SELMA, TX- Retama Race Park ran 12 trials for the richest race of the 2024 Quarter Horse live racing season, the $606,121 TQHA Sale Futurity(RG1) on July 4 and 5. The purse is the second highest in the history of the Selma, Texas racetrack, since its opening in 1995.

The five top qualifiers from each night return this Saturday, July 27. Post time for the eleven-race card is 6:15 pm (Central) with each of the connections hoping that their 2-year-old will hoist the trophy in the 350-yard final.

Top Texas trainer Juan Diaz, Jr. who won the 2022 TQHA Sale Futurity with Bye Corona Bye and last year’s edition with Dollar Bill will have his usual busy final as he has qualified five juveniles for the 2024 TQHA Sale Futurity!

His entrants include fastest qualifier Seis Chilitos who impressed on the second night of the trials to notch the fastest qualifying time of :17.863 seconds. Owner Jaime Cardenas signed a $28,000 ticket at the TQHA Yearling Sale and has been pleased with the potential of the daughter of first-crop stallion Chilitos in her first year of competition. Cardenas, currently owns 20 Quarter Horses and felt that she was the best looking prospect at last year's sale in San Antonio.

"Since the beginning, she showed a lot,” he explained. “We were excited about running her in the Sam Houston Futurity trials as we felt she would do well. She didn’t make the final but ran a really good race in the Sam Houston Juvenile.”

Cardenas paid her into the TQHA Sale Futurity and Saturday night, he and his family will cheer her on as she breaks from post position eight under jockey Jorge Garcia at odds of 7-2. Richard Arizpe bred Seis Chilitos from the Tres Seis mare Seis Passes. With three wins in five starts, she has earned $37,224.

Jockey Victor Urieta, Jr. qualified three of the Diaz finalists and will ride Kiss My Maruska for owner Heavy Hitters Racing Stables. Bred in Texas by Naia and Tyler Graham, the son of Kiss My Hocks was the runner-up in the Louisiana Downs Futurity on March 30 and completed the trifecta in the $1 million Heritage Place Futurity(G1) on June 1 at Remington Park.

Of course, Diaz had no problems finding additional riders for his additional finalists, with AQHA Champion jockey Francisco Calderon set to ride Leviram Racing, LLC’s Marfalous, who set the second-fastest qualifying time of 17.966  seconds. Juan Pulido, who won the Sam Houston Futurity with DK Marney Jess last month at Sam Houston Race Park, has the call aboard Hawkabye, also owned by Heavy Hitters Racing Stables

Diaz took all five finalists to the gate on Tuesday morning and reports that all are doing well.

“It’s hard to have a fast, sound 2-year-old,” said Diaz. “We maintain the same routine for our horses following trials and wish the best for each of our owners. We love the competition and look forward to a great weekend.”

The TQHA Sale Futurity will run as the eleventh race on the Saturday night card, with an approximate post time of 10:45 pm (Central). Here is the field, in post-position order with jockeys and morning line odds:

1. Hawkabye (Juan Pulido), 10-1

2.Jess Louisiana Girl Gerardo Luna), 20-1

3. Kiss My Maruska (Victor Urieta, Jr.), 8-1

4. Marfalous (Francisco Calderon), 5-1

5. Blasted Eagle (Oliver Martinez), 10-1

6. Magic Apollitical (Jose Alvarez), 6-1

7. This Eagles Armed (Ali Rivera), 8-1

8. Seis Chilitos (Jorge Garcia), 7-2

9. Kiss My Tail Lights (Luis Vivanco), 3-1

10. Joose Box (Nestor Duran), 15-1

Fire Cowboy Puts His Win Streak on the Line in the $215,650 1/ST BET Retama Park Derby

Trials for the $251,650 1/ST BET Retama Park Derby were conducted on July 3 and a stellar field of 3-year-olds will enter the starting gate for the 350 yard final.

