A Night of Quarter Horse Racing: A Photo Essay

Just one week after attending Fall Stars Weekend at Keeneland, I made the much shorter journey to my home track, Lone Star Park. Although a smaller venue, Lone Star hosted the Breeders’ Cup in 2004 – an event Keeneland will be hosting for the first time at the end of the month. However, on Saturday night, I was not attending any Thoroughbred races. Rather, I was there for a big night of Quarter Horse racing.

Thoroughbred racing has a much larger following, due to its long history and many traditions. But, like Thoroughbred racing, Quarter Horse racing features speedy equine athletes – the fastest in the world, in fact.

Because their races are far shorter (typically 220 to 870 yards, with 440 yards being the classic distance), Quarter Horses are built for quick bursts of speed. Most of them are short and stocky, featuring impressive muscle definition – a build critical for their sprinting specialty.

Saturday night at Lone Star was a big night of Quarter Horse racing, highlighted by three stakes – including the Grade 3 Dash for Cash Derby and the Grade 1 Dash for Cash Futurity. Although I am not a close follower of Quarter Horse racing like I am Thoroughbred racing, it is always a joy to visit the track. And with what appears to be a bleak future for Texas horse racing, I am especially relishing any time I can spend at Lone Star.

Quarter Horses are incredible specimens, exuding beauty and power. Always on their toes, they are alert animals focused on the job. And their speed? Breathtaking.

The first stakes of the night was the Dash for Cash Juvenile Stakes, featuring a field of nine two-year-olds. The betting favorite was Satcha Wagoneer, one of two fillies in the field. The gray filly did not disappoint, winning by a neck.

Next up, three-year-olds were on display in the Grade 3 Dash for Cash Derby. Yet again, the favorite found the finish line first when Bodacious Eagle crossed the wire 1 ¼ lengths in front - quite an impressive margin in Quarter Horse racing.

The big event of the night was the $448,515 Grade 1 Dash For Cash Futurity. The morning-line favorite, undefeated West Texas Futurity winner and fastest qualifier Nucky, was scratched, leaving She Looks Racy – one of five fillies in the remaining field of nine – as the favorite. It was an exciting finish, resulting in three horses across the wire. She Looks Racy managed third, but it was another filly – Famous Little Reba – that got her nose in front narrowly.

It was quite the night for trainer Gilbert Aguirre, III and owner Johnny Trotter, whose horses won both the Derby and Futurity. And for icing on the cake, Trotter also bred Famous Little Reba. Jockey Ricky Ramirez had a successful night as well, piloting both of these winners.

Quarter Horse racing is certainly a different world, but like Thoroughbred racing, it offers great excitement and stunning equine athletes. With several more graded stakes on the calendar for the remainder of Lone Star's Quarter Horse meet, including numerous Grade 1s, you can bet I will be back to enjoy the action!