June 12-16 Stakes Recap

Following is a recap of all official American Quarter Horse stakes for the week of June 12-16. For recaps of most graded stakes, Bank of America Racing Challenge stakes and trials, and most stakes with purses of $100,000 or more, see the individual recaps in the Racing News section. This page will be updated throughout the week.

Ajax Downs
Had To Be Fabulous sprinted to a one-length victory in Wednesday's $22,567(US) QROOI Bonus Futurity for 2-year-olds.

Trained by Bryn Robertson for owners Carol Robertson and Jaime Robertson, Had To Be Fabulous covered 250 yards in :13.369 while aided by a reported 7-mph tail wind. Josh Scott rode the homebred daughter of One Fabulous Eagle.

Had To Be Fabulous was bred in Ontario, and she made her debut with a one-length victory in a 250-yard maiden special weight dash at this track on May 29.

"This is a really mature little filly," said Scott, who works with the Robertson horses at their farm in Hillsburgh, Ontario. "She's done everything right since her first day of training."

Had To Be Fabulous is out of Had To Be Fandango, a stakes-winning daughter of the Strike The Cash stallion Hadtobenuts. The filly has won both of her outs and has banked $15,100.

Had To Be Fandango died in 2023.

"Every one of her foals was a stakes winner or was stakes-placed," said Bryn Robertson of Had To Be Fandango. "Had To Be Fabulous had to step up today, but she broke from the outside post and kept going."

Also on Wednesday, the field was set for the July 3 Ontario-Bred Derby (R).

Marie Broadstock's General Skywalker set the fastest qualifying time with his head victory in the second of two trials. Ridden by Ramiro Castillo for trainer Bob Broadstock, the homebred son of the Black Moons Arising stallion Look At Magics Form went 300 yards in :15.649 while earning his first win in three races this season.

General Skywalker has won three of 11 races -- including last year's Ajax Stallion Auction Futurity (R) at this track -- and he has earned $42,117.

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers.

Energy Downs
At this track on Saturday, the field was set for the $50,000-added Wyoming-Bred Futurity (R), and Gerald F. Kaul's Y O At A Glance set the fastest qualifying time to the July 29 final.

Ridden by Jarred Journet for trainer Jess Matt, Y O At A Glance won the won the fourth of six 300-yard heats by one length in :15.815. The gelded son of the Corona Cartel stallion Fiftyshadezofgrey was winning for the second time in three races and increasing his earnings to $6,650.

Y O At A Glance was coming off of a fourth-place finish in the May 19 Bucking Horse Sale Futurity at Miles City, Montana.

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers.

Triple G Racing's Game For Tarzan on Sunday set the fastest qualifying time to the June 30, $50,000-added 307 Horse Racing Futurity.

Ridden by Ricardo Del Cid for trainer Diana Garfias, Game For Tarzan won the first of six 300-yard trials by one length in :15.710. The sorrel Tarzanito colt was winning for the first time in two starts and increasing his earnings to $2,650.

Game For Tarzan was bred in Wyoming by Robicheaux Ranch. The colt is out of Ms Patriot Awe, an unraced homebred 11-year-old daughter of Game Patriot.

Click here for a complete list of finalists.

Grants Pass Downs
TF One Dashn Lajolla, a homebred daughter of One Dashing Eagle racing for Jorge L. Carmona, Ugo de la Torre, and Tate Farms, on Sunday posted the fastest qualifying time to the July 4, $30,000-added Grants Pass Firecracker Futurity.

Racing in the fifth of six 350-yard trials, TF One Dashn Lajolla defeated second-fastest qualifier Hunny Moon by a head in :17.554. Guillermo Suarez rode the filly for trainer Jorge Carmona.

TF One Dashn Lajolla was bred in Louisiana. The filly is out of Lavish La Jolla, a winning daughter of the Streakin Six stallion Streakin La Jolla.

Click here for a complete list of finalists.

Jerome County Fair
Two official stakes were contested at this track on Sunday.

Cosmic Marfa, a bay son of the One Famous Eagle stallion The Marfa Lights owned and trained by Abel Romero, led at every call en route to a neck victory in the $25,800 Roche Equine Veterinary Services Futurity.

Under jockey Raphael Romero, Cosmic Marfa went 350 yards in :17.695. The gelding was winning for the third time in three outs and increasing his earnings to $15,954.

Cosmic Marfa was bred in Oklahoma by Michael and Beth Harper, and he was the fastest qualifier from three trials run at this track on June 2. A $6,500 purchase at last year's Heritage Place Yearling Sale, he is out of Halley, a winning daughter of world champion Apollitical Jess. His second dam, the FDD Dynasty mare Ms Southern Dynasty, won the 2012 Hialeah Lassie Futurity at Hialeah Park near Miami.

Also on Sunday, Five Livestock Company's Seperate Kisses won the 350-yard, $15,000 Five Livestock Co./Rod Mills Memorial Derby.

Prepped by Ramiro Fregoso, Seperate Kisses defeated M E Ettago Relent by a nose in :17.721. Oscar Villa rode the homebred daughter of champion Separatist.