Even though he was not the fastest qualifier, the heavy favorite will most likely be Emmanuel Villarreal’s

Fire Cowboy, who will be in search of his ninth consecutive victory. Fire Cowboy, a son of Grade 1 winner Flying Cowboy out of the Walk Thru Fire mare Perky was bred in Texas by  Edward J and Von Zae McNelis. His win streak began on September 1, 2023, at Retama Park in a $16,500 allowance, with victories in the 2023 Evangeline Downs Futurity(G2) on December 15 before taking a well-deserved break until his May 4 allowance win at Sam Houston Race Park.

Villarreal purchased Fire Cowboy for $22,000 at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale and has been rewarded with a win streak that began last August at Retama Park. It was his admiration for Grade 1 winner Flying Cowboy 123 that inspired Villareal.

"He is a super horse," stated. Villareal. "I went all the way to California to buy him. He was a Texas-bred selling in the Los Alamitos Sale. I really believe in his bloodlines and as I stated after the win in the Sam Houston Derby, I would love for him to win the Texas Classic Derby at Lone Star Park, just like his daddy!”

Trained by Juan Diaz, Jr, Fire Cowboy will be ridden by  Juan Pulido, at odds of 5-2. Despite an unruly start in his trial, he won in :18.127 seconds. Diaz will also saddle Dollar Bill, the winner of last year’s TQHA Sale Futurity, who has won seven of his 12 lifetime starts with earnings of $581,727. The son of Kiss My Hocks was purchased for $39,000 at the 2022 TQHA Yearling Sale by Genesis Tovar and will be ridden by Victor Urieta, Jr. The third finalist trained by Diaz is Ruse Ranch LLC’s Miracle B Knockout, an Oklahoma-bred filly by Frieghttrain B, who will be ridden by Nestor Duran.

“The 2-year-olds are still learning, but our 3-year-olds have their own history,” added Diaz.

The top two Quarter Horse trainers in North America are well-represented in the 1/ST BET Retama Park Derby with Toby Keeton qualifying four for the final. Keeton is currently the top Quarter Horse trainer in the country with 92 wins and $3.2 million in purses. Diaz ranks second with 78 first place finishes and stable earnings in excess of $2.8 million.

Keeton qualified four for the final with Choicez winning his trial in a head bob over Dollar Bill in :17.820 seconds. The filly by One Famous Eagle was bred by AQHA champion breeder and purchased by Hector Reina for $45,000 at the Ruidoso Select Sale. She has won three of her five starts and will be ridden by jockey Francisco Calderon. Luis Vivanco, who is having one of the best years of his career, opted to pilot P and J Racing Ltd.’s homebred Cowgurl Up, who has won her last three races. Also sired by Flying Cowboy 123, she posted the fourth-fastest qualifying time of :17.866 seconds.

“Choicez is a good one, but Cowgurl Up will be hard to beat,” said Keeton, who also trains Guerras Racing Stables’ Jaegar and Famous Eye Glory for owner Anabel Jiminez .

The almost perfect 2024 for Keeton hit a major roadblock last weekend when the unprecedented flooding at Ruidoso Downs  forced the cancelation of the remainder of the 2024 live racing season. Their meet will continue this Friday at The Downs at Albuquerque.

“This has been the biggest headache of my life,” stated Keeton, who moved 32 horses on Sunday. “We knew there was no way we could finish the meet with the flooding and all the setbacks. It’s not just hauling our horses; some to Albuquerque and other to Texas, but all the equipment too.”

The 1/ST BET Retama Park Derby is the tenth race on the program with an approximate post of 10:18 pm. Here are the finalists, in post-position order with jockeys and morning line odds:

1. Hock It is (Noe Villatoro), 15-1

2. Miracle B Knockout (Nestor Duran), 12-1

3. Fire Cowboy (Juan Pulido.), 5-2

4. Dollar Bill (Victor Urieta, Jr.), 3-1

5. Chasing Fdd (Pedro Espinosa), 20-1

6. Famous Eye Glory (Bryan Candanosa), 20-1

7. Choicez (Francisco Calderon), 3-1

8. Jaegar (Ricky Ramirez), 8-1

9. Cowgurl Up (Luis Vivanco), 10-1

10. Imaginacion (Edwin Escobedo), 15-1

Retama Park Trainer,  Jockey and Owner Standings

Live racing resumes Thursday, July 26 with Juan Diaz, Jr. leading the trainer standings. The 35-year-old resident of Floresville, Texas, earned the last two titles at Retama Park and has won 13 of his 37 starts since the 2024 Quarter Horse meet began on June 27. Toby Keeton is second with nine victories, followed by Jose Sanchez, who has saddled five winners. Marc Jungers and Adan Guzman are tied for fourth with four wins each.

