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Ep.60- HOF Trainer Carl Draper - QH Racing Talk WEEKLY
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StallioneSearch.com has released Episode 60 of QH Racing Talk — Weekly, featuring a look back at an in-depth conversation with two-time All American Futurity-winning trainer Carl Draper.
Co-hosts Greg Thompson and Bailey Ivey lead the discussion as Draper reflects on his victories in the All American Futurity with DM Shicago and Heartwideopen, his success at the highest levels of the sport, and a career that earned him induction into the Ruidoso Racehorse Hall of Fame. Draper passed away in 2015, and both DM Shicago (2012) and Heartswideopen (2017) receiving induction respectively as well.
It's Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. From the breeding shed to the sales rank for May 7, 2026. From the falling barn to the starting gate. If you aren't listening to this, can you really call yourself much of a quarter horse racing fan? Introducing our host, Greg Thompson and co-host, Bailey Ivy. It's Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly.
SPEAKER_03And hello again, everyone.ESearch.com, and this is Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly.
SPEAKER_05And I'm Bailey Ivy.
SPEAKER_03Bailey going down to Texas here this coming weekend, as the very first Texas Breeders Faturity down there is taking place, and I'm so happy that you're actually going to go down.
SPEAKER_05Yes, I don't know if you've looked at the forecast yet, but it looks like there's rain coming.
SPEAKER_03Well, wherever you go, I always assume there's a rain cloud following.
SPEAKER_05Of course.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_05Greg, I've heard nothing but good things about the biographies. And the one with Larry Sharp that you did, it was very interesting to me, as I didn't know about the first Triple Crown Myth.
SPEAKER_03Yes, it was a great story. Of course, I was two years old when it happened, so I wasn't there, but it's one of those great stories when I started interviewing like James MacArthur around the time of Eastertext and all. He had told me about the stories. And him and Larry Sharp would would almost talk trash to each other uh back in the day, and they kind of you know jokingly pick on each other, and uh they both shared the story, and I was so glad they also get John Ward on the phone and talk about that near miss as well. But I also heard several people come out and talk about how they just really like talking and hearing about the legends in the sport. So, with that being said, I have another one this week.
SPEAKER_05Greg, how many more of those do you have?
SPEAKER_03I actually don't know, Bailey, but I'll keep digging and I'll get back to you on that one. But this week's featured guest is none other than Carl Draper, who I had the opportunity to interview back in the day, and of course Carl's passed on now, but Carl made gigantic racing headlines with two of the significant runners of the 2000s, and that was with DM Chicago as well as with Hearts Wide Open.
SPEAKER_05Isn't Hearts Wide Open the La Felise Montana horse that we talked with Javert and Rodriguez about?
SPEAKER_03Yes, absolutely. That's the horse that kind of put La Felice Montana on the map in the quarter horse racing world, and I was able to talk with Carl about those two gigantic, significant runners, and uh loved bringing here on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly, and also we got a bunch of great races to talk about, not only in the recap section as the Leo stakes was last week, and also we had some huge races to preview as we have significantly wise as we have the upcoming kindergarten fraternity out in California.
SPEAKER_05Wow, Greg, we have a lot to cover, don't we?
SPEAKER_03We do, we do. So let's stop talking and get to the commercial so we can get to our featured guest, Carl Draper here, Hall of Famer, Hall of Fame trainer, two-time All-American Fraternity winner. We'll be right back after these words from our sponsor.
SPEAKER_11Reminder: consignment entries are due May 15th and must be in the office before the deadline for the upcoming Rio Dosto Select Yearlings sale on September 4th and 5th. Call or contact the Rio Dosto Sales Office with any questions at 575-378-4474.
SPEAKER_03Running quarter horse breeders, you gotta be taking notes of all the stakes qualifiers as well as the stakes winners that Uncle D is kicking out in 2026, including the Grade 3 win in the Mr. Master Bug Stakes by Uncle Redheads, and the Grade 2 Victoria Innis Memorial Stakes win by BW Sean D. Off. As these runners are continuing to pad the stats, as Uncle D leads all third-year tires as the top in the nation going into the 1st of May, standing at Prestige Kline in Roswell, New Mexico, the red hot sire Uncle D.
SPEAKER_12Alright, back to the show.
SPEAKER_03Alright, we're back here on Quota Horse Racing Talk Weekly, ready to jump into our featured guest this week, and it is another recorded conversation from years past that I had with Hall of Fame trainer Carl Draper, who passed away in 2015, and I would say was one of the well-respected horsemen up there on the mountain for years and years, had multiple graded stakes winners, but of course his two that stood out were his All-American Fraturity winning, DM Chicago, as well as Hearts Wide Open. And Carl was one of those ones that I'd like to go over and talk with because he was just no nonsense, he was just straight to the point. And a little about Carl, he was born in New Mexico, he was raised in New Mexico, he graduated in Roswell High School, he was a rodeo cowboy as well, and many of the horsemen that talk about Carl talk about how he kind of weighed the rodeo life with the racing life throughout pretty much his career until he just wasn't able to rope anymore. And he got started in training racehorses in 1978. And he was able to make history with some of his runners up there on the mountain. We'll get to that in the interview. So without further ado, let's get into the conversation with Hall of Fame trainer Carl Draper. Carl, you've trained a lot of great horses in the career-wise, but I'm sure that everybody, including myself, kind of gravitates towards the two All-American Futurity winners. So we can get right into it. Let's start talking about your first All-American Futurity win with DM Chicago.
