Following is a recap of all official American Quarter Horse stakes and trials for the week of May 21-25. 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.

Ajax Downs
The aptly-named Had To Be Fabulous brushed off eight rivals and a cold wind and rain on Wednesday on her way to an easy one-length victory in the $23,385 (US) QROOI Open Derby, the first stakes race of the 2025 Quarter Horse season at the track near Toronto. The Derby topped another record-breaking day as wagering on the eight-race card was up 94 percent from the same race-day last year.

The 300-yard Open Derby final for 3-year-olds came down to a battle between the two trial winners from May 7, and fans made John Wilson's Sassies Best, who won the slightly faster trial, the favourite at 3-5. Had To Be Fabulous, the 2024 High Point 2-Year-Old owned and bred by Carol and Jaime Robertson, was 6-5.

With Ismael Mosqueira riding, Had To Be Fabulous had a smooth start from post position three and quickly took the lead while Sassies Best and jockey Christian Benitez broke slightly outward. Had To Be Fabulous was never challenged to the wire and stopped the timer at :15.549 for a career best 92 speed index. Sassies Best finished well for second, and 26 to 1 shot Kissin Ella, owned by Milena Kwiecien, closed fast to get third.

This was the seventh career win in eight races for Had to Be Fabulous, a half sister to Ajax Downs Horse of the Year Had To Be Ivory and stakes winner Had To Be Ivy. Trained by Bryn Robertson, the bay filly won the prestigious Alex Picov Futurity last fall and she has earnings over $63,000.

"She's just so laid back and relaxed," said Mosqueira, who returned to riding this spring after missing most of 2024 due to injury. "She doesn't react to anything, she just goes in the gate and waits for it to open."

Had To be Fabulous' win was the 198th for trainer Robertson, who was immersed in many equine disciplines with his wife, Carol, before taking out his trainer's license in 2024. The family's horses are trained on their Hillsburgh farm by Bryn, son Mike, who is also a well known farrier, daughter Kim and daughter-in-law Jaime.

Century Mile
Barry and Janice Sather’s homebred Miss Fancy Nancy scored a daylight victory by three lengths in Saturday’s $15,437 (US) CTM Princess Stakes. The Alberta-bred daughter of Big Lew clocked 350 yards in :18.105 and scored her fifth career win from 17 starts. The 4-year-old boosted her earnings to $76,195 with Jesus Ambrocio Medina in the saddle for conditioner Misael Moreno. This marked her second career stakes win after notching the Alberta Bred Derby (R) last year at Century Downs.

She Wears The Pantz finished a clear second and Fabulous Show Off took third.

Energy Downs 307 Racing
William Fox’s homebred Hot Chilly picked an opportune time to break her maiden as she scored a 10-1 upset in the fifth of six trials for the $75,000-added Wyoming Bred Derby (R) on Saturday. Ridden by Keivan Serrano for trainer Tyler Gibbs, the daughter of Chilitos dashed 350 yards in :17.651. She made seven starts last year with her best finish being a pair of seconds.

Eddie Jensen’s Jess A Dash Of Class, winner of last year’s $133,500 WABRA Wyoming Bred Futurity (R) at Sweetwater Downs, posted the second-fastest time of :17.667 with Jesus Valenzuela riding the Jess Paint Me filly for trainer Kylie Valenzuela.

Click here to view the full list of qualifiers.

Five trials were held on Sunday for the $75,000-added Energy Downs Derby, and Luis A. Gonzalez’s Mysterious Cartel posted the fastest qualifying time with a 350-yard dash in :17.576 in the second heat. Cesar Moreno rode the Five Bar Cartel colt for trainer Luis H. Gonzalez. The Texas-bred has now hit the board in seven consecutive races dating back to last July, and his streak includes a second in the Sweetwater Downs Futurity and a third in the Far West Futurity. His earnings stand at $53,385. 

In the third trial, OJD Jess A Bug won for the eighth time in as many starts with the second-fastest qualifying time of :17.684. Ridden by David Alvarez for trainer Javier Fuentes and owners and breeders Oscar Jaime Gomez and Karla Diaz Gomez, the Idaho-bred gelding by One Sweet Jess has already banked $141,450 and was a three-time futurity winner last year. 

