October 27-November 2 Stakes Recap

Following is a recap of all official American Quarter Horse stakes and trials for the week of October 27-November 2. 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.

Arapahoe Park
The Denver-area track on Friday held trials for both the $90,000-estimated Mile High Futurity and $80,000-estimated Mile High Derby.

Celene’s Racing LLC’s Sunshining won the first of three trials for the Mile High Futurity and set the fastest qualifying time of :19.917 for a 97 speed index at 400 yards. Jose Olivo was aboard the Mpshining filly for trainer Chris Gandarilla. 

Bred in California by Steve Burns, DVM, and sold for $38,000 at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale, Sunshining is now undefeated after two starts. The filly won against maiden company in her career debut on October 4 at Arapahoe. 

George Seward’s Ronda Rowsey, who finished a head behind Sunshining, was the second-fastest qualifier with a time of :19.951. The Colorado-bred daughter of Favorite Cartel came into the trial off a victory in the $63,905 Cherry Creek Futurity (R) on October 12 at Arapahoe. 

The complete list of qualifiers for the November 16 final is as follows: Sunshining (:19.917), Ronda Rowsey (:19.951), Deja Dulce (:19.981), RC Juliet (:20.079), Imperial Lady (:20.092), One Glittering Flare (:20.208), Kamikaze Cartel (:20.264), KA Chauw (:20.529), Eagle V Wagon Jr (:20.530) and Single Yesterday (:20.531).

In the Mile High Derby trials, Jill Cook’s Sheza Fearless Eagle extended her winning streak to three races and posted the fastest qualifying time of :19.600. The Colorado-bred filly by One Fabulous Eagle earned a 105 speed index at 400 yards for her 3 ¼-length win. Mauro Rodriguez rode for trainer Fernando Manriquez.

A finalist in the $300,900 Heritage Place Oaks (G2) and $702,907 All American Oaks (G1) earlier in the year, Sheza Fearless Eagle has won all three of her starts at Arapahoe by at least two lengths, including the $55,575 Lucile Rowe Derby (R). The filly has seven wins from 14 career starts with earnings of $237,389.

Rodriguez and Manriquez also teamed up on the second-fastest qualifier with Oklahoma-bred Fancys Prize Corona, who came in from Prairie Meadows in Iowa. Owned by Emanuel Yanez, the KVN Corona filly broke her maiden at Remington Park earlier this year. 

The complete list of qualifiers for the November 16 final is as follows: Sheza Fearless Eagle (:19.600), Fancys Prize Corona (:19.820), Stalekracker (:19.859), Paramounte Wagon Jr (:19.870), Lethal D (:19.879), Glittr Factory (:19.897), Unbridled Favor (:19.913), AJ Favorite OK (:19.955), Cotton Candy Sunset (:20.016) and Access Granted (:20.137). 

Francisco Cornejo’s homebred Presido Pete scored his second stakes win of the Arapahoe Park meet on Saturday when he captured the $16,500 Leo Beau Dash Stakes (R) for Colorado-breds. Fernando Fonseca-Soto rode the son of The Marfa Lights to a wire-to-wire victory in :19.940 for a 96 speed index at 400 yards. Haley Hobbs was the winning trainer.

Presido Pete scored a similar victory on October 5 at the Denver-area track while never being headed in the $16,750 Dolls Prodigy Stakes (R) at 350 yards. The 4-year-old’s record now stands at 25-8-3-3 with earnings of $121,672.

Apolliticalbest Card, a Docs Best Card filly bred, owned and trained by Gerardo Herrera, chased the winner throughout and finished second. First Prize Grown Go took third. 

Lone Star Park
Eleazar Martinez Sr.’s Jess Louisiana Girl went over the $100,000 mark in earnings on Saturday with a head victory in the $50,000 Yellow Rose of Texas Stakes (R) for Texas-bred fillies and mares at 400 yards. Claudio Aguilar rode the 3-year-old filly by Chilitos for trainer Victor Fierro. Sent off as the 8-5 favorite, Jess Louisiana Girl clocked the distance in :19.909 for an 88 speed index.

Bred by Anahi Martinez, Jess Louisiana Girl improved her record to 15-3-4-3 with earnings of $103,161. This was the filly’s first stakes victory, but she has hit the board in four other stakes events this year, including the $59,000 B.F. Phillips Jr. Stakes (RG2) earlier in the Lone Star Park meet. She was also a finalist in last year’s $606,121 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1) at Retama Park.

Pete Scarmardo’s homebred Ladys Gotta Jet, a daughter of EC Jet One, finished a game second with Francisco Calderon up for trainer John Stinebaugh. She was seeking her second stakes win of the year after taking the $54,750 Miss Sam Houston Stakes (R) in June. Katie Lynn Lopez’s Chill To The Bone, also by Chilitos, finished third. The filly was coming off a seventh-place finish in the $156,200 Dash For Cash Derby (G2).

Will Rogers Downs
Rick and Connie Dickson’s homebred Flying Nova 123 won the first of three trials on Monday and set the fastest qualifying time for the $80,704 OQHRA Mystery Derby (R) for Oklahoma-breds. 

Piloted by Roman Cruz for trainer Jesus Ruiz, Flying Nova 123 won her trial by a half-length with a time of :17.648 for a 91 speed index at 350 yards. The Oklahoma-bred filly by Flying Cowboy 123 has now won seven of her 14 career starts with earnings of $76,545. She will be seeking her second stakes win in the November 17 final after taking the $17,500 Golden Driller Stakes at Fair Meadows on June 14.

The complete list of qualifiers is as follows: Flying Nova 123 (:17.648), Lomax (:17.698), Relentless Purrsuit (:17.705), Valiant Painted Sign (:17.723), Fine Wine Kisses (:17.779), Flying Wrangler (:17.797), Flying Bandida (:17.805), Ima Fancy Eye Opener (:17.813), My Midnight Cowgirl (:17.816) and Venetian Cowgirl (:17.864). 

Double A Ranch Inc.’s homebred Racys Pilot won his third straight race and first stakes in Sunday’s $25,925 OQHRA Fall Classic. Jaime Mata rode the Paint My Pilot gelding for trainer Rodrigo Covarrubias and clocked 400 yards in :20.042 for a 91 speed index. 

The 5-year-old Racys Pilot has won eight of 23 career starts with earnings of $148,652. His current winning streak started in May at Remington Park with an allowance victory and also includes a September allowance score at Will Rogers Downs. 

McGehee Horse and Cattle LLC’s Just A Flyin Cowgirl also extended her streak to 13 consecutive top-three finishes with a runner-up effort. The filly by Flying Cowboy 123 was coming off a third-place finish in the $31,725 Miss Ellen Stakes at Will Rogers. Nay Borhood Nipsey, a filly by Lil Kool Wagon running for breeder Cornell Burkhalter, took third. 

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