The richest race of the 2021 Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse meet, the $731,650 Sam Houston Futurity (G2) will take place Friday, May 28.

Ten exceptional juveniles clinched their berths in trials run Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8. The wind picked up considerably on the second night with head winds up to 18 mph facing those runners in the 330-yard trials.

It was a spectacular showing both nights for trainer Adrian Huitron who will saddle four of the ten finalists this Friday, including the 2-1 favorite, Apollitical Crystal.

Bred in California by EG High Desert Farms LLC, the daughter of Apollitical Jess out of the Walk Thru Fire mare Walk Thru Crystal is owned by Ruse Ranch LLC. She delivered a tremendous maiden-breaking score under rider Nestor Duran, covering 330 yards in :16.918 seconds. The track was fast, and she earned a 95 speed index into an 11 mph head wind.

"She was doing well from the get-go, and we were very pleased with her trial win," said Huitron. "The conditions were very good on Friday night and she had a good race experience."

Friday night also produced a top five clocking by C B Racing LLC's Dr Toola, a filly by Kiss My Hocks, who won her trial in :17.099 seconds, also with Duran in the saddle.

"Nestor told me she was making up ground very nicely," Huitron said of the first-time starter.

Saturday night's two qualifiers were Coronas Candy Man and El Gansito.

Coronas Candy Man, a son of Jess Good Candy out of the Corona Cartel mare Follies and Corona, was a $35,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale Purchase by owner Florentino Leon.

"This is my first Jess Good Candy colt, and he has done everything right since we began training him," said Huitron. "We weren't sure how he would handle the lights, but he really impressed me."

Bred in Texas by Filimon Saucedo, El Gansito, was making his third career start, having qualified to the $302,010 Harrah's Futurity (G3) at Louisiana Downs and finishing third in the April 3 final. Purchased privately by owner Arturo Esquivel, Huitron shared the challenges he had faced in preparing the colt for his 2-year-old campaign.

"This horse has been a handful since he was a yearling," explained Huitron. "We worked hard with him and had to get him comfortable in the gates. He broke very well in his trial, but he's still a handful!"

Nestor Duran, who rides first call for the Huitron barn, had to make the choice of which finalist to ride, selecting top qualifier Apollitical Crystal.

"Nestor put a lot of thought into his decision," said Huitron. "I was fortunate in having some very good riders to cho[MC1] ose from. Ali Rivera rode El Gansito at Louisiana Downs and we have a lot of respect for Everardo Rodriguez, who will ride Dr. Toola. (AQHA Champion jockey) Ricky Ramirez was in Houston for the trials and told me that he would be open to riding one of ours, so he got the call on Coronas Candy Man."

This would be the first Sam Houston Futurity win for Huitron; his father, Eusevio won the 2012 edition of the race with Sassmaster. Qualifying four finalists for a major futurity is no easy feat, but the 31-year-old Huitron is not one to brag.

"I am blessed with a very good team; many who have been with us when my dad was training," he explained. "My team and my owners deserve the credit; for me, personally, I would rather let the horses do the talking!"

Lucky Dice, qualified for the final in a time of :17.204 seconds for owner J and J Stone Company, Inc. Trained by Roberto Madrigal, the colt by One Sweet Jess was the runner-up in the $302,010 Harrah's Futurity and will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez at odds of 4-1.

Trainer Juan Diaz, Jr. has two quality finalists as well. Hock It to You, a son of Kiss My Hocks, made two starts at Remington Park prior to winning his Sam Futurity trial in :16.982 with Victor Urieta, Jr. in the irons for owners Reynold Munoz and Heavy Hitters Racing Stables.

"He just has it in him; he's just one of those special ones," said Diaz.

Diaz also trains TYKHE Racing LLC's BH Inyx, a filly by EC Jet One who will be ridden by Jorge Garcia.

Trainer Angel Sanchez won the 2015 Sam Houston Futurity with Ivan James and returned the following year with a victory by Just Call Me Carter. His entrant for this year is Jesus Olvera's Mr de Capi, who broke his maiden winning his trial in :17.068 seconds. The son of Capo de Capi will be ridden by Jose Ivan Martinez.

"He's been good for us; very fast and ran well in his Retama Park schooling race," said Sanchez. "He came out of his trial is good order. Texas is home and this is a very important race with the highest purse this year. It would mean a great deal to win it again."

Post time for Friday's card is 6:45 pm (CT). The Sam Houston Futurity (G2) will run as the ninth race, with an approximate post time of 10:21 pm. The winner will earn $292,660 and join a distinguished list of past winners, including 2014 AQHA Champion 2-year-old colt, Kiss My Hocks; Azoom; Snowy Alibi, Ivan James, Especially Tres and 2019 champion Trump My Record.

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The field is set for the $732,650 Sam Houston Futurity (G2). Ten qualifiers will return for the richest running at Sam Houston Race Park on Friday, May 28. Five exceptional juveniles clinched their berths on Friday, May 7 and the remaining five were determined in 11 exciting 330-yard trials on the second night of competition.

It was a spectacular showing for trainer Adrian Huitron saddled the fastest qualifier in Friday night's trials as well as this evening. In the ninth of 11 trials, Florentino Leon's Coronas Candy Man broke his maiden in convincing fashion under rider Nestor Duran, covering 330 yards in :17.037 seconds. The track was fast and the colt earned a 95 speed index into an 16 mph head wind.

Bred in Iowa by Robert and Sandra Brown, the son of Jess Good Candy out of the Corona Cartel mare Follies and Corona was a $35,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale Purchase. He posted two works at Retama Park before making his debut ,surging from his far outside post to win by a margin of 1 ¾ lengths.

"This is my first Jess Good Candy colt and he has done everything right since we began training him," said Huitron. "We weren't sure how he would handle the lights, but he really impressed me."

One race before, El Gansito, a colt by The Louisiana Cartel, set the second-fastest clocking of the night, with a driving finish also under Duran. His time of :17.191, earned him a 86 speed index.

Bred in Texas by Filimon Saucedo, El Gansito, was making his third career start, having qualified to the $302,010 Harrah's Futurity (G3) at Louisiana Downs and finishing third in the April 3 final. Purchased privately by owner Arturo Esquivel, Huitron shared the challenges he had faced in preparing the colt for his 2-year-old campaign.

"This horse has been a handful since he was a yearling," explained Huitron. "We worked hard with him and had to get him comfortable in the gates. He broke very well tonight."

Huitron has never won an edition of the Sam Houston Futurity, but will have four chances to take home the trophy this year with Apollitical Crystal and Dr Toola who qualified Friday night.

El Gansito held off a determined rally by Lucky Dice, who also qualified for the final in a time of :17.204 seconds for owner J and J Stone Company, Inc. Trained by Joel Huitron, the colt by One Sweet Jess was the runner-up in the Harrah's Futurity and was ridden this evening by Manuel Gutierrez.

The winner will earn $292,660 and join a distinguished list of past champions, including 2014 AQHA Champion 2-year-old colt, Kiss My Hocks; Azoom; Snowy Alibi, Ivan James, Especially Tres and This Is An Eagle.