SPEAKER_09The story was wrote many times when it happened, publicized many times. But what happened when this young man came to my table at Riyadhosa Downs the summer before this horse was gonna be broke. And he said, Mr. Draper, I have a horse that I think is good enough to run on the mountain. And I have people tell me this kind of stuff all the time. And I don't train for the public. I train for my partners and myself. But he seemed like a nice guy. So we'd talked for an hour or two. And he said, Would you at least think about it? And I said, Yeah, I would. So we left it at that, and then he came back for the next set of trials to come back to the table. Asked me if I'd thought about it. And I told my wife, I said, you know, it's a nice guy. So I told him, I said, Don Mollard, I'll take your horse. So he had him broke in Texas. And he came to me in, I believe, December. And he was very skinny. And he did not look very good. I thought, what have we got here? But I could see some good stuff about his confirmation. His size, his intelligence, his eye. And you never know where runners come from. His pedigree was good. He's a separatist out of a big, good-looking special leader. He was a double crippled orchid, so he'd had him cut. So for two weeks, we never rode him. I just felt he f ⁇ ing worked and took care of him. And got him strong enough to ride. And then I turned him over to Jed Vane. He breaks him to ride, gay trains him, and keeps him exercised and gallops between races, works him before the races. I don't want the jockeys getting on him and messing him up. And I shouldn't say that because I've got some good jockeys that are good friends, but we got him and he was broken, so we just got him fat enough where we could drive him and exercise him. And I breezed him one time at the training track. And I could see some things about this horse I really liked.
SPEAKER_03What were some of the things that you liked? What stood out?
SPEAKER_09I like the desired pleas he had. I like the moment he had with his body. He's got a huge, massive shoulder and front end, not a very pretty back or hips, greedy legged, powerful, good neck, and the brain of a professor. So I called Mr. Mueller and I said, I'd like to buy half of this horse. And he said, Well, what do you give for it? I said, I don't price other people's horses. I price my horses. You gotta tell me what you want for half of it. I'd kind of like to have a half of it. And he talked some more and then he said, What would you give for half of it? I said, okay,$27. No, I said,$28. Excuse me. And his phone went silent. And I said, Well, you told me the price him, that's what I want to do. Send you$28. I said, or at least now we got a place to work from. Before the conversation ended 30 minutes later, I bought half the horse. I won't say what I paid for half of it. A lot of people have guessed. But it turns out that he is a horse that did something no other quarter horse has ever done in history. And that's when the All-American, as a two-year-old, come back as a three-year-old and win Derby Triple Crown. He won five world championships over two years. He changed my life. Jed Vane's life. My whole family's life. And Don Muller's life. And put us in the record books. And you call that fame. I just call it success. Uh and things working. So you can make a living for your family. Fame is for people that want fame. I don't want to be a big shot or be famous. I dislike good horses. And them that want to run can make you famous. And that's what Chicago was. He wanted to run.
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SPEAKER_03Attention, consigners, for the deadline of the 48th Annual Heritage Place Quarter Horse Yearling Sale coming on September the 16th, 17th, and 18th in Oklahoma City. Don't miss your chance to be a part of one of Quarter Horse Racing's premier sales events, as it's Heritage Place, the place where champions are sold.
SPEAKER_12All right, back to the show.
SPEAKER_03Carl, let's go back to the disgusting of the Rainbow Futurity. You put up your own money to purchase into this horse, so you obviously have the confidence. But as y anyone would know, the on the backside, it's completely littered with horses that trainers thought enough of to put their own money into, and so this is not an unlikely story for a trainer to try to put his money where his mouth is, so to say.
SPEAKER_09And that's happened to me too, because I own a lot of horses or parts of a lot of horses or gardeners. But here's the thing. I thought this horse was good enough that I didn't want to push his horse here at Sun Laporte. And so I did my finishing touches on his training after we got to Rio Dosa. So that's possibly why I didn't have a chance to win the rainbow. Because he was done fast enough, but he needed a little more experience. The good horses, they get better with each race as they go forward. The bad horses get worse each race because they don't want to be checked. And they can't take the pressure. Or they have unsoundness things that keep them from being that super horse. Well, he got better and he stayed sound. And it's like I said earlier, he has the mind of a professor. And he knew that he was fast. All fast horses know they're fast. So that makes him stand in them gates and never move. And say, catch me if you can. That's where the champion that's coming from. And I'm just a fortunate man that has had two of them.
SPEAKER_03Carl, let's go back to discussing the rainbow. He finished third there. Then of course you have to be starting to think about the all-American Fraturity with this horse. And I've always been told that there's not a whole lot of training to do from once you get them fit up there on the mountain in between trials and finals. And so talk to me about this progression of going towards the All-American Fraturity with DM Chicago.
SPEAKER_09Through the rainbow, he learned a lot. And he was doing two things. His body was developing, growing. He was becoming a big, massive horse. And his intelligence and learning the game was growing. And he just kept getting smarter and smarter and wanting to do it better and more. And when we came to the All-American, I had all the confidence in the world that he'd qualify. But nobody thinks I know I can win the All-American because it's too hard to do.
SPEAKER_03Carl, fast forward to the trials of the All-American Futurity and kind of bring us back to that time in history.