Seperate Kisses was bred in Idaho, and she was the fastest qualifier off of her neck win in the second of two trials on June 2. Campaigned in two states, including California, the filly has won six of 12 races, and the $7,200 winner's share of the purse from second stakes victory increased her earnings to $22,461.

Los Alamitos
London Toby, a homebred 6-year-old son of the Favorite Trick (TB) stallion Favorite Cartel racing for Ed Allred, sprinted to a three-quarter length win in Sunday's $25,000 Be A Bono Stakes for aged runners.

Ridden by Gabriel Lara, London Toby made his 400-yard trip in :19.820. Scott Willoughby saddled the sorrel California-bred gelding.

London Toby was making his first start since February 18, when the gelding scored a neck victory in the 400-yard, $135,400 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G1) at this track. The gelding is out of  London Laura, a homebred winning 11-year-old Walk Thru Fire mare.

Campaigned exclusively at this track, London Toby has won seven of 17 starts, and the $13,750 winner's share of the purse from his fourth lifetime stakes score increased his earnings to $208,806.

Prairie Meadows
CR Freighttrain, a homebred Freighttrain B gelding campaigned by Richard Tobin and Curt Tobin, is the fastest qualifier to the July 6, $82,300 Hawkeye Futurity (R) for Iowa-breds.

On Sunday, CR Freighttrain won the first of two 330-yard trials by 1 1/4 lengths in :17.209. Ramiro Garcia rode the gelding for trainer Jason Olmstead.

CR Freighttrain was winning for the first time in two races and pushing his earnings to $11,009. The gelding is out of LW Evening Lajolla, a winning daughter of Streakin La Jolla who ran second in the 2008 Future Of Iowa Stakes (RG3) at this track.

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers.

Ruidoso Downs
Luis Martinez rode Woody Rocks to a neck victory in Sunday's 350-yard, $50,000 Mountain Top Juvenile Stakes (R) for New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds.

Prepped by Tony Sedillo for owner CHR Racing and racing against a reported 12-mph head wind, Woody Rocks stopped the timer in :17.979. The sorrel Woodbridge gelding banked $21,483 from his first stakes win.

Woody Rocks was a $25,000 yearling buy at last year's New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs. The gelding was bred by Mac and Janis Murray's MJ Farms, and he is out of Jr Rock Star, a stakes-winning 11-year-old daughter of the Corona Cartel stallion Fantastic Corona Jr.

Woody Rocks was winning for the second time in three starts and increasing his lifetime earnings to $27,483.

Sam Houston Race Park
Sent to post as the 1-2 favorite in a field of eight Texas-bred distance specialists, Open Jessies Corona won Saturday's $54,000 Jesse Yoakum Memorial Stakes (R).

Open Jessies Corona covered 870 yards in :45.566 while racing into a reported 10-mph head wind in the homestretch, and his margin of victory was five lengths from Eye Will Decide. Arnold Lewis prepped and Claudio Aguilar rode the homebred 4-year-old Open Me A Corona gelding for owners Ty Sadler and Sierra Sadler.

Open Jessies Corona was facing stakes company for the first time, but he was coming off of a 1 1/2-length win in an 870-yard, $20,000 non-winners-of-three allowance at this track on May 17. All told, the gelding has won four of 12 starts -- including two of four at the 870 trip -- and the $32,400 winner's share of the purse from his first stakes score increased his bankroll to $71,418.

Luis Vivanco rode Leavinematthebar to a one-length win in Saturday's $54,000 Sam Houston 550 Stakes (R) for Texas-breds.

Trained by Toby Keeton for owners James R. Hrabovsky and Joye Leann Nalls, Leavinematthebar went 550 yards in :27.831, a clocking accomplished against a reported 10-mph head wind. The homebred 4-year-old Power Jam (TB) gelding earned a 95 speed index while pocketing $32,400 from his first lifetime stakes victory.

Leavinematthebar was making his first career start at the 550 distance. The gelding was winning for the fourth time in 10 races -- and third time in seven outs at this track -- and increasing his bankroll to $94,713.  The gelding was a finalist in the 2022 John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge (G3).

Red Reddington, the 8-5 favorite in the field of eight, finished fifth, 1 3/4 lengths behind the winner.

DM Moonpie won Saturday's 400-yard, $53,750 Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes (R) for Texas-breds.

Prepped by Kie Mushinski for owner Donna Mushinski and racing against a reported 8-mph head wind, DM Moonpie defeated Grace N Dash by a neck in :19.874. Luis Vivanco rode the homebred 5-year-old son of Moonin The Eagle.

DM Moonpie earned a 102 speed index and the $32,250 winner's share of the purse from his first lifetime stakes victory. The gelding is out of DM Bella Mia, a homebred unraced Prime Talent mare.

DM Moonpie was shortening in distance off of his second-place finish, a neck behind winner A Famous Ribbon, in the 440-yard, $75,000 Sam Houston Classic (G2) at this track on May 10. Raced exclusively in Texas, DM Moonpie has won four of 27 outs and has banked $149,9744.

