SELMA, TX–The biggest weekend in Texas Quarter Horse racing returns to Retama Park July 23-25 as the 2026 Summer Showdown features the meet's richest purses, highlighted by eight stakes races surrounding the TQHA Yearling Sale.

“As an annual event, we are proud to host the Yearling Sale in San Antonio as well as all the races that come with the Summer Showdown and TQHA Futurity and Retama Derby,” said Retama Park and General Manager Vice President Bryan Pettigrew.

The highly anticipated weekend begins Thursday, July 23, with a full card of Quarter Horse racing and Military Appreciation Night, offering free admission to all active-duty military personnel and veterans in honor of their service.

Friday night's program features six stakes races for Accredited Texas-breds, including the Grade 2 TQHA Classic, the Grade 2 Benny Pennington Memorial Stakes, and the Grade 3 TQHA 550 Stakes. Three additional stakes races will showcase Accredited Texas-breds and TQHA Sale graduates, including the Miss Retama Stakes presented by PENN Women, the TQHA 250 Stakes, and the Jones Bloodstock Insurance Starter Stakes.

Saturday's card closes the weekend with two of Retama Park's richest races, the $181,000 Retama Park Derby presented by 440 Equine and the $683,700 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1).

"It is an honor to have Horsemen from around the country come to the races at Retama Park,” Pettigrew continued. “This year, we have added a new element to the weekend with an NHC Betting Tournament taking place at Retama on Friday and Saturday night, and we appreciate the support of the handicappers who have traveled in to compete in Texas.

The inaugural Retama Betting Championship presented by the TQHA will be conducted over the weekend with a preliminary event on Friday and the main event on Saturday. For more information and sign-up for the contest, visit www.retamapark.com.

Retama Park Racing Secretary Mike Acton concluded, "With a number of Texas-bred graded stakes happening this Friday and the Retama Park Derby presented by 440 Equine along with the Grade 1 TQHA Sale Futurity finals happening Saturday night, the weekend is chock-full of well-bred horses, and the results from these races will certainly make their way into the future sales catalogs!"

THE 2026 TQHA YEARLING SALE SET FOR JULY 24-25 The Texas Quarter Horse Association is set to host its 29th Annual TQHA Yearling Sale, one of the premier events on the American Quarter Horse calendar. The sale is scheduled for July 23-25, 2026, at the Freeman Expo Hall in San Antonio, Texas.

The two-day event will offer 420 cataloged yearlings, split across two sessions. Known for showcasing the best Texas-bred racing stock, the TQHA Yearling Sale attracts buyers seeking some of the industry's top racing prospects.

Attendees are invited to the Consignor and Buyer BBQ hosted by Rigby Equine and SLC Racing, LLC, beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 23. A full card of Quarter Horse racing at Retama Park will immediately follow the barbecue.

The TQHA Yearling Sale will begin at 10 a.m. on both Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25. Hips 1-210 will sell on Friday, followed by Hips 211-420 on Saturday.

"I personally believe this is one of the strongest catalogs TQHA has ever assembled, and I've heard the same from many others,” said TQHA Executive Director / Director of Racing Scott Sherrwod. “The quality from top to bottom really shows.

Our Texas breeders and consignors have supported this sale for many years, and once again, they have provided us with top-notch yearlings. On behalf of TQHA, I want to sincerely thank each of them for their continued support and wish them the very best in the sale ring."

Live racing is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. immediately following each day of the TQHA Yearling Sale. Both the sale sessions and live racing will be streamed online.

FRIDAY NIGHT STAKES RACING PREVIEW Six featured races spanning distances from 250 to 870 yards headline Friday's card at Retama Park. The program is highlighted by three graded stakes events—the Grade 2 $60,000 TQHA Classic Stakes, the Grade 2 $52,000 Benny Pennington Memorial Stakes, and the Grade 2 $52,000 TQHA 550 Stakes—along with the $50,000 Miss Retama Stakes, the $52,000 TQHA 250 Stakes, and the $32,000 Jones Bloodstock Insurance Starter Stakes.