SPEAKER_09It had rained all night. A bunch of us trainers went up to the track and looked out across the mud. And John Batson, a good friend of mine, said, Well, I'm gonna tell you guys one thing. That track looks bad, it is bad, but there's one thing I know. At the end of the day, there'll be ten horses going in a race, and one of them is gonna get a million dollars. And how was I to know that it would be me? Because you don't assume I know I can win at all America. But I did just that, I qualified, and then come back in the finals, and I won.
SPEAKER_04They're running in the All-American futurity. All got away useful enough. And in between horses, takeoff Jess into the outside, Devin's signature, along with Corona Ease. Then along the inside is DM Chicago, DM Chicago in front. DM Chicago by about a half from takeoff Jess into the far side, Corona Ease, and in Devin's signature, DM Chicago!
SPEAKER_09Well, anytime, especially if you've trained as many years as I have, you don't assume that you're gonna win one of these kind of races, especially this particular race. The pinnacle of quarter horse racing, above all. But you hope that you can light the board, because I've never won the All-American before that. Other guys have, but I never have. So it was a new pipe, and you're never sure if you can reach the top of it. But when the gates opened, and I seen him break like he did, and Juan Vasquez, his full-time rider, was within perfect. I thought this horse could win this race. And the farther he went, the more gears he changed and the faster he got. And when it was over, the first thought came to my mind was my banker's gonna be very happy. I never thought of myself or nothing else. I just thought my banker's gonna be very happy.
SPEAKER_03Now, just to show how steady the competition was that year in the two-year-old ranks, DM Chicago was actually not the two-year-old champion for 2004, and that went to Ocean Runaway. But DM Chicago was the two-year-old gelding of the year that year in 2004. But here you had the All-American Futurity winner and going into his three-year-old campaign, take us back there in 2005.
SPEAKER_09We did a little knee surgery, brought him back the next year, I turned him out in a pen, just like an ordinary horse. He got long hair, looked like a Mustang, and I let it get well, rehab, and be a horse. Never petted him or brushed him or none of that stuff. I left him alone. We got him back up in the spring. Here to something apart, got him ready to run. Never started him air, but into the trials of the Rhea Dosin. And when we got there, me, my whole crew, we were pretty confident and uh he'd come the surgery was a minor surgery, he was very sound, and he came back very strong. And as the summer went on, he went the first derby. Only time he ever broke a little tardy in the finals of the Rio Dolphin Derby. Uh but his high foot, one high foot slip made him just a little tardy, so he had to make a little run to win it. And my other horse was in the waterhole. And I've got a picture where there's three or four horses lined up, and my other horse is running first or second at that point. Fifty yards later, he balled down in the water only run fifth. But but uh Chicago winning.
SPEAKER_03Carl, at this point, you're really dealing with a serious racehorse on your hands here. Kind of talk about the difference of this horse as a two-year-old and now as a three-year-old going into the big classic events.
SPEAKER_09It just got bigger and stronger and smarter than the rainbow trials and the rainbow finals. That's when they beat ocean runaway, and then all American Derby trials and finals.
SPEAKER_04It is the M Shicago in front, DM Chicago ocean runaway! Cowboys and engines, give him a minute's coming on shimming front, give me Shicago!
SPEAKER_09He was just a great magnificent ghost with the mind of a professor and a horse.
SPEAKER_04Reminding in the American Derby and woman with Viergeman at the stomach and typical woman in Louisiana, home and room, but DM should come ago. DM should come up with the leaves the women at the ring mills, double chimmel to the floor summit. We have scrutinizers, I'm gonna take it, but it is D M Chicago! You can deliver him, but you can't stop him! DM Chicago.
SPEAKER_03Well, there you were, Carl, in 2005 with the Derby Triple Crown winner up there on the mountain, with DM Chicago winning the Riodoso Derby, the Rainbow Derby, and the All-American Derby, and then being named 2005 world champion that year. I guess you had to be elated to get that recognition with such an outstanding running horse.
SPEAKER_09Well, it meant a lot to me because up until that time, the only championships I'd ever won was New Mexico champion, two year old or three year old or something. I'd been into running two or three times, but didn't win the award. But Chicago won as a two year old, he was a champion, two year old guilding and as a Three-year-old. He went champion, three-year-old. Champion three-year-old. Yeah, the known world champion. So it's a it's a great honor. And I give that honor to the horse and to Jed Vane and my crew.
SPEAKER_13And we'll be right back after these words.
SPEAKER_03The stallion spotlight for Dunn Ranch this week goes to Juices Loosed, the stakes-winning son of one famous eagle out of the FDD Dynasty mare, Miss Southern DD. As the Juices Loose is a grade three winner of the Two River Stakes, as well as a winner of the Skip Zimmerman Memorial Stakes, and an earner of almost$200,000 in his racing career. Check out this graded stakes-winning son of leading sire one famous eagle at Dunranch and visit them at Dunranch.com.
SPEAKER_11Also standing is champion and grade one producer A Revenant, the brother to a two-time champion of champions winner, a political victory. The multiple Grade 1 producing sire, Chilitos, the runner-up finisher in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million, in Hot Pursuit, and the Grade 1 producer, PYC Fun and Fancy, all standing at Dun Ranch in Winniewood, Oklahoma. So be sure to check out the Stallion roster at Robashow Ranch in Bro Bridge, Louisiana. Sires like AQHA Champion Sire of Political Blood, Grade 1 winning and grade 2 winning, Gold Heart Eagle V, the Grade 1 winning and grade 1 producing, KV and Corona, the multiple Grade 1 producing sire, Tempting Dash, and the All-American juvenile winning son of Corona Cartel, Visa, standing at Roboshow Ranch, LLC.
