The first of four all-Quarter Horse days for 2020 will be featured Saturday, July 4. The program, which has an early post of 10 a.m. will offer 13 races on the card, including three sets of trials along with the $102,120 Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby Final.
WRs Apolliticalivory has been selected as the early morning line favorite in the 11th running of the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby Final, slated as the sixth race on the card. The Apollitical Blood three-year-old gelding was a commanding winner in the trials, posting the quickest time in :19.936. Trained by Randy Smith, WRs Apolliticalivory will be seeking his fifth win in seven career starts as he enters the gates Saturday at odds of 6-5 with Shanley Jackson aboard from post six.
The entire field for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby Final, in post position order with jockey and odds, includes A Ruby Corona (German Rodriguez, 30-1); Flyweight Carver (Oscar Macias, 30-1); MTs Sixty Six Cartel (Erik Esqueda, 15-1); Fast Soldier (Cesar Esqueda, 20-1); Apollitical B Beast (Sergio Ramirez, 8-1); WRs Apolliticalivory (Shanley Jackson, 6-5); Passenger Train (L.D. Martinez, 12-1); Shes Relentlesswagon (Manuel Gutierrez, 8-1); My Pillow (Giovani Vazquez-Gomez, 6-1); and First Hero V (Alonso Rivera, 9-2). Estimated post time for the stakes race is 12:05 p.m.
Kicking off the all-Quarter Horse card will be five trials for the Gordon Mobley Futurity. Of the 44 two-year-olds entered in the event, half of them are first time starters, creating an interesting scenario for the trials. Beach Diva from the Tony Cunningham Stable, is the favorite in the first trial at odds of 2-1 from post eight. The grey freshman daughter of Escondido Beach is a homebred owned by Sheri Miller. Beach Diva won her only start to break her maiden in late June.
Ashwins Valentine, who finished third to Beach Diva in his racing debut, leads the second trial as the favorite at odds of 7-5. Owned and bred by Perry Davis, the Escondido Beach gelding is trained by Ron Raper and will start from post four with Cristian Reyes aboard.
Tim Eggleston and Natasha Fritz will team up for a pair of favorites in the third and fourth trial of the Mobley Futurity. First Down Crypto starts from post five at odds of 9-5 in the third race while Too Pretty to Catch starts from post five at odds of 5-2 in the fourth. Both two-year-olds will be seeking their first win.
WH Imastreakinbeach and Erik Esqueda lead the field as favorites in the final Mobley trial. They begin from post two at odds of 9-5 for trainer Erin Thompson and owner Tom Wylie.
The first all-Quarter Horse racing card also features four trials for the Jaguar Rocket Futurity and three trials for the Heartland Futurity to close out the card.
The Jaguar Rocket Futurity Final with an estimated purse of $100,000, will kick off a week of finals for sprinters later in July. The Jaguar Rocket Futurity Final is set for Monday, July 20 followed by the $150,000 est. Gordon Mobley Futurity Final on Tuesday, July 21. The $75,000 Heartland Futurity Final will take place Wednesday, June 22. All stakes will be contested at 300 yards.
Live racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18 with action held Monday through Thursday beginning at 2:20 p.m. Four Saturday programs are slated for all-Quarter Horse days set for July 4, Aug. 8, Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.
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