April 29-May 4 Stakes Recap

Following is a recap of all official American Quarter Horse stakes and trials for the week of April 29-May 4. For recaps of most graded stakes, AQHA 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
Third when facing a strong group of aged mares in the Virginia Hyland Handicap on April 12, Reliance Ranches’ Hott Temptation returned to face a strong group of sophomore fillies in the $22,500 La Pacifica Handicap on Saturday night.   

The result was a convincing victory by the Texas-bred daughter of Tempting Dash, as she flew from the outside post and then cruised home from there to score a ¾-length victory as the 3-5 favorite in the La Pacifica. The field of six included four fillies which had raced in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Oaks on March 22. The lineup included second-place finisher Powerful Wise Lady and third-place finisher Beach Walk, but it was Hott Temptation, a troubled sixth in the Oaks final, who came through with the La Pacifica victory with jockey Eduardo Nicasio aboard for trainer Eddie Willis.

Hott Temptation was fourth during the early going of the 350-yard race, as she chased Powerful Wise Lady. By the midway point, Hott Temptation was rolling, as she took the lead from the outside post six and never looked back from there. Bred by Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches, Hott Temptation’s winning time of :17.581 gave her a fourth career victory from 12 starts with her winning earnings of $12,375 taking her career tally to $128,937.

Click here to read a full recap. 

Miles City
A total of eight trials were held Saturday for the $60,000-estimated BHS Open Futurity, and first-time starter Im Jessa Diva emerged as the fastest qualifier with a head victory in :13.755 for 250 yards. Ezekiel Barron was aboard the South Dakota-bred for trainer Robert Johnson and breeder/owner Valerie Shoun.

Im Jessa Diva is a daughter of TF Im That Guy, a Grade 1 winning son of First Down Dash. She is out of the Jess Eye mare Jess Dizzy Lizzy, a two-time winner on the track. 

Colorado-bred Dreammy, a filly by the Hawkinson stallion Dreamnon, finished second behind Im Jessa Diva and also earned the second-fastest qualifying time of :13.788. The final is scheduled for May 17.

Click here to view the full list of qualifiers.

Pocatello Downs
Dave Merritt’s M E Dulce This rolled to a 1 ¾-length victory in his racing debut to set the fastest qualifying time for the $20,000-estimated Idaho Cup Futurity (R) in the second of four trials for Idaho-bred juveniles on Saturday. With Eric Ayala up for trainer Jarrett Miles, the gelding by Dulce Sin Tacha clocked 300 yards in :15.890. David Merritt and Kim Newman bred the gelding out of the Dash For Cash mare Dashing Ettago. The final is set for May 25. 

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers. 

On the same card at the Idaho track, Javier Olmos’ Fifty Two Special recorded the fastest time from five trials to the Spring Classic Futurity. The Idaho-bred gelding by The Louisiana Cartel broke sharply from the gate and went on to prevail by a half-length as the 1-2 favorite with Damian Correl riding for trainer Lorenzo Marquez-Campo. Bred by Leonardo Olmos, Fifty Two Special is out of the Streakin La Jolla mare The Streakin Clean, who won two Grade 3 races at Los Alamitos during a career that included 10 wins from 26 starts. The $15,000-estimated final is scheduled for May 25. 

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers. 

Making his first start as a 3-year-old after an undefeated 2-year-old campaign, Ojd Jess A Bug romped to an easy victory in the second of two trials on Sunday for the $20,000-estimated Idaho Cup Derby (R). 

Bred and owned Karla Diaz-Gomez and Oscar Diaz, the gelding by One Sweet Jess won by 2 ¾ lengths and clocked 350 yards in :17.592. Jorge Garcia rode for trainer Javier Fuentes. Ojd Jess A Bug won three futurities last year, including the Bitterroot Futurity (RG3), and banked $138,415 with six victories. 

Luv Ya, winner of last year’s Idaho Cup Futurity (R), won her trial by a length to set the second-fastest time of :17.927. The final is set for May 25. 