SPEAKER_01Alright, back to the show.
SPEAKER_03Carl, your friend Mike Joyner told me to tell you to be sure to wear your sunglasses inside there. Not freaking dark. He says he gives you a hard time about wearing those sunglasses all the time.
SPEAKER_09If he wasn't my wife's friend, I probably wouldn't even talk to him.
SPEAKER_03Carl, you had a banner year in 2004 winning the All-American Futurity, and then you come back in 2005 with DM Chicago winning the Triple Crown and the Derby up on the mountain, as well as world champion status with that horse, and then in 2007, another glorious runner comes into your barn.
SPEAKER_09What happened is these two brothers from Las Vegas, Nevada came to Riyandoza, New Mexico, where I live. And my son is a real estate agent. Somehow or another they contacted him that they wanted to buy a horse farm. So he just happened to know the police Montana Ranch at Hondo, which is 20 miles east of Rios. 200 acres of beautiful property. Racetrack, lots of horse barns. Just a nice place. Been owned by several people that never made it in this business or didn't want to keep it, whatever. They went and looked at this property. And when they was coming back to town, Dallas, my son, called my wife and said, I got a couple of guys I want you to meet. Can I stop and introduce you to them? Because they wanted to meet my wife because of DM Chicago. So they stopped, introduced themselves, and they told my wife, We got some horses that we'd like Carl to train for us. And she told them that I didn't train for outside people. But they uh they're good people. Tavier and Manny Rodriguez. They own three construction companies in Las Vegas, Nevada. They came over here 25 years ago, learned English, got their citizenship, went into business, worked their butts off, and became wealthy enough to do whatever they want to do. And my wife liked them. And my wife don't like a lot of people. She don't like phonies or big talkers and stuff. She she's a neat lady, but but she's been placing a lot of people just dreamed of going. And uh so she don't want to hear no no baby shop talk. Would you consider training a couple of horses for? And I thought about it and I said you don't if they brought their ranch and it would make glasses on or in the escalation, then I would take a couple of their horses and train. So they said, Okay, they bought the farm. So they brought me two horses really hard to brought her to me here at Sunday Park. Jet went to Gal and uh the first time I breathe this man, I knew she was automatic. It was like she is another professor. How could I get to them in my lifetime? And by the time she was ready to run here, Javi Air was down here one day and I said, Dave, I don't know what I do. I'm gonna I'm gonna pay for your farm with this marriage. And we both laughed because it's laughable. Anyway, she went her first out just playing with the rest of the horses out of the one hole, just a maiden race, just a pricking her ears and looking around. And she was the fastest qualifier for the West Texas in the finals. I had one or two other horses qualified. And I had one on the left of her, and he kept rearing up at the gates and distracted her, and she is watching that at her and missed the break. Disaster. So we go to Riotosa. And then she uh was the fastest qualifier for the Riotosa fraternity and won it.
SPEAKER_04They're running in the Riotosa fraternity. Quickest out of the blocks was Hearts Wide Open. Going right with her is X OK, followed up toward the outside by Eye of Glory. And then we have Has to Be Kiss, but it is Hearts Wide Open, opening up! Hearts wide open! Carl Draper has yet another spectacular horse.
SPEAKER_09And I decided not to run her into the right and bowl. She's too too fast, she's too fast, too valuable, because six races in three months is too much for any two-year-old, especially Ophelly. So I decided to skip the rainbow, let her grow, and freshen up, and she was rested uh 62 days, I think. And then before the All-American trials, my assistant trainer turned her and braced her about 300 yards and let her gallop out. Two weeks later, we had the all-American trials.
SPEAKER_04Hearts wide open came away beautifully again to the inside. Captain Courage, followed up by Sure I Fly. Then at the rail is SF Royal Bank, followed up by Shizum's doll. Gonna have to be handed her his first her first defeat, and it is going to be Hearts Wide Open! This one has to have cracked the 400s.
SPEAKER_09And she went in her job, was the fastest qualifier, and went in all America. And never in her life have I seen her tired. They never get tired because that big, huge heart muscle pumps her blood so easy. They don't get tired. DM Chicago got tired. And she could have run five furlongs. That's to me why she is, in my opinion, the most valuable rooter, quarter horse rooter in the world. This is the amazing part of this whole story. The first twenty years I trained, I was pretty poor. Uh and I couldn't afford the quality of horses that it took to climb this mountain. I had to be content with smaller fraternities, smaller races. But thanks to my wife, she was a general manager of the Mountain Gods for 15 years. And they paid her well. Thanks to her and a really good banker friend of mine named Carl Bartley at the City Bank Henry Thompson. I was financially able with them and my partners, which is Ray Willis from Rosal, New Mexico, who's now one of the racing commission. And Albert Kriswell from playing New Texas. The team of us made it possible for me to acquire better quality horses. And you have to have quality. And then find horses that are magic. That's how you get champions. And then people think I'm famous, but I'm not.
SPEAKER_03The horses are. Yeah, the fastest qualifier going into Labor Day 2007. Take us back to that day with hearts wide open on the outside and that historic run down the Rio Dosa race course.
SPEAKER_09I had the outside the eight hole and an eight-horse field, two horses crashed. And uh she just ran another beautiful race. She wasn't in front. She changed gears and scooted in, or the track was a little better when quite as deep. And just went zoom and passed him and went.
