Ensignia, a sorrel son of the American Runaway stallion Duponte campaigned by Guerras Racing Stables, is the fastest qualifier to the May 10, $40,000-added Adequan Sam Houston Derby Challenge.

Racing in the second of three trials at Sam Houston Race Park on Friday, Ensignia covered 400 yards in :19.575 while defeating second-fastest qualifier Frankie Jr by a half of a length. Oliver Martinez rode the gelding for trainer Gilberto Gonzalez.

Ensignia was bred in Texas by Bobby D. Cox, and he was a $29,000 purchase at the 2022 TQHA Yearling Sale in San Antonio. The gelding is out of Celtic Emblem, a graded stakes winning 11-year-old daughter of world champion Apollitical Jess and runner-up in EC Jet One's 2016 All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs.

Ensignia was coming off of a third-place finish in a 400-yard non-winners-of-three allowance/optional claiming ($15,000) dash at Louisiana Downs on March 22. The gelding has won three of 11 races and has earned $24,266.

Click here for a complete list of qualifiers.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHA Racing on Twitter, "like" Q-Racing on Facebook, and visit www.aqha.com/racing.