May 17-22 Stakes Recap

Following is a recap of all official American Quarter Horse stakes for the week of May 17-22. 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
Making the first start of his 7-year-old campaign, Carneros was a prompt 6-5 favorite in Sunday's $15,421 QROOI Sprint Series 1 Stakes.

Carneros covered 110 yards in :6.889 while racing against a reported 28-mph head wind under rainy skies on a track officially labeled "good." Brian Bell rode the Prospect To The Top gelding for owner Milena Kwiecien and trainer Jason Pascoe.

Carneros' winning margin was a neck from 17-1 longshot Zoxtobeyou. The gelding was bred in Oklahoma by Stone Chase Stables LLC, and he was making his first start since November 3, when he scored a nose victory in a 300-yard, $13,086 open-condition allowance dash at this track.

Raced in four states, Carneros has won 13 of 41 starts -- including two stakes -- and he has banked $114,732.

Fiesty Icon, Maryland Magic, Chicksdigmymoneybags, Eye Am The Eagle, and Pretty Runaway completed the order of finish.

Delta Downs
Making the second official start of her sophomore season, Shesa Knockoutcartel won Friday's 350-yard, $87,637 Old South Derby.

Shesa Knockoutcartel defeated Jesstice For All by one length in :17.842. Everardo Rodriguez rode the homebred daughter of the Corona Cartel stallion Five Bar Cartel for owner BM AQ Racing LLC and trainer Martin Trejo.

The sixth-fastest qualifier from three trials on April 29, Shesa Knockoutcartel was bred in Louisiana. The filly has won four of nine starts, including last year's Louisiana Juvenile Stakes (R) for state-bred 2-year-olds at Delta Downs, and the $44,713 winner's share of the purse from her second career stakes score pushed her bankroll to $111,213.

JJ Coronas Star ran third, a head behind Jesstice For All, and was followed by JLA Double Down Dash, Mr Teco, OJD Miss Lola, Ajkiss This Corona, Queen On Eagle CR, and Ddeez Kiss My Dash. Fastest qualifier Catch Me One Tee was listed as a stewards' scratch.

Patrick Richardson's Sheza Freighttrain T was a prompt 1-2 favorite in Saturday's $35,000 Mother's Day Stakes for distaffers.

Prepped by Charles "Duke" Shults, Sheza Freighttrain T defeated Tee Zo by a clear 1 3/4 lengths while covering her 350-yard trip in :17.505. Everardo Rodriguez rode the 4-year-old Freighttrain B mare.

Sheza Freighttrain T was coming off of a second-place finish in the April 16, 300-yard Bob Moore Memorial Stakes (G2) at Remington Park. The mare was bred in Louisiana by Rusty J. Trahan, and she was purchased by Richardson for $50,000 at the 2019 Louisiana QHBA Yearling Sale.

All told, Sheza Freighttrain T has won 11 of 18 races, including six stakes, and she has banked $474,605.

Cwfasttrack, Fast Dashin Logan, Five Bar Miracles, Get It Done Babe, and KP Prospect completed the order of finish.

Horseshoe Indianapolis
Krystal Stone, a son of the Brimmerton stallion Brimmstone owned by Rodrigo Rodriguez, on Tuesday set the fastest qualifying time to the June 4, 75,000-added Harley Greene Derby (R) for Indiana-bred 3-year-olds.

Ridden by Jose Beltran for trainer Karin Yike, Krystal Stone won the second of four trials by a nose from second-fastest qualifier Lexus Beach. The gelding covered 350 yards in :17.862 while aided by a reported 9-mph tail wind.

Krystal Stone was bred by Sheri Miller, who bred three of the 10 Harley Greene Derby finalists. Raced exclusively at this track, the gelding has won one of four starts and has earned $11,885, and he was a finalist in last year's Gordon Mobley Futurity (R) for Indiana-breds.

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers.

Miles City
Fastest qualifier Eyesa Special Swirl sprinted to a one-length victory as the 8-5 favorite in Saturday's $16,000 Dan Lockie Derby.

Ridden by Luis Peralta and aided by a reported 5-mph tail wind, Eyesa Special Swirl covered 300 yards in :14.786 while posting a 123 speed index and breaking the previous track record of :15.461 set by Taytaycook on May 15, 2011. Jesse Villegas saddled the homebred Eyesa Special Slim filly for owner Broken Bones Cattle Co.

Eyesa Special Swirl was bred in Wyoming. The filly was winning for the seventh time in 11 outs, and the $8,000 winner's share of the purse from her first career stakes victory increased her earnings to $38,734.