SPEAKER_04Immediately ducks to the outside fence. Royal 6 gonna try to go with her. SF Royal Bank is running a big one. And Captain Courage! Captain Courage, SF Royal Bank and along the inside. Great for her. Hearts wide open to the outside. Royal Six is defeated! Hearts wide open! Hearts wide open! Wins the All-American Futurity!
SPEAKER_03Carl, it was your second win in the All-American Futurity. Was it sweeter the first time or the second time around?
SPEAKER_09Probably the first time, because I needed it more. And I owned half of that horse. The second time. And so why do you say when you climb that mountain twice? Anytime you did that, it was fabulous. It's fabulous. You've had luck. Maybe somebody's looking at you.
SPEAKER_03Carl, I know both of these horses have a very soft spot in your heart, as a lot of the great winners often do. But kinda talk to me what DM Chicago meant to you and your family, as well as what he did for your career.
SPEAKER_09Well, he's the one that changed my life, my my gorgeous, beautiful wife, her life, and all my children, and all our families. It's it's the greatest thing that could happen. We we don't take weekends off. We don't want to go on a vacation to Las Vegas or Holly Little or Acapulco or any of them places. What for? I have more fun doing what I do right here than I could have looking at somebody else out and we're addicted to horses, and if you're not addicted, you won't last in this game. Cause it's seven days a week, early morning drives. If you can't do that, you can't handle this business. But I've been in the horse business since I was a little kid. And had my first horse. I trained a bicycle for my first horse when I was 13. All my life. I did everything I wanted to do. And I did it my way. Most of it was poor. But I did it in later years with the help of Chicago and some other horses. I'm not so poor anymore. When I reach the end of my road, I can say I did it my way, and it's okay. No regrets.
SPEAKER_03As mentioned, the racing world lost Carl Draper in 2015, just shy of Christmas Day, and his death came one year after being inducted into the Riadosa Racehorse Hall of Fame. Now, both of his big horses, DM Chicago, was inducted in 2012 into the Riadosa Racehorse Hall of Fame, and then five years later, Hearts Wide Open was also inducted in 2017. And at the time of the interview, I was very grateful to capture a bit of quarter horse racing history with one of the great trainers in our sport. And we'll be right back after these words from our sponsor. Another successful year at stud is coming to an end of 2026 breeding season for Eagles Fly Higher. Standing at Lacer in Opaloosis, Louisiana, that's the Louisiana Center for Equine Reproduction. Check out its stallion page on stallionesearch.com. New for 2026 at Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Oklahoma, is the Grade 1 winning Unrelentless. A son of he's relentless out of the PYC Paint Your Wagon Mare Painted Wine Wagon with earnings of nearly$426,000 going into the Big Champion of Champions weekend. He's a standout performer who, as a runner, claimed victory in the Grade 1 Brad McKenzie winner championship at Los Alamitas, and was a runner-up finisher in the Grade 1 Golden State Million as a two-year-old.
SPEAKER_11Also standing at Lazy E Ranch is the super derby winner, Big Lou. A sire of nearly$73 million in earnings, Corona Cartel. The Grade 1 producing sire, Coronado Cartel. The grade 1 winning Cyber Monday. The all-time leading stire, first down dash. The Ria Doso Futurity Runner-up, Jess Fire Me. The Grade 1 winning champion, Kempton. The multiple Grade 1 and Champion Producing Sire, Kits My Hawks. A stire with nearly$44 million in earnings, PYC Paint Your Wagon. Sire of three champions and five millionaires, Valiant Hero. All standing at Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
SPEAKER_01All right, back to the show.
SPEAKER_03All right, we're back here in the recamp section, going out to Delta Downs to get it all started. The Lassie Peturdi trials restricted grade two event took place this past weekend for two-year-old Phillies going down the racetrack in 330 yards. And here's the fastest qualifier coming out of those trials.
SPEAKER_08And they're off in the tenth at Delta Downs. MC Blue Cartel came away running for the lead on the outside and takes command to the inside. But coming to the finish, MC Blue Cartel blew them away again.
SPEAKER_05MC Blue Cartel is a two-year-old Philly by Carter's Cartel out of the Just Louisiana Blue Mare MC Blue Corona. Bred by Bottoms Up Racing, owned by Jaime Cardenas, trained by Josue Ponce, and ridden by Jorge Garcia. Stopping the clock at 16.654.
SPEAKER_03Alright, switching over to the boys in the restricted grade two Laddie Faturity trials out there at Delta Downs in Venton, Louisiana. The total of the purse out going into the finals is just shy of 300,000 for two-year-old Colts and Geldings, 330 yards, and here's the fastest qualifier coming out of those trials.
SPEAKER_08And they're off in the third at Delta Downs. Good break by all except for eyes leaving hotters at the back early, coming away fast. Man for cause to the inside. Hey, hey, what you say? Moving up on the outside, a political Latino. Here comes a political Latino charging late, right to the wire with Man for Cause. That's a photo finish.
SPEAKER_05Man for Cause is a two-year-old gelding by KJ Mucho Macho Man out of the T Cosmare, Just for Costs. Bread and owned by Roost Ranch, trimmed by Jose Garcia and ridden by Nesta Duran, stopping the clock at 16.759.
SPEAKER_03Shifting gears, going out to Oklahoma City for the older horse division, the Leo Stakes, a grade one event. For three-year-olds and up going 400 yards, a lot of great names coming out of the Leo Stakes. A lot of times that Leo Stakes winner bounces from the Leo and goes right into the Debbie Schaft Memorial Rymington Park Championship at the end of the year. And here's the call from Del Day.