RACE 6 – $32,000 JONES BLOODSTOCK INSURANCE STARTER STAKES Regal King, under the guidance of Luis Maldonado, will break from post nine as the 3-1 morning-line favorite. The son of Man Who Wouldbe King has won two of three starts in 2026 and has earned $36,328 for owners Erasmo and Rose Rodriguez. Another to watch is 5-1 choice Run Nellie Run, who is coming off a victory in her last start. The four-year-old daughter of Glimpse of Greatness has earned $42,530 from 13 starts and will be ridden by Victor Urieta Jr.

RACE 7 – $52,000 TQHA 250 STAKES Jj Jessa Dynasty goes into the gates as the 4-1 morning-line favorite. The daughter of Jj Jess An Meteorite won her last start on July 3 at Delta Downs. She was runner-up in the Miss Polly Classic Stakes (G3) and finished third in the Mothers Day Stakes. Her last stakes appearance resulted in a ninth-place finish in the Miss Sam Houston Stakes, and she will be looking for redemption from post nine.

At 9-2 morning-line odds, Fabulous Casina will also be one to watch. The $14,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate by One Fabulous Eagle won the Sam Houston 250 and is coming off a third-place finish in the Selma Stakes (G3). The four-year-old filly has earned $145,864 from 16 starts.

RACE 8 – $50,000 MISS RETAMA STAKES Morning-line favorite Celebratingtheeagle is listed at 9-2 and will break from post seven under Victor Urieta Jr. The daughter of This Is An Eagle is coming off a three-quarter-length victory in the Miss Sam Houston Stakes. With a record of 6-6-2 from 19 starts, the $29,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate has earned $148,680.

Full Moon Desire is close behind at 5-1 odds. The three-year-old daughter of Chilitos sold for $11,000 in the TQHA Yearling Sale. She will make her first start of the season after winning the Evangeline Downs Futurity (G2) in her final start of 2025.

RACE 9 – $52,000 BENNY PENNINGTON MEMORIAL STAKES (G2) Eye Will Decide heads the 870-yard field of seasoned runners as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The eight-year-old gelding has made three starts this season, winning the Grade 3 Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes and finishing third in the Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes. The son of Majestic Cartel has compiled eight total wins, nine runner-up finishes, and earnings of $239,169.

After finishing runner-up in each of his starts this season, Master Reigns will be looking for his first win of the year at 3-1 odds. The seven-year-old son of Dash Master Jess has earned $168,993 and finished second in both the San Marcos Stakes (G3) and the Jesse Yoakum Memorial 870 Stakes (G3) earlier this season.

RACE 10 – $52,000 TQHA 550 STAKES (G2) Top Cowboy is the 2-1 morning-line favorite as he looks to return to the winner's circle. Although the five-year-old has not won since 2024, he has continued to compete at a high level. This season, he finished second in the Gary Baber Memorial Stakes after running second in last year's Grade 2 B. F. Phillips Jr. Stakes. The son of Flying Cowboy 123 also finished fourth in the Grade 3 Sam Houston Derby and has earned $89,388.

Onthrocks, a strong 7-2 contender, brings a record of 8-6-8 from 34 starts with earnings of $263,875. The 550-yard specialist is still seeking his first stakes victory of 2026 after finishing third in the Gary Baber Memorial Stakes and the Sam Houston 550 Stakes (RG3), along with a finalist effort in the Sam Houston Classic (G2), in his three starts this season.

RACE 11 – $60,000 TQHA CLASSIC STAKES (G2) Kas Prietito has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite following an outstanding season. The four-year-old gelding enters the race on a two-stakes winning streak after capturing both the Grade 2 Sam Houston Classic Stakes and the Grade 2 Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes. The son of Kas Tempting has compiled five wins, three runner-up finishes, and earnings of $138,766.

Still looking for his first stakes victory of the season, Nine One Won finished fourth in the Gary Baber Memorial Stakes in June. The son of Tempting Dash has hit the board in 21 of 29 starts with six wins and earnings of $212,389. He enters as the 5-2 morning-line second choice.