Click here for a full list of qualifiers. 

Denali Snowflake, making her first start in nearly five years, won Monday’s $16,000 Bulldogger Overnight Stakes at 110 yards. The 9-year-old mare by Louisiana Senator, who last time on the track won a 330-yard allowance race in July 2020 at Arapahoe Park, scored from the rail post and clocked the short distance in :6.918. Jayden Ironeyes rode for owner and trainer Gerardo Herrera. Denali Snowflake has won six of 14 career starts with earnings of $43,957.

Pocatello Downs
On Sunday, Pocatello Downs presented a card filled with stakes races, including three Idaho Cup stakes for state-breds. 

In the $26,748 Idaho Cup Derby (R), Cody Allred and Keller Livestock’s Luv Ya scored as the even-money favorite with Jesus Canales up for trainer Sergio Canales. The Docs Best Card filly clocked 350 yards in :17.422 to earn a 106 speed index. Luv Ya also won last year’s Idaho Cup Futurity (R) and now has earnings of $46,754 with six wins from eight starts. Allreds Horse Haven bred the filly out of the stakes-winning Proudest Effort mare Shi D Anna.

The $45,549 Idaho Cup Futurity (R) went to RTM Stable LLC’s RTM Hot Milk with Jose Figueroa aboard for trainer Mark Hanson. The Kiss My Hocks filly, who was bred by Susan Hanson, led from start to finish and clocked 300 yards in :15.611 for a 96 speed index. RTM Hot Milk, who was also a winner in her trial, has banked $19,120 in her two starts. Her dam, the Chickie Cherry Cola mare RTM Say Your Prayers, was a successful runner in Idaho with multiple stakes wins.

The 5-year-old gelding Jess Yaya scored a big win for the Newbold family in the $19,000 Idaho Cup Maturity (R) as the son of Jess Got Easier won for trainer David Newbold, breeder/owner Nadine Newbold and jockey Nick Newbold. Jess Yaya won by a half-length with a 440-yard dash in :21.250 for a 103 speed index. The gelding finished third in last year’s $35,000 Blane Schvaneveldt Stakes (R) at Los Alamitos, and this marked his first career stakes win. 

In the $23,400 Gary and Sharilyn Blattner Memorial Derby, Flybyby prevailed by three-parts of a length for owner and trainer Adrian Zavala. Julian Zavala rode the Louisiana-bred Five Bar Cartel filly to victory in :17.467 for a 104 speed index at 350 yards. Flybyby has never finished off the board in six starts with three wins, two seconds and a third for earnings of $37.039. Last year the filly finished second in the $100,000 Bitterroot Futurity (R) at Pocatello Downs.

Tryn Magallanes’ Mercurio parlayed a fast break into a three-quarter length win in the $38,925 Pocatello Downs Spring Classic Futurity. Jaime Lopez rode the son of Big Lew for trainer Hector Magallanes. Bred in Mexico by Mauro Lozano, the gelding stopped the timer at :15.476 for a 102 speed index at 300 yards. Mercurio finished second in his trial on May 3, and he has earned $18,279 in his two races.

Ruidoso Downs
Francisco Navarrete’s Bout Ta Learn Yall led from start to finish in Monday’s $45,000 John Andrini Memorial Stakes at the New Mexico track. Ridden by Christian Cardenas for trainer Sebastian Gonzales, the Utah-bred gelding by Apollitical Jess ran 350 yards in :17.620 and won by a half-length as the 6-5 favorite. 

Bout Ta Learn Yall was making his first start as a 4-year-old after ending last year’s campaign with a second-place effort in the $100,000 Lovington Stakes (G2) at Zia Park on December 15. This marked his first career stakes win and fourth total victory with earnings of $96,563. He was bred by McColee Land & Livestock LLC out of the stakes-winning First Down Dash mare Aquafina. 

KJ Flying Cowgirl, winner of the $101,900 West Texas Maturity (G3) at Sunland Park in March, finished second. Apollitical Boogie J took third.

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