SPEAKER_06They're off for the Leo. Congestion in the middle. Taken back out of that holy peat. And also with a rotten start. Hard to politic coming on down toward the outside. Shaker's No Secret. These are Calvin 123. Churchfire running huge on the inside. Final 150. It's Churchfire on a slight lead. Shakers No Secret doesn't have the answer. Churchfire, the Leo by a length and a half.
SPEAKER_05Churchfire is a four-year-old gelding by KV and Corona out of the Tack It Like a Man Mare symbol of faith. Read by Kelly Yother Equine, owned by Rancho Grambio, trained by Marco Chavez, written by Jonathan Dominguez.
SPEAKER_03The distance horses were also in full effect there at Remington Park in the grade two Paul's Valley Stakes. 870 yards around the hook for three-year-olds and up. Almost a$60,000 purse. And here's the call from Del Day.
SPEAKER_06Said by Handed Out Candy, who now opens it up to get there by three-quarters almost a full length on Winchester. O'Donavarosa trying to come back up the rail. Farther out, cashback hero, still a threat. Final 16th. Handed out candy is all out. Winchester trying to grind it down, but handed out candy and Flores will get it done at seven in a row for handed out candy.
SPEAKER_05Handing Out Candy is a seven-year-old gilding by Jess Good Candy out of the Dash to Fame Mare Ole Anti M. Bred by Paris Wixen, owned by Emilio Perez, trained by Paul Sadillo, and written by James Flores.
SPEAKER_03Now we go out to New Mexico, Sunray Park. Three-year-olds and up, taking part in the Grade 3 Jimmy Drake stakes, 350 yards for$70,000. And here's the call.
SPEAKER_04They're running into Jimmy Drake. Good break from all. The Edge of Gray show speed. The edge of gray Alamos far side. Jesse's wish. Then followed up by a bad king. It's the edge of gray in front. The edge of gray leading the field. The edge of gray Alamos, the calling, and in between them, Jesse's wish.
SPEAKER_05The Edge of Grey is a five-year-old gelding by Big Daddy Cartel out of the Separatist mare, The Edge. Bred by MJ Farms, owned by Rex Wells, trained by James Gonzalez III, written by Joseph Belleck Jr.
SPEAKER_03Alright, we'll be right back after these words from our sponsor. What can you say about the sire apolitical J Streak at Royal Vista Ranch in Wayne, Oklahoma? Well, first off, he's bred to be a sire, meaning he's by the legendary Apolitical Jess out of the restricted Grade 1 winning Mayor Streak of Texas. And he's the full brother to Texas classic juvenile winner Apolitical Streak. And Apolitical J-Streak himself was a finalist in the Grade 1 Lowstyle 2 million and both the Grade 2 Southern Cal Derby and the Grade 2 Heritage Place Derby. Its first folds will hit the ground in 2026. And for your breeding plans for this upcoming year, take a look at Apolitical J Streak.
SPEAKER_11Also standing for 2026 is the second all-time leading money earner, a political jest, the grade one producing FDD Going Grand, a perennial leading stire, Flying Cowboy123, an all-American finalist, gonna be famous, multiple stakes producing sire, heart of the cartel, and new for 2026, the Grade 1 winner, Just Dulste. All this talent standing at Royal Vista Ranch in Wayne, Oklahoma.
SPEAKER_03Hey, just a quick word about everything you need to know about the AQHA Racing Challenge, including trials, payment schedules, as well as race dates, is at AQHA.com forward slash racing. And don't forget to book now for the finals on October the 17th in Albuquerque.
SPEAKER_01Alright, back to the podcast.
SPEAKER_03Alright, we're back here, ready to get into the preview section here, and joining me once again from Utah, Yancy Diamond. Yancey, so glad to have you back here on Goto Horse Racing Talk to talk about these upcoming big races.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, thank you, Greg. It's always fun to get on here and discuss something I love to do.
SPEAKER_03Yes, Yancy, huge weekend there in Sam Houston Race Park, seven stakes events in a row. They're uh highlighted, of course, by the big Texas Breeders Futurity. Half over a half million dollars in its first year. Uh, and for most people that don't realize it has to be in existence before for a couple years before it gets a grade, I would almost imagine. I can imagine, Yancy, by the time it gets around to be having a grade, it's most likely gonna be restricted grade one. I just can imagine it having that much pull as well as that much interest, and the nominations will drive the purse up to further and further from this half million dollar mark, and I can I can honestly see this as a restricted grade one in the future.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we see last year with New Mexico having their New Mexico breeders was a million dollars, and with all the good horsemen coming out of Texas, I can't agree with you more. I think it could very well be a million dollar race very shortly.
SPEAKER_03Jumping right into the event, there is already a stakes winner in this field here with Whoopi Cowgirl, but the five to two morning line choice is Cowboys flying on the rail there. Horse ran a great race in his trial, Yancey. Uh his fastest qualifier going into this event. And I it's just going to be hard to really overlook that horse if he can come back and run that type of race in the finals.
SPEAKER_02He didn't break too good. He got bumped, but he really finished strong, set the fastest time. So with a little improvement, Cowboys flying deserves to be the favorite and the horse to beat. The one I kind of liked, he's 10-1, is the three JP tempting Jewel. And you had before mentioned Whoopi Cowgirls in this race, and JP tempting Jewel beat or beat her in her trial. That horse has already won a fraternity, won the Louisiana Louisiana Downs fraturity. So I like to like this the way that horse ran in the trials. Um he kind of pulled away from Whoopi Cowgirl at the end. So that'll be a good play as well.