Eyesa Special Lynx ran second and was followed by Krystal D, Portofino Cartel Mrl, Yo Fifty Lil Secret, Skedaddle, Hasta Be Relentless, and Hotrod Harly.

On Sunday, Baby I Du broke his maiden in the $30,000 Bucking Horse Sale Futurity.

Prepped by Jess Matt for owners Daisy Carlson and Joe Goggins, Baby I Du covered 250 yards in :13.826, and his margin of victory was a half of a length from Whooz Ya Daddy. Shaunda Larsen rode the sorrel son of the American Runaway stallion Duponte.

Baby I Du was bred in Oklahoma by Flag Ranch LLC. An $18,000 purchase by Goggins at last year's Heritage Place Yearling Sale, the gelding is out of Lil Baby Eagle, a winning 8-year-old One Famous Eagle mare and the runner-up in the 2017 Gopher State Derby.

Baby I Du has earned $15,550 from two outs.

Yo Fifty Hot Rod finished third and was followed by Lil Shameless Rey, Pablito, and Docs Follies.

Pocatello Downs
Abelardo Gonzalez's Ms Flaming Finish broke her maiden with a wire-to-wire victory in the $48,500 Crush The Curve Futurity, one of three official stakes contested at this track on Sunday.

Ridden by Jesus Canales for trainer Javier Duarte, Ms Flaming Finish went 300 yards in :15.310, and her winning margin was a neck from One Famous Rock. The sorrel daughter of champion Mr Jess Perry earned a 105 speed index and the $22,310 winner's share of the purse from her first win in three outs.

Ms Flaming Finish was bred in California by George and Sandra Villalobos. A $37,000 yearling purchase at last year's Los Alamitos Equine Sale, the filly is out of Flaming Chula, an unplaced homebred 7-year-old Walk Thru Fire mare.

Ms Flaming Finish has banked $22,960 while racing in Idaho and Utah.

Dash For Five T finished third and was followed by DC Ladys Dashn Eagle, RLH Fouronthefloor, I Am Bolt, Dash To The Flash T, Corona Wagon Train, Blackwater Cartel, and RB Dash Thru Fire.

Also on Sunday, Jesus Canales rode The Secret Prize to a wire-to-wire, half-length win in the 350-yard, $25,245 Gary and Sharilyn Blatner Memorial Derby for sophomores.

Prepped by Mark Hanson for owners RTM Stables, Robin Dunn, Kevin Dunn, and Bryon Goody, The Secret Prize stopped the timer in :17.603. The brown son of the First Down Dash stallion Hez Our Secret banked $11,740 from his first career stakes score.

The Secret Prize was bred in Texas by Weetona Stanley of Madill, Oklahoma. Raced exclusively in Idaho, the gelding has won three of eight starts and has earned $20,921.

Leaving Angelz, Apolinaria Prize, Katie Perry, VF Give Me A Prize, Riddle, L Bar D Mistr Cartel, Eagle Assault, and Majesty Perry completed the order of finish.

Sent to post as the 7-5 favorite in a full field of 10, Onofre Hernandez's B The One responded with a three-quarter length win in the $15,000 Pocatello Downs Spring Championship Stakes.

B The One covered 350 yards in :17.527 under jockey Cesar Moreno. Javier Duarte saddled the sophomore son of Five Bar Cartel.

B The One was bred in Oklahoma by Randy and Stacy Hill, and he was a $17,000 purchase at the 2020 Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City. The sorrel colt is out of Kt Perry, an 8-year-old Mr Jess Perry mare. His second dam, the Stoli mare XO Kate, won the 2010 Harrah's Distaff Stakes (G3) at Louisiana Downs and was a finalist in three Grade 1 futurities in 2007.

Campaigned in three states, including Oregon and Utah, B The One has won four of nine starts and has earned $36,170. His record includes a second-place finish in last year's Bitterroot Futurity (RG3) at this track.

No Juans Fool ran second and was followed by Fancy Mamasita, Shesa Dashair, Treinta Coronas, Ocean Voyage, STR Monte Carlo, Jess Your Corona, Arizona Favorite, and Fantastic.

Sam Houston Race Park
Sent to post as the 2-5 favorite in a field of six middle-distance specialists, Patrick Richardson's Stone Cold Leader rallied to win Friday's 550-yard, $53,500 Harris County Stakes.