Click here to view the full list of qualifiers. 

Also on Sunday, Michael McKell’s Notin Missing Here won the second of three trials and recorded the fastest 350-yard qualifying time of :17.733 for the $20,000-estimated Gary and Sherilyn Blattner Memorial Derby. Jesus Canales was aboard the Utah-bred daughter of KVN Corona. Sergio Canales was the winning trainer. 

Bred by McColee Land & Livestock LLC, Notin Missing Here won three races as a 2-year-old, including the Pocatello Downs Spring Classic Futurity. Her earnings now stand at $37,701. 

La Peralta, a Docs First Card filly who shipped in off an allowance win at Los Alamitos, won her trial with a clocking of :17.774 for the second-fastest time. The final is scheduled for May 25.

Click here to view the full list of qualifiers. 

SunRay Park
Cream of the Crop Inc.’s Easy Perry Cartel broke sharply from post 7 and was never headed on his way to victory in Sunday’s $75,000 La Plata Stakes. With Gerardo Vera in the irons for trainer Ramon Mendoza, the 7-year-old stallion by Jesstified won by a half-length at 13-1 odds and clocked 400 yards in :19.776.

Bred in Mexico by Everardo Muzquiz Elguezabal, Easy Perry Cartel spent his first three years of racing in that country, where he won six times and earned more than $100,000. He found continued success in the United States since debuting at Ruidoso Downs in June 2023. He picked up three allowance wins in New Mexico and last year finished third in the Grade 1 Zia Park Invitational Championship Stakes. His victory in the La Plata marked his first stakes win in the U.S. and improved his record to 10 wins from 34 starts with earnings of $304,368. He previously won the Derby Criadores Mexicanos (R) in Mexico.

Favored KJ Wildthang, who defeated Easy Perry Cartel in the Zia Park Invitational, finished second, and Uncle Bubb had his three-race winning streak snapped with a third-place effort.

Turf Paradise
Eighth-fastest qualifier First Down Karma kept his perfect record intact with a victory in Tuesday’s $83,600 Desert Classic Futurity (R) for progeny of participating sires. 

Sent off as the 13-10 favorite at the Phoenix track, First Down Karma got up to win by a neck over Alitlelesstalk with a 300-yard clocking in :15.900 for an 86 speed index under jockey Jacob Enriquez. Matthew Fales trains the Arizona-bred for breeder and owner Alejandro Ibarra. First Down Karma broke his maiden at first asking in the trials, and the gelding by Tell Cartel has earned $46,680 for his two wins.

First Down Karma is out of the unraced First Down Dash mare First Down Sass, whose dam Sassy Smith, by Corona Cartel, earned more than $400,000 on the track with Grade 1 wins in the PCQHRA Breeders’ and Kindergarten futurities. 

On the same card, Erica Carreon’s Jess Icon broke his maiden at 11-1 odds in the $22,500 Desert Classic Futurity Consolation Stakes (R). Also ridden by Jacob Enriquez for trainer Umberto Belloc, the Arizona-bred gelding by One Famous Icon stopped the timer at :16.340 for 300 yards and prevailed by a nose over favored True Tell. Bred by Martin Lopez, Jess Icon is out of the Azoom mare Blak Sugar and has banked $13,355 in two career starts. 

J Lazy Six Racing’s Rue won for the third time in as many starts on Saturday as the Flying Cowboy 123 filly captured the $51,680 AQRA President’s Open Spring Futurity. Ridden by Noe Garcia Jr. for trained David Williams, the Oklahoma-bred filly won by a half-length with a 300-yard clocking in :15.525. Bred by William Smith, Rue is out of the winning Corona Cartel mare First Caroline Rose and has earned $40,750 for her three victories.

Heart On A Run, a daughter of Corona Cartel, finished second while hitting the board for the third time in three starts. BF Dulce Sin Rage ran third, also extending his streak of three consecutive in-the-money finishes. The top three finishers were all trained by David Williams and owned by J Lazy Six Racing.

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