SPEAKER_03Another stakes race I'd like to look at on that card there at Sam Houston Yancey is the John Deere Juvenile Finals. There, it's a grade three event hosted there at Sam Houston Race Park. And as if you look at the actual morning line, the fastest qualifier in the race, Jag Fascination B, is the three-to-one second choice, and is not the actual favorite in the morning line. The actual favorite is Mr. Mallard Hawks.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I what went back and watched all the trials, and Mr. Mallard Hawks was my top pick after watching those races. He just blew away from the gates, won the race really easy. I really like Kiss My Hawk babies, and anytime I'm watching races in Texas, that's usually my first go-to is to look for Luis Vivanko riding. He's been one of the top riders in the Texas circuit as long as I've been watching Texas racing. So that was my top horse to beat in this race.
SPEAKER_03Now, Jug Fascination B, the fastest qualifier going to this race, brings into this race a two-race win streak, broke its maiden there in Louisiana Downs, comes and qualifies as the fastest into this Sam Houston juvenile challenge, and according to the Morning Line guy, is the second choice. But he's gotta be a horse that you definitely, if you're playing the exotics, or if you're looking at maybe a horse continuing a win streak, this is a horse to definitely look at in this spot.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and they're right next to each other in the starting gate, so maybe we'll get a battle all the way down through there.
SPEAKER_03And we'll stay right at Sam Houston and looking at the Q racing video distance challenge stakes, the grade three event, and one of the distance runners in the nation at towards the top is taking part in this event. GJR Rooster out of the Zack Steinbow barn is 6-5 on the morning line, but does draw the one of the outside post positions in post position seven.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean, he's definitely the class of the field. He ran second in the AQHA Distance Championship last year, but to draw the outside in an 870 race, it's always tough to overcome. I like the horse to his inside, Firebolt B. Uh this horse has won three in a row this year, and to me, he's kind of the up-and-comer in the 870 class. And anytime I see a Richard Sedillo horse in the 870 race, he's one I always have to put in. He's super tough in those races.
SPEAKER_03Now, a horse drawing favorably along the rail is DN Special Cat. And I think you and I both have talked about how we kind of like this horse if theoretically the post position wears these two out on the outside. This horse, if he can get out of the gate and get away from there, it's gonna be very tough along the rail.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and in the trials, he was he was dead last coming down the stretch, and he made a huge move and almost beat Gigi the rooster. So with the inside post position, he might get up and beat him.
SPEAKER_03Continuing to stay there at Sam Houston Race Park, the grade two Sam Houston Classic stakes, and it draws a field of 10. Several horses in here uh to look at. Certainly one of them that jumps out is the Duke horse that won the Louisiana Million Faturity back in his two-year-old campaign, is now a six-year-old and is the eight to five morning line favorite.
SPEAKER_02Looks like he's the class of the race, class horse in the race, but if you look at his last out, he hasn't run for almost a year now. Eight months ago is when he won that race at Delta. So we'll see. I mean, that's a long layoff.
SPEAKER_03Yes, and he's also been innered several times, and I believe he's has been a scratch. So um you wonder if it's actually a physical problem that he's that he's overcoming in order to continue his racing career or not. But one of the now horses I would say Yancey is a sweet Arthur in the two-hole, who's the winner of the SLM Big Daddy Stakes last time out there at Oklahoma City.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, I'm not gonna let this horse beat me again. He was a huge long shot at at Remington, and he comes up and wins, and he kind of looks like a horse to me that's getting better as he gets older. I looked at his all his past performances and it was like he ran a good race, ran a bad race, ran a good race, ran a bad race, but as he's got older, it looks like he's a lot more consistent, and it looks like he's gonna be super tough in these longer distance races.
SPEAKER_03Without a doubt, and that 550 yards proves that he can get the distance. This is a 440-yard event, so I'm pretty confident that he can shorten up 110 yards for sure and get the distance at the quarter of a mile, and that's there at Sam Houston. And that drags us out onto the West Coast as the big feature event of the weekend has to be the Robert Adair kindergarten fraturity, the grade two event, where we were able to talk with two weeks ago, Jose Flores, who qualified seven two-year-olds into the finals.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's just a crazy feat, Greg. I mean, all the years of watching my dad ride, I've I've seen him qualify five to a race, I've seen trainers qualify five or six to a race, but I can't remember last time I've seen a trainer qualify seven horses to a graded fraternity like this. It's pretty amazing.
SPEAKER_03I'll know I'll probably get a message on Facebook or something from one of our listeners that'll point out where I've I've missed the boat on there, but I'll go out on a limb, Yancey, and say, I don't ever remember ever seeing seven qualifiers, like especially in a major graded estates event. I have not seen that. So the feat that Jose Flores has pulled off here in a recognized futurity out there on the West Coast, it's it's a substantial feat for sure. And we were able to get on the phone and talk with Jose about those seven horses going postward in the finals and how they've been doing since the trials and going into the finals. You got a big weekend coming here at Los Alamitas. I'm assuming all the horses went to the gate and everybody's ready to fire. So it's just about seeing who's ready on this weekend as the kindergarten fraturity takes place.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, Greg, um, all of them did well. You know, we all stood them all, uh we said them a couple times, you know, just to uh make sure that you know they're they're ready and not acting up the day of the finals, you know, that they go imperfect and um and staying calm there until it's time to go, you know, and all of them did real real well. We're just hoping, you know, that everything um you know that it goes good for us, you know. And I know we qualified a bunch and we're blessed to qualify as a bunch of nice horses, you know, for a lot of good owners, you know, and good people that were that that's that uh supporters, you know, and we're just waiting to see, you know, but it's it's anybody's race still, you know. I mean, there's there's like three more other horses in there, you know. Hopefully we do well in it. Good luck this weekend, Jose. Thank you, Greg. Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, of all the good Jose did that night, I think his two best horses were in the same trius trial continuously, in my mind, is one of the best two-year-olds there is running this year. Um, she didn't break at all in her trial. She got bumped from both sides, had to go out around horses, and still comes and runs down a great horse in Bridgewater and sets the fastest time. And so I think if continuously breaks at all in the finals, she's definitely the horse to beat.