Stone Cold Leader defeated 3-1 second choice Dak by 2 3/4 lengths in :28.200 while racing against a reported 15-mph head wind. Bryan Candanosa rode the 7-year-old Brookstone Bay gelding for trainer Charles "Duke" Shults.

"This is the kind of horse that makes a rider," said Candanosa of Stone Cold Leader. "He was the last to load, and I wasn't worried about the break. He was the last to load, and I was happy to ride him for his last race."

Stone Cold Leader was bred in Indiana by Mark Michel. Raced in five states, the brown gelding has won 17 of 35 starts -- including four of six at the 550-yard distance -- and the $32,100 winner's share of the purse from his ninth career stakes win increased his earnings to $638,527.

Honky Tonks Memories finished third and was followed by Ghost Bear, Love Ta Zoom, TLC Cowboy and Just Paint Me Quick.

Also on Friday, The Kings Horse broke sharply from his rail post and led at every call en route to an 8 3/4-length victory in the 870-yard, $53,750 Governor's Cup Marathon Stakes.

Trained by Lewis "Tooter" Jordan for owner Bullard Farms, The Kings Horse stopped the timer in :46.267 while racing into a reported 18-mph head wind in the homestretch. Claudio Aguilar rode the 6-year-old homebred son of the Truely First Class stallion Class King, who returned a $2.80 win mutuel as the 2-5 favorite.

"There were some nice horses in this field, but drawing the one hole helped a lot," said Jordan. "I spoke to Tommy and Johanna Bullard today, and Tommy told me that he's won this stakes a couple of times (with different horses in the past). Claudio put the perfect ride on him, and there's no question that he will run again. He's so sound, he's never had an issue."

The Kings Horse was bred in Texas, and the gelding was coming off of a seven-length victory in an 870-yard, $24,000 allowance race at this track on May 6. All told, the gelding has won five of 23 starts, and the $32,250 winner's share of the purse from his first career stakes win increased his bankroll to $114,496.

Im Jess Dashing, One Mighty Eagle, Holy Storm, Eye Am Tuff, El Bee Dee, and Flyin Charlie completed the order of finish.

Rogelio Marquez Jr.'s Diane To Be A Hero sprinted to a half-length victory in Friday's $55,000 Sam Houston Stakes.

Ridden by Raul Ramirez Jr. for trainer Jesus Marquez and racing against a reported 18-mph head wind, Diane To Be A Hero covered 350 yards in :18.250. The 4-year-old Valiant Hero stallion banked $33,000 from his first career stakes win.

Diane To Be A Hero was bred in Louisiana by Eddie Cramer, Tom Maher, and Bill Maher, and he was stretching out in distance off of his second-place finish, a nose behind winner A Political Toast, in the April 29, 250-yard Delta Dash Stakes at Delta Downs.

"He's been knocking at the door and running lights out," said Rogelio Marquez of Diane To Be A Hero. "This was his first stakes win, but he's had several runner-up efforts. We've been blessed with some big horses."

Diane To Be A Hero has won five of 14 races and has banked $143,244 while campaigned in three states, including Louisiana and Oklahoma.

Da Devil Made Medoit finished second and was followed officially by El Camino CL, Watch Him B Famous, Aggressive Driver, The Grand Legend, Black Cazador, Jess B One, Tee Britt, and Won Famous Dash.

SunRay Park
Second-fastest qualifier Mr Red White N Blue and fourth-fastest qualifier KJ Wicked Wanda finished in a dead heat for the win in Sunday's 350-yard, $75,000 Four Corners Futurity.

Mr Red White N Blue and KJ Wicked Wanda each reached the wire in :17.474 while finishing a nose in front of third-place La Brujita Mayor. Christian Ramos rode Mr Red White N Blue for owner Triple R Racing Stables LLC and trainer James Gonzales III, while Adrian Ramos rode KJ Wicked Wanda for owners John Lee, Kathy Lee and Ruben Mares, and trainer Wes Giles.

Mr Red White N Blue was bred in Texas by Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches LP, and the sorrel Jet Black Patriot gelding was purchased by Triple R Racing Stables LLC for $62,000 at last year's Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Mr Red White N Blue has won one of two starts and has earned $31,100.

A sorrel daughter of Apollitical Spirit, KJ Wicked Wanda was bred in Arizona by John and Kathy Lee. The filly has won two of three outs and has banked $33,430.

Million Air Eagle ran fourth and was followed by fastest qualifier Lake Havasu, VGK Zigfield Girl, W R Aces Up, Brileys Fast Prize, Restrictions, and Everythingyouneed.

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