Luis Vivanco who won the riding title earlier this year at Sam Houston Race Park tops the jockey standings with ten wins;  Oliver Martinez has made nine trips to the winner’s circle and Oscar Andrade, Jr., Noe Villatoro and Froylan Ramirez are tied for fourth in the standings with six wins each.

A very tight battle for the leading owner is underway, with 11 owners tied for first in the standings with two wins each. James Hrabovsky and Joye Leann Nalls, Jose Ruiz, Jr. Rigoberto Aguilar, and Rancho El Porvenir have won both of their starts this season.

Texas Summer Showdown Night on Friday, July 26

A stakes-filled card is set for Friday evening at Retama Park with the first race beginning at 6:15 pm. This is the annual Texas Summer Showdown, celebrating Texas-bred Quarter Horses competing in a range of distances. The schedule is as follows:

Race 5         $50,000-added Benny Pennington Memorial (RG2)             870 yards

Race 6         $50,000-added TQHA”550” Stakes(RG3)                             550 yards

Race 7             $60,000-added TQHA Classic Stakes(RG3)                          400 yards

Race 8             $50,000-added TQHA Sophomore Stakes                             400 yards

Race 9             $30,000-added Jones Bloodstock Starter Stakes                    350 yards

Race 10           $50,000-added TQHA “250” Stakes                                     250 yards

Race 11           $50,000-added Miss Retama Stakes                                       350 yards

“This is an important weekend for Retama Park as we salute Texas Quarter Horses, breeders, trainers and jockeys competing for top purses,” said Bryan Pettigrew, Vice President and General Manager of Retama Park. “The full fields will be enticing to Horseplayers, and we look forward to hosting TQHA and their members, all the people in town for the horse sale, and our South Texas racing fans!”

Retama Park Promotions

The 2024 Retama Park Quarter Horse live racing season continues through Saturday, August 17. Fans can enjoy upcoming promotions including the popular Diamond Dig, sponsored by Americus Diamond on August 3 when ladies ages 18 and older can dig for a diamond pendent necklace valued at $2,500 on our track following the 7th horse race of the night. Retama Park will host Wiener Dog Racing on August 17 with entertaining Wiener Dog races between the horse races with the winning Weiner earning $500 in CASH! Bounce castles, pony rides, face painting and more! Fun for the whole family. Visit the Retama Park website for information on live and simulcast racing and special events.

Online reservations can be made for reserved dining experiences in the Terrace Dining and Clubhouse 95, and reserved Box Seats on the Clubhouse Level (3^rd Floor). General Admission can also be purchased in advance to avoid any lines when arriving at Retama Park, there will be plenty of seating on the Grandstand Level (2^nd Floor) and Track Level (1^st Floor) for fans.

2024 TQHA Yearling Sale Set for July 26 and 27

The 27th annual TQHA Yearling Sale will take place on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27. A total of 402 Quarter Horse will pass through the sale ring giving prospective buyers an opportunity to bid on their future racing champion! Admission is free and even if you are not in the market to buy this year, the sights and sounds are exciting, especially when the bidding competition gets underway, and yearlings can go as high as $200,000!

2024 TQHA Yearling Sale

Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27

The Freeman Exposition Hall

3201 E Houston St, San Antonio, Texas 78219

Free and open to the public

402 cataloged Accredited Texas Bred yearlings will enter the sale ring beginning at 10 am (Central) each day

Sale catalog available at tqha.com or by calling 512-458-5202

About Retama Park

Retama Park is a Class 1 pari-mutuel horse racetrack located in Selma, Texas, just 20 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 will host its 30^th year of racing beginning on June 27, 2024. For more information and racing schedules, please visit www.RetamaPark.comfollow on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.

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Photos:  Coady Photography