SPEAKER_03And a special treat here on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly, Yancey, we were able to get on the phone with Los Alamitas from Track Caller, Michael Rona, and get his thoughts on this big graded stakes event happening this weekend. Michael, you have the best seat in the house there for the kindergarten fraturity this weekend. Tell me who you got your eye on.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, gonna Greg, an amazing performance by Jose to qualify seven for the kindergarten futurity. All of them fillies, by the way. Only one Colt and one Gelding qualified to the final. But the the seven winners or seven qualifiers for Jose Flores are all Phillies. He uh he he made some interesting comments about how smart and intelligent this crop of young fillies is. And he uh he he declared that the kindergarten's not always won by the fastest, it's won by the smartest. And he just happens to be blessed with a very precocious early blooming crop of juveniles this season with apparently very good heads on their shoulders. So um it's uh it's a potent combination for sure, if you get the intelligence with the athletic ability. But there's no working around contentious as the horse to beat. Uh, she broke 12 seconds in her career debut victory at 220 yards. She's the fastest of the season at that distance. Then she came out and overcame early trouble in her kindergarten futurity trial to get up and win. It was a fantastic performance, and it's staggering to think that it stood up from one of the early trials to remain the fastest qualifying time given the early trouble she had. She um so she she's recorded the fastest times at both 220 and 300 yards at Lozale, and uh it's very difficult to work around her as the uh I'm sure she'll be a short price favorite um when Ed Burghart publishes his morning line. Another horse that I would consider, at least for exotics, Greg, is Romo Land. Uh she missed by a nose. She actually finished second in her trial. I think it was the last trial of the night, but still managed the fifth fastest qualifying time, and that was after veering outwards several paths. She had the outside post in her trial. I thought it was a very good effort, and um for her to check in as the fifth fastest qualifier stands her in good stead going forward. And coincidentally, it's the same ownership group of both contentious and Romo land. Uh Jose Santos, uh one of the part owners, thrilled and feeling very blessed to be back in the game. He was uh a top owner in uh the early part of uh this century, a couple of decades ago at Los Alamitos, had a strong barn, but he was down and out for an extended period with serious illness, and uh he's uh he's feeling like he's just got a a second chance, a second wind, if you will, and he's back in the ownership game, and he he's come up with uh contentious and Romoland. Well, I think they're the top two chances in the final for the kindergarten futurity. And and I've just got to say one other thing. Jose Flores dominating these trials. Um Irving Lara rode three of the qualifiers. Ricardo Ramirez wrote a couple of them. Uh, but I've just got to spare a thought for Cruz Mendez, who was the number one uh stable jockey for so long for Jose Flores, and unfortunately, tragically, was involved in that serious accident a few months ago uh that has curtailed his career. Uh so um I uh I've got to spare a thought for Cruz Mendez. Okay, well, Jose has won this race four times. He's shooting for five. Jaime Gomez did sneak in one qualifier as the tenth fastest. Uh horse called Tello Looks MRL scraped into the field, and he holds the state's record with eight kindergarten futurity winners. So I guess you can never count Jaime out.
SPEAKER_03Can never count him out. He's always there and he's always live going into the finals there, especially in California. Mike, it's always great to have you here on Quarter Horse Racing Talk. Thanks for coming on. We look forward to your call there in the big kindergarten this weekend, and uh good luck. Thanks so much, Greg. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's something you just don't see. Credit to Jose Flores and his team. That's an amazing thing to accomplish.
SPEAKER_03Gansy, I look forward to seeing these big stakes races this weekend, and I know where you will be this weekend for sure.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'll be tuned into Q Racing video. I got all these stakes on to watch, and also the heritage place trials at Remington. So be a good weekend of racing to watch.
SPEAKER_03And with that, that closes out the preview section for this week here on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. All right, Bailey, another episode in the can here, Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. Uh, just keep motoring along. We're getting closer and closer to the summer, and uh a lot of great racing. Can't wait to talk about who did well in the first real significant grade one out in California over the kindergarten fraturity and and see how that all turns out.
SPEAKER_05I've also heard nothing but good things about these biographies that you've been doing, especially the legends that are no longer here with us.
SPEAKER_03Alien, you know, having these interviews just sitting there and and you know, needing to the public to hear them, uh, while they're still significant, and uh people still remember Carl Draper and still remember Larry Sharp. I'm so happy to be able to put you putting them out on this platform here at Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. And we'll be back next week with another lineup of great races to recap, as well as another great featured guest.
SPEAKER_05I'm Bailey Ivey.
SPEAKER_03And I'm Greg Thompson, a stallionesearch.com. We'll be back next week here on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly.