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Jungers Gets His Second Adequan Derby Of The Weekend After Invasive’s California Score

Invasive_AdequanCaliforniaDerby_LA_AmberMendez
©Amber Mendez, Los Alamitos

The AQHA Racing Challenge Championships have been good to Marc Jungers over the past two years. The trainer, who enjoyed the best year of his career in 2024, had one of his biggest wins with Shakers No Secret in the Grade 1 AQHA Racing Challenge Championship Stakes at The Downs at Albuquerque last October. 

Jungers is having success once again in the Challenge Championships after saddling Tungsten Racing Partnership, Pavon Racing,LLC, Empire Racing and Heysol Howlet’s Invasive to victory in the $44,880 Adequan California Derby Challenge on Sunday. Invasive’s victory came just day after Jungers trained Jessesflyincowgirl to victory in the Adequan Sam Houston Derby Challenge on Saturday. 

Following his banner 2024 campaign, Jungers is having strong 2025. In addition to Invasive, his trainee Train B Taka won the Dillingham Handicap last weekend here while also finishing in the top three in two graded derbies at Los Alamitos

On Sunday night, Invasive took control from the rail shortly after the start of the Adequan California. A half-brother to Champion Quirky, the Favorite Cartel gelding had a ½ length lead at the midway point and then held off the late charge of the Jose Flores-trained Steel Blue Cartel to win the 400-yard race. With Edwin Escobedo up, Invasive posted his second career victory in 11 starts, however, the Steve Burns-bred runner has also finished in the top three in eight of those outings.  Invasive earned $21,991 for the score to take his career earnings to $61,591. The win at 400 yards also snapped a streak of three consecutive runner-up finishes for Invasive here this year, all three of those seconds coming at 350 yards. He covered this distance in :19.815.

“It made a big difference,” Jungers said about the added distance.  “He left sharp. We were hoping that he could get the clean break that he got. It was a good race, and 400 yards made a big difference. We’ve been knocking on the door and glad we got this win.”

Jungers can now book his reservation at Albuquerque following his winning double in the Adequan races.

“We get to go back and we are excited,” he added. “Edwin has done a great job. He’s fit this colt and he’s come out and rode him. He missed one mount because of scheduling issues. Between him riding Invasive and Train B Taka, it’s been a blessing. He fits both horses.”

Of course, Jungers and Escobedo also teamed up to win the meet’s richest race in 2024, the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity with Lethal Cowboy 123. The gelding will be making his 2025 debut very soon in derby trials at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico.

“We’re excited,” Jungers added.

Owned by Brad Hart, Santos Montemayor, Omar Torres an Mark and Marta Winslow, Steel Blue Cartel, Steel Blue Cartel erned $9,425 for running second with Cruz Mendez up. In addition to this solid second place finish, Steel Blue Cartel has two wins at Los Alamitos, including an allowance on May 4. 

Travis and Wendy Sexton’s Midnight Mood earned $4,712 for running third, while Kaye Russell’s Apollitical Bet, who won the John Deere California Juvenile last year, ran fourth. CM Cowgirls Are Cool, Holmybeeranwatchthis and Prey N Cartel completed the field.

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©Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse

Elizabeth Logan, an inspirational figure in the American Quarter Horse industry, has passed away at the age of 99. She touched the lives of so many through her lifelong dedication to breeding, showing, and racing horses at Logan Ranch in Oklahoma. Alongside her late husband, George Logan, she helped develop a successful program that produced World Champion Palaminos, and they branched out to Quarter Horses as well. Elizabeth and her husband had shown horses for years, and Elizabeth showed until the age of 88.  Although she did not become deeply involved with horses until the mid-1990s, Logan quickly found success in the show ring before transitioning into Quarter Horse racing later in life.

When she decided to quit showing, her veterinarian, Dr. Jay Ross, suggested that she try her hand with race horses.  Dr. Ross introduced her to trainer Dee Keener, and the rest was history. Her first runner was DTL Batter Up, a Paint colt that earned nearly $60,000 on the track.  She bought a new car and put on a license tag that read ‘Batter Up’. Her racing stable achieved national prominence with major wins from standout runners such as EC Revenge, winner of the Oklahoma Futurity-G2 in 2019; Dreamsville’s, winner the Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Derby-G2 in 2022; and Tres Crystals, winner of the Oklahoma Futurity-G2 and the Heritage Place Futurity-G1 in 2022, the only horse to win both the Oklahoma and the Heritage Futurities in the same year.  Logan won the Oklahoma Futurity twice, captured the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby, and continued competing at the sport’s highest levels well into her late 90s. Beyond racing, she and her husband established a lasting legacy through philanthropy, donating their ranch to Oklahoma State University for agricultural research and creating scholarships for veterinary students.

Nothing excited her more than watching her horses run.  On Friday night, May 8, Dr. Ross visited her in the hospital so she could watch her horse, Valiant Sass, win the 2nd trial of the night in the Heritage Place Futurity trials.  That definitely put a smile on her face.  Her remarkable story reflects perseverance, passion, and a lifelong commitment to the Quarter Horse industry. She will be greatly missed.

By Speedhorse & Wendy Keener

ohrc-logo-full-color
©OHRC

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

JESS SINFUL - Maiden Stakes Trial - 05-11-26 - R11 - Horseshoe Indiana - Finish 01
©Coady Media

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 24th 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

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