Quarter Horse racing fans are in for a treat on Saturday, May 17 at Sam Houston Race Park, with live Quarter Horse action and the simulcast of the Preakness Stakes. The gates will open at 8:30 am (Central); the first race from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland runs at 10: 30 am and Sam Houston Race Park’s ten Quarter Horse race program kicks off at 1:00 pm. Fans will be able to watch and wager on the entire card from Pimlico Race Course, culminating with the running of the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, which will run at 5:50 pm (Central).
Field of Ten to Test Their Prowess at 440 Yards in the $75,000 Sam Houston Classic (G2)
It is always a thrill to see experienced older horses compete at the “classic” Quarter Horse distance of 440 yards, and this year’s edition will be a thriller! Ten runners are entered in the $75,000 Sam Houston Classic (G2) with Apollitical Ike installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Edgar Moreno owns the 4-year-old son of Apollitical Blood, winner of the 2024 Evangeline Derby and exits a third-place finish in the Bob Moore Memorial Stakes(G2) on April 24 at Remington Park.
John Stinebaugh has two runners in the Sam Houston Classic: Hes a Jet One and Believe in Perry. Hes a Jet One, bred and owned by Pete Scarmardo ran fourth in last year’s edition of the Sam Houston Classic, but had an excellent showing last summer with stakes victories at Retama Park and Lone Star. The son of Ec Jet One qualified for both the All American Derby as well as the Texas Classic Derby at Lone Star Park. Ali Rivera has the call on Hes a Jet One and Gilberto Linares will ride Believe in Perry for owner Henry Brown.
“I describe Hes a Jet One as a dead solid horse,” stated Stinebaugh. “He went through a stint of breaking poorly, so I changed some equipment, and he is running well. He seems to love the Sam Houston surface. Believe in Perry never reached his full potential early last year but has matured and ran two monster races at Remington in March.”
The respected horseman, who has won Grade 1 stakes in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, reflects on having two horses compete in the same feature.
“Racing is peaks and valleys wherever you run,” he explained. “I am fortunate to have great owners, well-bred horses and two of the hardest-working jockeys in the business.”
Trainer Jonathan Castaneda, who won the 2013 Sam Houston Challenge Championship with Kool Country Man, has a solid contender in Pk Pure Rogue. The Louisiana-bred son of Heza Fast Rogue has won five stakes in the last six months for owner Jose Rodriguez and will break from post two under five-time leading Quarter Horse rider Rodrigo Vallejo.
Additional Louisiana stakes winners include Tha Duke, bred and owned by Ashton Elder and Miguel Romero, Jr. is closing in on the half-million earnings mark,
The son of RC Me Leaving You won the 2022 LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity in a dead heat with San Lorenzo Jet, one of nine victories in 18 starts. Leonel Hernandez trains the 5-year-old who will make his Sam Houston debut under jockey Noe Castaneda at odds of 12-1.
GBH Fiscal Toni has won two of his three efforts at 440-yards for conditioner Jose Sanchez, who will give a leg up to his son, Eddie. Sired by The Fiscal Cliff, the 4-year-old Louisiana-bred captured the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Derby on December 21 at Evangeline Downs.
Donna and Kie Mushinski return with their striking gray homebred DM Moonpie who ran second in last year’s Sam Houston Classic and will be ridden by Froylan Ramirez. Sam Houston Race Park stakes winners include Sarah Huskey’s Ontherocks trained by Estaban Rubio and James R. Hrabovsky and Joye Leann Nalls’ homebred Leavinematthebar, who was victorious in the Sam Houston 550 Stakes last June. The 5-year-old son of Power Jam (TB) drew the far outside post and will be ridden by leading Sam Houston Race Park jockey Victor Urieta, Jr.
The Sam Houston Classic will run as the tenth race on the program with an approximate post time of 5:00 pm (Central). Since its first running in 1994, the Sam Houston Classic boasts a stellar list of Champions including Streakin Sin Tacha, The Louisiana Cartel and Kool Kue Baby (1995 and 1996) as well as AQHA World Champions Tailor Fit and Jessies First Down.
Marfalous Headlines the Field in the $50,000 Leon Bard Memorial Stakes
Stakes action will begin in the fifth race of the program with the running of the $50,000 Leon Bard Memorial, named in honor of trainer Leon Bard who was a leading conditioner at Sam Houston Race Park from 1994-2021. Highly respected in the Texas Quarter Horse racing community as a skilled horseman and industry leader, Bard saddled 2,275 Quarter Horses all over the country but had a noted history in Texas. He won the 2017 Sam Houston Futurity(G2) with This Is An Eagle and the 2019 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Sam Houston Race Park. Bard won a record five editions of the TQHA Sale Futurity(RG1), beginning with Silver Gol in 2015 as well as Grey Daze (2014), Cartels Pop (2015), Just Another Natural (2017) and Dak (2018).
Leviram Racing LLC’s Marfalous has been installed as the 6-5-morning line favorite in the field of seven accredited Texas-bred colts and geldings who will compete at the distance of 350 yards. Trained by Martin Rodriguez, the 3-year-old gelding by The Marfa Lights was bred by Juan and Jairo Lozano, and qualified for three futurities last year, including the $622,000 Sam Houston Futurity(G2). Marfalous will break from post two under five-time leading Sam Houston Race Park jockey Rodrigo Vallejo.
Rigoberto Aguilar’s homebred RA Coronado returns to Sam Houston Race Park off an allowance victory on December 20 at Evangeline Downs and will be ridden by Nestor Duran.
