More than $600,000 offered on Quarter Horse Stakes Night

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Oct. 22, 2019) – More than $600,000 will be offered over the nine-race card Saturday, Oct. 26 that marks the final all-Quarter Horse racing night of 2019. The card includes four stakes, highlighted by the $182,400 Miss Roxie Little Futurity Final, set for the eighth race of the evening.

Heading the 11th running of the Miss Roxie Little Futurity is HH CJ Shake, who starts from post three. The sorrel gelding by Indiana’s top Quarter Horse stallion Escondido Beach has won four of six starts this season, including the quickest Little Futurity Trial in his last start. Owned by Larry Carter, John Myers, Gary Brandon Bell and Rusty Hawkins, HH CJ Shake will be seeking his fourth straight win with Juan Marquez aboard. Paul Martin trains the talented freshman, who has been chosen as the early morning line favorite at odds of 2-1.

Also included on the card is the seventh running of the $85,960 Indiana Championships for older horses. The field includes six $100,000-plus earners, including Indiana’s all-time richest Quarter Horse Stinkin Rich, who has garnered more than $543,000 during his career. Owned and bred by Carolyn Bruce of Lawrenceburg, Ind., Stinkin Rich starts from post five in the nine-horse lineup at odds of 6-1 with Shanley Jackson aboard for trainer Matt Frazier.

Favored in the Indiana Championships is Country Boy 123, who will begin his journey from post nine. The six-year-old son of Country Chicks Man, owned by Ruth Barbour of Michigan, won his only start here in July in the Bradford Stakes before venturing to Canada and reeling off three straight wins. The gelding will be seeking his 23rd trip to the winner’s circle in 35 career starts for Trainer Tony Cunningham at odds of 4-5 with L.D. Martinez aboard.

Other stakes on the card include the $124,200 QHRAI Derby, set as Race 6 and the $135,000 Governor’s Stakes Final, set as Race 7. Both races are two of the three oldest pari-mutuel Quarter Horse stakes in the state of Indiana, implemented during the inaugural season in 1997 at Hoosier Park. Both are now in their 23rd year of action and began with a purse of $10,000.

Pritty has been selected as the early morning line choice in the QHRAI Derby. The three-year-old daughter of Coronado Cartel, trained by Ricardo Martinez, won her trial and will begin from post four at odds of 5-2 with Jose Beltran aboard while the quickest qualifier from the trials, La Jolla Diamante, will begin from post nine. La Jolla Diamante, the second choice on the morning line at odds of 3-1, will be ridden by Juan Galvan for trainer Claudio Barraza.

Galvan will also be aboard one of the favorites in the Governor’s Stakes when Merciless Fire goes to post for Barraza from post four. The Hes Relentless gelding, tagged at odds of 2-1 on the morning line, finished a neck back in second to WRs Apolliticalivory in the trials. Trained by Randy Smith, WRs Apolliticalivory starts from post three at odds of 5-2 with Berkley Packer aboard. The Apollitical Blood gelding has won three of four this season for William Racing Stables of Kentucky.

The final all-Quarter Horse Stakes night will include numerous activities throughout the night, including the retirement of standout Indiana Quarter Horse WH Design by Dash from the Martin barn. The now eight-year-old son of Brimmstone, bred by Greg Morrison, retires with $436,000 in earnings and 13 wins in 42 starts, five of which are stakes victories. In all, WH Design by Dash hit the board in 31 of his 42 starts for owner Julia Martin.

Quarter Horse Racing Analyst Martha Claussen will be trackside to assist with the evening’s festivities, which includes $2 race wagers to the first 100 fans, long sleeved t-shirt giveaways, and the popular contest Quarter Four, which provides a $20 drawing each time a top four Quarter Horse jockey wins a race. All promotions are provided by the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana (QHRAI). The evening will conclude with a visit from the Headless Horseman.