SATURDAY NIGHT STAKES RACING PREVIEW Saturday's 12-race program closes the three-day weekend at Retama Park with a first post of 6:30 p.m., highlighted by the Grade 1 $683,700 TQHA Sale Futurity and the $181,000 Retama Park Derby presented by 440 Equine.

The TQHA Sale Futurity will feature the ten fastest Texas-bred juveniles from the July 2 trial heats, all graduates of the 2025 TQHA Yearling Sale, competing over 350 yards for one of the state's most prestigious prizes. The ten fastest Texas-bred sophomores from the July 3 trial heats return in the Retama Park Derby presented by 440 Equine, where they will battle over 400 yards.

RACE 10 – $181,000 RETAMA PARK DERBY PRESENTED BY 440 EQUINE Royalist headlines the Derby field after a dominant trial performance in which he went straight to the lead and pulled away to win by 2¼ lengths, posting the fastest qualifying time. The colt enters as the 2-1 morning-line favorite following a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Sam Houston Derby. In 11 starts, the $120,000 Los Alamitos Yearling Sale graduate has recorded four wins and four second-place finishes while earning $102,069.

Breaking from the outside post, Cobra Stone 77 secured his Derby berth with a determined gate-to-wire victory in his trial, drawing clear late to record the second-fastest qualifying time. Although he was unable to threaten in the Grade 3 Sam Houston Derby, the gelding has been consistent with three wins and two additional third-place finishes from nine career starts.

Ring A Ling Ding enters as the 9-2 morning-line favorite with five career victories, including two in 2026, and earnings of $100,512. The son of Pa Cha Ching finished third in the Grade 3 West Texas Derby and fourth in the Grade 3 Sam Houston Derby. He will be seeking his first stakes victory of the season on Saturday.

RACE 11 – $683,700 TQHA SALE FUTURITY-RG1 Undefeated Cowboys Flying will break from the rail as the 9-5 morning-line favorite after another dominant trial performance, going gate to wire and drawing away by 2¾ lengths to post the fastest qualifying time. The son of Flying Cowboy 123 has been flawless through his young career, winning both his trial and the $541,000 Texas Breeders Futurity in impressive fashion while building earnings of $252,746 for owner Double J Racing, who purchased him for $53,000 at the TQHA Yearling Sale.

His stablemate, Whoopie Cowgirl, looms as a major challenger after an equally impressive 2¾-length trial victory that produced the second-fastest qualifying time. The daughter of Flying Cowboy 123 has won three of five career starts, including the Grade 2 Louisiana Downs Futurity, and has earned $166,731 for owner Denis Moran, who purchased her for $35,000 at the TQHA Yearling Sale.

Third fastest qualifier Apollitical Cowboy, runner-up to Cowboys Flying in the Texas Breeders Futurity, is another leading contender. The son of Flying Cowboy 123 has compiled two wins and two second-place finishes from five starts while earning $148,801. He was a $50,000 TQHA Yearling Sale graduate.

The combination of the TQHA Yearling Sale and TQHA Sale Futurity Weekend once again places Texas Quarter Horse racing in the national spotlight, bringing together breeders, owners, buyers and racing fans for three days showcasing the state's premier racing stock both in the sales ring and on the racetrack.


ABOUT RETAMA PARK Retama Park is a Class 1 pari-mutuel horse racetrack located in Selma, Texas, just 15 minutes from downtown San Antonio. Live Quarter Horse races take place each summer, while simulcast wagering and races from around the world are shown daily. Managed by Penn Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ – PENN), Retama Park opened in 1995 and is hosting its 31st season of horse racing in 2026. For more information and racing schedules, please visit www.RetamaPark.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube.


Photos by Jack Coady Photography

1. Fastest qualifier Royalist and jockey Luis Vivanco headline the $181,000 Retama Park Derby.

2. Fastest qualifier Cowboys Flying, ridden by Nestor Duran, headlines the TQHA Sale Futurity-RG1.