Bard passed away in 2022 and is greatly missed. His daughters Shelly Burnett and Caryl Merchant will present the trophy to the winning connections.
$50,000 John Buchanan Memorial Stakes Features Seven Texas-Bred Fillies
The $50,000 John Buchanan Memorial Stakes is named in honor of Texas horseman John Buchanan, who passed away in 2020. The resident of Peaster, Texas, was a “hands on” trainer who took extraordinary care of his horses throughout a career that spanned over 30 years. He was prominent in each of the Texas racetracks with major stakes wins at Sam Houston Race Park from Pivotal Decision, Gone Celebrating and the diminutive filly, No Fees. Buchanan gained national recognition winning the 1987 All American Futurity (G) with Elans Special, and with Brimmerton who won the Rainbow Derby and All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs.
The notable accredited Texas-bred fillies in the field include Seis Chilitos, who drew the rail as the even-money choice for owner Jaime Cardenas. The filly by Chilitos out of one of the Tres Seis mare Seis Passes won the 2024 Sam Houston Juvenile and finished fourth in the $606,000 TQHA Sale Futurity. Bred in Texas by Richard Arizpe, Seis Chilitos was purchased for just $28,000 at the 2023 TQHA Yearling Sale and has already earned $105,044. Victor Urieta, Jr. has the mount for trainer Miguel A. Castillo.
Javier Lujan’s Embers Time, who broke her maiden here last April, has been very consistent in eight career starts. The daughter of PYC Prize Time won the Dash for Cash Juvenile at Lone Star Park on October 5 and completed her 2-year-old season with a runner up finish in the Turkey Time Stakes. Rodrigo Vallejo has the call for conditioner Martin Rodriguez.
The John Buchanan Memorial will run as the sixth race on the program. Buchanan’s wife, Iris, daughter Amanda and granddaughter Brix, will be onsite to present the trophy.
The Grand Legend in Pursuit of his 13th 870 Yard Victory in the $30,000 Q-Video Distance Challenge
The highly accomplished distance champion The Grand Legend will face five rivals in the $30,000 Q-Racing Video Distance Challenge. Bred in Texas by Mercy Hinklins Horse Farm LLC, the 9-year-old son of FDD Going Grand will make his 41st career start with 12 wins “running the hook, including six 870-yard stakes victories. Regular pilot Noe Villatoro will guide The Grand Legend from post position four for owner James C. Whitener, LLC.
From 2018–2022, the sorrel gelding ran shorter distances and even competed in the 2022 Sam Houston Classic at 440 yards. His trainer Adan Guzman began thinking about trying the stretch out and his hunch was confirmed here at Sam Houston Race Park on May 5, 2023 when he won his 870 debut by a margin of 9 lengths!
“He always finished strong at the end of his 350 and 400 yard races,” explained Guzman. “We felt it was worth a try! Noe gets along very well with him; the horse is pretty relaxed every where he goes.”
The Q-Video Distance Challenge will run as race 7, with an approximate post time of 3:40 pm. The winner will earn a berth to the 2025 final at The Downs of Albuquerque in October.
Trainer Brad Bolen to Saddle Three in the $65,450 Adequan Derby Challenge
Trials can be stressful for breeders, owners and trainers as they hope to qualify one runner for the finals of a Championship. Trainer Brad Bolen had a pretty good night on April 25 at Sam Houston Race Park as he qualified three runners for the $65,450 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship.
Three 440-yard trials were contested that evening with wins by Rockin The Train (:20.199) and Kick Seis (:20.257) and Party On The Moon finishing second in his trial in :20.411 to clinch the sixth-fastest qualifying time. All three are owned by Deborah Gotovac, who resides in San Angelo, Texas.
“All three are doing well,” said Bolen. “Deborah and I raised Rockin The Train and trained him on the farm. He qualified for the John Deere Juvenile last year , but did not do well in the final. That was his first time running under the lights. We really felt he was going to be a monster this year. Kick Seis grew up this winter. She was always the bridesmaid, but showed more in her trial. Party On the Moon is a New Mexico-bred. We always thought highly of him and he won two in a row in El Paso.”
Bolen paid tribute to Gotavac for her longstanding support.
“We have been together damn near 30 years,” he added. “I’m lucky to train for her!”
Fastest Qualifier Full Moon Desire Headlines the $121,082 John Deere Juvenile Challenge (G3)
Trials were contested for the John Deere Juvenile Challenge (G3) on March 26 with Leviram Racing LLC’s Full Moon Desire setting the fastest qualifying time in seven heats. The filly by Chilitos crossed the wire of the 350-yard trial in :17.821 seconds with Sam Houston Race Park leading rider Victor Urieta, Jr. in the saddle.
The duo will reunite in the final, as the 4-5 choice, to be run as the ninth race on the card. The 2024 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate was purchased for $11,000 and is trained by Dimas Sanchez.
Her rivals include Victor Villareal’s homebred #5 VP Dash for Texas who will be ridden by Alejandro Ochoa. The gelded son of PYC Prize Time was also a trial winner in a time of :18.068. #8 On The Monee, bred by Bred in Louisiana by Ryan and Danielle Robicheaux, also was a trial winner for Tabasco Racing LLC. The filly by Apollitical Jess will be ridden by Oscar Andrade, Jr.
News and Notes
The fourth race on the card is a 330-yard maiden with a field of ten going 330 yards. Mr Pacmann, a $1,000,000 purchase at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, will make his debut for trainer Marc Jungers. Cristian Ramos will ride the colt by Feature Mr Jess out of the Stoli mare Faith and Courage, bred in Louisiana by J.E. Jumonville.
