April 10-14 Stakes Recap

Following is a recap of all official American Quarter Horse stakes for the week of April 10-14. 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.

Los Alamitos
AJ Born Runnin, a homebred 4-year-old daughter of world champion Apollitical Jess owned by P and J Racing Ltd., was a prompt 9-10 favorite in Saturday's $40,000 Virginia Hyland Stakes for distaffers.

Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio, AJ Born Runnin went 350 yards in :17.445 while defeating 10-1 longshot Gotta Corona Jess by a half of a length. Jaime Gomez trained the gray filly.

AJ Born Runnin was bred in Texas, and she was coming off of a head victory as the 7-5 choice in the February 24, 350-yard Denim N Diamonds Stakes at this track. The mare is out of Runaway Trs Seis, a winning and graded stakes placed daughter of champion Tres Seis and a finalist in the 2011 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG2) at Retama Park.

"She's such an outstanding mare," said Nicasio of AJ Born Runnin. "She can be a little hot, but a lot of the good mares are like that.

"As long as she doesn't get nervous in the gate and breaks nicely, she's very difficult to beat," the rider added. "She's just so powerful at the end of races."

AJ Born Runnin was winning for the fifth time in 18 outs -- all at this track -- and the $22,000 winner's share of the purse from her second career stakes score bumped her bankroll to $250,988.

Turf Paradise
Jorge Herrera Ramos' Just No Doubt is the fastest qualifier to the May 1, $45,000-added Desert Classic Futurity (R) for 2-year-olds sired by participating stallions.

Racing in the second of two trials on Wednesday and aided by a reported 6-mph tail wind, Just No Doubt broke his maiden with a half-length victory while covering 300 yards in :15.713. Jacob Enriquez rode the gray son of the Separatist stallion Seperate Interest for trainer Rigoberto Guillen.

Just No Doubt was bred in California by Dr. Steve Burns, and he was a $37,000 yearling purchase at last year's Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The gelding is out of Just Walk By, a homebred stakes-winning 9-year-old Walk Thru Fire mare and the runner-up in champion KVN Corona's 2017 PCQHRA Breeders' Futurity (G2).

Just No Doubt made his debut with a fourth-place finish in a 250-yard, $18,000 maiden-special-weight dash at this track on March 12. The gelding has banked $9,750 from two outs.

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers.

On Thursday, the field was set for the May 2, $45,000-added AQRA Derby (R) for Arizona-bred sophomores.

J Lazy Six Racing's Wicked Cowgirl Smart, the fastest qualifier from two 350-yard trials, won the first heat by a half of a length in :17.418. Luis A. Valenzuela rode the Flying Cowboy 123 filly for trainer Leonel Gonzalez.

Wicked Cowgirl Smart was coming off of a victory in the March 25 AQRA President's Open Spring Derby at this track. The homebred filly was winning for the fifth time in eight races and third time in as many outs this season, and she was increasing her earnings to $72,737.

Click here for a complete list of finalists.

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