Josefina Guzman’s Flashin Fire (pictured) is the fastest qualifier to the January 29, $262,062 Shue Fly Stakes (RG2) for New Mexico-bred 3-year-old Quarter Horses at Sunland Park.
Racing in the last of six 400-yard trials on January 7, Flashin Fire defeated second-fastest qualifier Z Ya by 1 1/4 lengths in :19.465. Juan Pulido rode the First Moonflash gelding for trainer Santos Carrizales Jr.
Flashin Fire was bred by Donna McPherson and Mike Abraham, and he was claimed by the late Jose E. Guzman for $20,000 at Remington Park on April 11, 2021. The gelding has earned $297,350 from seven races, and his five wins include victories in last year’s 400-yard Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs and 400-yard New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2) at Zia Park.
Flashin Fire is out of Episode Of Fire, a daughter of the First Down Flash stallion Walk Thru Fire.
Z Ya covered 400 yards in :19.641 under jockey Adrian Ramos. Wes Giles prepped the homebred First Moonflash gelding for owners Curtis Crenwelge, Jim Laird, and Jose R. Espinosa.
Z Ya is out of Zoobie Cartel, a winning 9-year-old daughter of the Holland Ease stallion Corona Cartel. His second dam, the Dashin Bye mare Zoobilee, won two graded stakes in Louisiana from 2010-11, including the 2010 Louisiana Champions Day Derby (RG2) at Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans.
Z Ya has won two of seven starts and has banked $47,151 while racing in two states, including Arizona.
Third-fastest qualifier Wente won the third Shue Fly heat by 1 3/4 lengths in :19.697. Sergio Becerra Jr. rode the Big Daddy Cartel gelding for owners Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez, and trainer Eric Valenzuela.
Wente was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico. The gelding is out of Astica, a multiple graded stakes winning Jesse James Jr mare and the 2015 AQHA champion 3-year-old filly. Branson and Vasquez purchased Wente for $36,000 at the 2020 New Mexico-Bred Sale.
Wente has won one of seven races and has earned $13,410.
The complete list of qualifiers is below:
| Horse (Sex, Pedigree) | Owner | Breeder (State) | Trainer | Time |
| FLASHIN FIREG, First Moonflash-Episode Of Fire by Walk Thru Fire | Josefina Guzman | Donna McPherson and Mike Abraham (NM) | Santos Carrizales Jr. | 19.465 |
| Z YA G, First Moonflash-Zoobie Cartel by Corona Cartel | Curtis Crenwelge, Jim Laird, and Jose R. Espinosa | Curtis Crenwelge, Jim Laird, and Jose R. Espinosa (NM) | Wes Giles | :19.641 |
| WENTE G, Big Daddy Cartel-Astica by Jesse James Jr | Scott Branson and Jimmy Vasquez | MJ Farms (NM) | Eric Valenzuela | :19.697 |
| WISH BIGG G, Big Daddy Cartel-Wish You Had One To by Stel Corona | Sebastian Gonzales | MJ Farms (NM) | James Gonzales III | :19.730 |
| THE CALLING G, Big Daddy Cartel-Fine Wines by First Down Dash | Javier M. Chavez | MJ Farms (NM) | James Gonzales III | :19.780 |
| ANTINORI F, Big Daddy Cartel-Miss Totts by Mr Jess Perry | Super Champion Inc. | MJ Farms (NM) | Eric Valenzuela | :19.848 |
| RIVER FLASH G, Chicks Regard-Riverside Flash by First Moonflash | Robert M. Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey | Ivey Cattle Co. (NM) | Wes Giles | :19.852 |
| JC NEW DAWN G, Woodbridge-Fly Stolis Chick by Stoli | Telma Meraz and Federico Gonzalez | Cynthia Guadalupe Gonzalez (NM) | Edgar Moreno | :19.867 |
| HOLLAND ROCK G, Rock Solid Jess-Holland Fire by Holland Ease | Bob McClure and Sissie McClure | Bob & Sissie McClure (NM) | Fred Danley | :19.879 |
| RENIKA F, Big Daddy Cartel-Woodys Allstar by Woodbridge | Heavy Hitters Racing Stables and Triple R Racing Stables | MJ Farms (NM) | James Gonzales III | :19.891 |