First All-Quarter Horse Day features 13 races

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (June 3, 2021) – The first of six All-Quarter Horse racing Saturdays is set for June 5 at Indiana Grand with 13 races carded for the day. Featured on the program will be two stakes, the 7th running of the $95,500 Harley Greene Derby in Race 11 and the 12th running of the $83,200 Born Runner Classic in Race 12. First post for the day is 10 a.m.

Beach Blast has been tagged as the early morning line favorite for the Greene Derby. The sophomore son of Escondido Beach makes his second start of the year off a second-place finish in the trials. With three wins in six starts last season, the sorrel gelding is primed for another big year for trainer Randy Smith and owner Keith Bode and Brock Hutchinson. Sammy Mendez will guide Beach Blast from post one in the 10-horse lineup in the final at odds of 5-2.

Joining Beach Blast as an early favorite is Stone Lake, another Indiana standout from 2020. The Escondido Beach gelding has drawn post 10 following his win in the trials. Pattie Marshall owns the Stone Lake and Tony Cunningham trains. He will be guided by L.D. “Danny” Martinez from post 10 at odds of 3-1.

The entire field for the Harley Greene Derby, in post position order with jockey and odds, includes: Beach Blast (Sammy Mendez, 5-2); Beach Stone (Cristian Esqueda, 12-1); Beach Runaway (German Rodriguez, 20-1); Jess Bringin It On (Cesar Esqueda, 20-1); WH Imastreakinbeach (Jose Ruiz, 7-2); Beach Front (Francisco Quintero, 20-1); Mitey Persuasive (Antonio Rodriguez, 30-1); Beach Diva (Erik Esqueda, 7-2); Ashwins Valentine (Shanley Jackson, 30-1); and Stone Lake (L.D. Martinez, 3-1). Of the 10 finalists, seven are by Indiana’s top sire, Escondido Beach. Trainer Tony Cunningham saddles three in the final (Beach Front, Beach Diva, Stone Lake), Paul Martin saddles two (Beach Stone and Jess Bringin It On) and Randy Smith also saddles two (Beach Blast and Beach Runaway).

In the Born Runner Classic, another Escondido Beach product has been selected as the early morning line favorite. Beach Mercedes, making her first start of 2021 from post eight, will be a big threat in the field of 10. The six-year-old mare, owned by breeder Sheri Miller, has 10 career wins in 29 career starts under the direction of Randy Smith. Sammy Mendez will ride at odds of 7-5.

The second choice in the Born Runner Classic is a stablemate of Beach Mercedes as Beach Cartel, one of the state’s all-time leading money earners, is set at odds of 3-1 from post seven. With 16 wins in 37 career starts, Beach Cartel will also make his 2021 debut in the stakes for Sheri Miller with German Rodriguez aboard.

The entire field for the Born Runner Classic, in post position order with jockey and odds, includes: Rock Hard Candy (Jose Beltran, 12-1);Jess a Flyin Beach (Erik Esqueda, 12-1); Jess Z Bob (Jose Ruiz, 10-1); Abe (Giovani Vazquez-Gomez, 30-1); HH CJ Shake (Cesar Esqueda, 8-1); JJ Zoomin (Edgar Diaz, 15-1); Beach Cartel (German Rodriguez, 3-1); Beach Mercedes (Sammy Mendez, 7-5); I Like Beer (Francisco Quintero, 30-1); and Beach Benny (L.D. Martinez, 8-1). In the event of a scratch, Beach Bum Eddie is listed as an also eligible in the field. Tony Cunningham will saddle four in the final (Jess A Flyin Beach, Jess Z Bob, I Like Beer, Beach Benny) while Trainer Randy Smith saddles three (Rock Hard Candy, Beach Cartel, Beach Mercedes). Trainer Jessi Vazquez will condition two for the final (Abe and JJ Zoomin).

The next all Quarter Horse Day at Indiana Grand is set for Saturday, July 3 followed by racing Saturday, July 24, Saturday, Aug. 14, Saturday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 9. The track will also host two regional qualifiers for the AQHA Bank of America Challenge Championships this fall. The John Deere Juvenile Challenge and the Q-Racing Videos Distaff Challenge are set for trials Saturday, Sept. 4 with the finals set for Monday, Sept. 20. All Saturday post times are set at 10 a.m.

Photos of Beach Blast and Beach Mercedes by Coady Photography