A Famous Ribbon, the 7-10 favorite in the field of seven, finished fourth, three-quarters of a length behind DM Moonpie.

A sharp break from his rail post helped Eleazar Martinez Sr.'s Jess Star Struck earn a wire-to-wire victory in Saturday's $55,000 Sam Houston 250 Stakes (R) for Texas-breds.

Ridden by Gerardo Luna and sent to post as the 2-1 favorite in the full field of 10, Jess Star Struck went 250 yards in :13.196 against a reported 8-mph head wind. Raul Galvan saddled the sophomore son of the Mr Jess Perry stallion Jess Lips.

Jess Star Struck was bred by Dunn Ranch, and he made his season debut with a neck victory in a 330-yard, $20,000 non-winners-of-three allowance dash at this track on May 31. A $28,500 purchase at the 2022 Texas QHA Yearling Sale, the gelding is out of Medea, a 15-year-old Corona Cartel mare.

Jess Star Struck was winning for the fourth time in 10 races -- and third time in four starts at this track -- and the $33,000 winner's share of the purse from his first stakes win increased his bankroll to $88,920. The gelding's juvenile resume included a third-place finish in the August 27, $194,000 Gillespie County Fair Futurity at Fredericksburg, Texas.

Pete Scarmardo's First Time For Wine, a homebred 4-year-old daughter of champion First Moonflash, won Saturday's $55,000 Miss Sam Houston Stakes (R) for state-bred fillies and mares.

Trained by John Stinebaugh and sent to post as the 13-10 favorite, First Time For Wine went 330 yards in :16.968, and her margin of victory was a neck from 13-1 longshot Wagons Moving First. Oscar Andrade Jr. rode the brown mare.

First Time For Wine was shortening in distance off of her third-place finish, one length behind winner Relentless Diamond, in the 350-yard, $75,000 Easy Date Stakes (G2) at Remington Park on April 29. The mare is out of Time For Wine, a multiple graded stakes winning daughter of champion Mr Jess Perry purchased by Scarmardo for $23,000 at the 2013 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

First Time For Wine was making her first start at the 330-yard distance. The mare has won four of 17 starts, and the $33,000 winner's share of the purse from her first stakes victory increased her earnings to $102,259.

A quick start from post 4 helped Jaime Cardenas' Seis Chilitos score a wire-to-wire win in Saturday's $69,090 Sam Houston Juvenile Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Prepped by Juan Diaz Jr., Seis Chilitos covered 330 yards in :16.756, and her margin of victory was three-quarters of a length from Magic Apollitical. Nestor Duran rode the gray daughter of the Apollitical Jess stallion Chilitos.

Seis Chilitos was winning for the second time in four races and increasing her bankroll to $31,224. A $28,000 purchase at last year's TQHA Yearling Sale in San Antonio, the filly was bred in Texas by Richard Arizpe, and she is out of Seis Passes, a winning daughter of champion Tres Seis.

Seis Chilitos was sent to post at odds of 6-1 and returned a $15.80 win mutuel. This Eagles Armed, the 3-1 choice in the field of 10, finished sixth, two lengths behind the winner.

Wyoming Downs
Making the second start of her 4-year-old season, Luis A. Gonzalez's Ms Flaming Finish scored a wire-to-wire win in Sunday's $19,500 Bear River Stakes.

Ms Flaming Finish went 300 yards in :15.542, and her margin of victory was a half of a length from Pappajeto. Cesar Moreno rode the sorrel Mr Jess Perry mare for trainer Abelardo Gonzalez.

Ms Flaming Finish was coming off of a nose victory in the 350-yard, $21,750 Energy Downs 307 Fillies & Mares Stakes on May 25. The mare was bred in California by George and Sandra Villalobos, and she is out of Flaming Chula, an unplaced homebred Walk Thru Fire mare. Her second dam, the winning Raise A Secret mare Higher Math,  was a finalist in the 1999 Governor's Cup Futurity (RG1) at Los Alamitos.

Ms Flaming Finish was a $37,000 yearling purchase by Abelardo Gonzalez at the 2021 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The mare has won eight of 18 outs, and the $11,700 winner's share of the purse from her fifth stakes victory pushed her bankroll to $203,948.

On Sunday, the field was set for the June 30 K.C. Carden Wyoming-Bred Derby (R), and Jets Eyes set the fastest qualifying time to the $22,500-added final.

Owned and trained by Kylie Valenzuela, Jets Eyes won the second of six 350-yard heats by three-quarters of a length in :17.580. Cesar T. Moreno rode the gelded son of the The Louisiana Cartel stallion EC Jet One.

Jets Eyes was bred by Maria Valenzuela. The gelding was making his first official start since September 30, when he ran fifth in the Rock Springs Wyoming-Bred Futurity (R) at Sweetwater Downs. Raced exclusively in Wyoming, Jets Eyes has won two of five outs and has banked $32,157.

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers.

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