owner of the winning stallion Call Me Cole, a highly successful runner during his own 15-race career. Owned by Reliance Ranches as a juvenile in 2017, Call Me Cole was a Grade 1 finalist in the Golden State Million and placed third to champion J Fire Up in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. The following year in 2018, Call Me Cole qualified to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby before running fourth in that year’s Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials. Osorio purchased the son of Corona Cartel before the start of 2020, running him once before retiring him to stud. 

Call Me Cole currently stands at Rancho Los 3 Reyes in Hollister, California, with a 2026 stallion fee of $1,500. His progeny also includes the Flores-trained Call Me Soft, another filly owned and bred by Osorio.

Now a winner of two of three career starts, Call Me Candela covered the 300 yards in :15.706, earning $107,455 for the victory. She remains eligible for the upcoming trials for the Ed Burke Million Futurity on Sunday, May 31.

Monday Dynasty, trained by J.J. Gonzales II and ridden by Edwin Escobedo, earned $43,830 for his runner-up effort. Jaque, owned and bred by Rojas Racing and ridden by Irving Lara, took home $31,105 for third. The remaining field crossed the wire as follows: Romoland, AP Eagle Heart, and My Favorite Paris.

The runner-up, Monday Dynasty, earned $43,830 with Edwin Escobedo up. Bred by Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC and trained by J.J. Gonzales II, the gelding delivered a tremendous effort from the outside post. The KVN Corona filly Jaque, owned and bred by Rojas Racing and ridden by Irving Lara, took home $31,105 for third. The top three finishers were followed across the wire by Romoland, AP Eagle Heart, and My Favorite Paris.

By Los Alamitos Publicity