Texas Summer Showdown Set for July 24-25 at Retama Park
There will be some exciting Quarter Horse action all over the country this weekend, but if you have never played Retama Park, check it out on Friday and Saturday night. The Texas track, located just north of San Antonio, will present its Texas Summer Showdown, with five stakes races on July 24 and the richest race of the meet, the $413,776 TQHA Sale Futurity on Saturday.
Friday night's 8th race is the $30,000 TQHA "550" Stakes featuring defending champion Jrc Callas First. Bred in Texas, the son of Winners Award is owned by Dana and Brian Stroud. Crowned AQHA world champion last year, Jrc Callas First is versatile at several distances, but undefeated at 550 yards. Stroud will give a leg up to regular rider, Damian Martinez, who will break from the rail. He was assigned odds of 8-5 on the morning line, and will be a very strong favorite at post time.
The 9th race, the $35,000 TQHA Classic drew a field of eight Texas-breds. Zoomin Effortlessly, who set a 400 yard track record at Retama last month, drew the rail, and goes for his third win in a row. He will face his toughest test from Pyro, a graded stakes winner, exiting a big score in the $50,000 Sam Houston Classic on May 9.
Friday night's 8th race is the $30,000 TQHA "550" Stakes featuring defending champion Jrc Callas First. Bred in Texas, the son of Winners Award is owned by Dana and Brian Stroud. Crowned AQHA world champion last year, Jrc Callas First is versatile at several distances, but undefeated at 550 yards. Stroud will give a leg up to regular rider, Damian Martinez, who will break from the rail. He was assigned odds of 8-5 on the morning line, and will be a very strong favorite at post time.
The 9th race, the $35,000 TQHA Classic drew a field of eight Texas-breds. Zoomin Effortlessly, who set a 400 yard track record at Retama last month, drew the rail, and goes for his third win in a row. He will face his toughest test from Pyro, a graded stakes winner, exiting a big score in the $50,000 Sam Houston Classic on May 9.
The final stakes of the card is the $30,000 TQHA "250" with a full field of ten accredited Texas-breds. #1 Jess a Comment runs very well at Retama, but is far from a lock, with stakes winners #4 John the Banker, #5 Last Man Standin and #8 Cartel Arrangement among the contenders in the Friday finale.The featured stakes on Saturday evening is the $413,776 TQHA Sale Futurity, for 2-year-old graduates of the 2014 TQHA Yearling Sale. Sissy Cartel, a daughter of impressive first crop sire, The Louisiana Cartel, was the fastest qualifier from trials run on July 10. She drew post position two for the 350 yard final, which will run as the 11th race of the card. Will no doubt be a great betting race!
First post is 6:45 pm (Central); hope you enjoy a taste of Texas this weekend!
Photos of Jrc Callas First and Pyro courtesy of Coady Photography.
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