Cowboys Flying stays perfect with victory in All American Futurity

Cowboys Flying maintained his perfect record in the grandest setting at the Downs at Albuquerque on Monday.

Cowboys Flying won for the sixth time in as many starts in the sport’s richest race, the $3 million All American Futurity.

Cowboys Flying ($2.60) ran 440 yards in 20.62 seconds, winning by a convincing two lengths under jockey Nestor Duran.

Cowboys Flying had a slightly tardy start from post 5 in a field of eight but recovered to lead after 100 yards. Cowboys Flying led by a length midway through the race.

Ask Her to Fly, a 23-1 chance and one of three fillies in the field, finished second, a nose in front of 9-2 Chile Gato, the fastest qualifier from 28 time trials on Aug. 7-8.

Blueyy finished fourth, followed by Happy Flying Bird, Think Twice Perry, Flying Cowboys Candy, and Leaving London.

The stewards conducted an 11-minute review of the final 100 yards but did not change the order of finish. Christian Cardenas, who ride Flying Cowboys Candy, claimed foul against the riders of Happy Flying Bird and Thing Twice Perry, alleging interference. Flying Cowboys Candy was checked while racing in tight quarters.

The stewards also conducted an inquiry into the incident.

There were two notable scratches from the field – Tempting Lu and Jess a Bad Lil Cat, who were first and second in a time trial on Aug. 8. They were recently placed on a veterinarians list, according to New Mexico officials.

Cowboys Flying was the only undefeated runner in the All American Futurity. Earlier this year, Cowboys Flying won the $541,000 Texas Breeders Futurity at Sam Houston and the $683,700 Texas Quarter Horse Association Futurity at Retama Park.

For his first five starts, including a division of the All American Futurity trials on Aug. 7, Cowboys Flying was trained by Ramiro Villareal.

The gelding was transferred to Marco Chavez-Gutierrez later in August after Villarreal was among a group of trainers excluded from entering horses in Texas in mid-August after their written license exams were incorrectly graded by a steward, the Texas Racing Commission recently told The Paulick Report.

Cowboys Flying had qualified for the All American Futurity at the time.

Cowboys Flying, who races for the Double J Racing stable of Jerry Deville and Jaime Cardenas, was the first runner in the All American Futurity for Chavez-Gutierrez.

The win on Monday was worth $1.25 million, increasing Cowboys Flying’s earnings to $1,822,793.

Paradise Pete posts Gold Cup upset

Paradise Pete won his second consecutive stakes, and the richest race of his career, in Monday’s $250,000 All American Gold Cup for 3-year-olds and older horses.

Ridden by Cardenas, Paradise Pete ($14.20) had a crisp start from post 8 and led throughout the 440-yard race, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of 6-1 Toastin Heroes who was prominent throughout.

Kj Desparado, who has earned an all-time Quarter Horse record of $3,473,777, finished third at 7-2, beaten 1 1/4 lengths in his 36th start. Kj Desparado won the $3 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in 2021.

Eagle On a June Bug (7-1) finished fourth in the Gold Cup but was demoted to ninth for causing interference shortly after the start. The stewards conducted a 12-minute inquiry before changing the order of finish and promoting 6-1 Kj Bad Moon Rising to fourth. Fdd Dreams, the 3-1 favorite, was hampered by Eagle On a June Bug at the start and finished ninth. He was promoted to eighth after the inquiry.

Paradise Pete, a 4-year-old gelding by Flying Cowboy 123, races for Stephen Harris and trainer David Barraza-Gomez. Paradise Pete has won 7 of 21 starts and earned $266,993. He won the $45,000 Mr Jet Moore Stakes on July 25 at Albuquerque.

Monday was the third consecutive year the All American Futurity was held at the Downs at Albuquerque, a race run at Ruidoso Downs from 1959-2023. A severe flood caused widespread damage at Ruidoso Downs in July 2024, leading the second half of the Ruidoso Downs meeting to be moved to Albuquerque. Another devastating flood in July 2025 led to a similar relocation.

This year, no racing was held at Ruidoso Downs, with the entirety of that track’s spring-summer meeting conducted at Albuquerque.

Ruidoso Downs owners Johnny and Jana Trotter announced last week that the 2027 Ruidoso Downs meeting will be moved to Lone Star Park.

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