Rosario Tijeras wins 2025 Karen Utecht Memorial

Showing early speed over a muddy track, Rosario Tijeras crossed the wire first to clinch the 2025 Karen Utecht Memorial Stakes. The race for 3-year-old and older Paints and Appaloosas took place October 18 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, and featured an all-APHA field.

The 2022 bay tobiano mare edged out V Golden Game by a head as they closed the 350-yard sprint. Rosario Tijeras stopped the clock at 17.507 seconds with jockey Eddie Sanchez in the irons. She boosted her lifetime earnings by $15,390 and marked a 98 speed index in her first stakes win.

Rosario Tijeras was bred and is owned by Sarah Huskey of Dallas, Texas; she is by Boknaai (QH) and out of Tres Miracles. The mare is trained by Esteban Rubio and has lifetime earnings exceeding $45,000.

V Golden Game, one of the race favorites, surged late to earn place-money of $6,885. The 2021 brown solid gelding by CRM Livewire and out of Game Hi (QH) is owned by Oscar Rivera Cardona of Elgin, Texas, and trained by Raul Rodriguez Jr.

Rounding out the top spots was Frenchy. Trained by Juan Martinez, Frenchy made a late kick to catch the winners and took third, a neck back from V Golden Game. The 2021 brown tobiano gelding is owned by Juan Armando Martinez of Ben Wheeler, Texas. He is by CRM Livewire and out of CRP Coco (QH).

The Field

Also running were Valiant Spit Curl, Flyin Chilitos, Fancy A Miracle, Moonpike, GG Queen Of The South and CRB Beauti. Cowboy Heartbreak stumbled at the start and lost his jockey, leading to a disqualification.

The Karen Utecht Memorial Stakes is named in honor of APHA’s late director of racing, who was a longtime driving force for Paint racing. Current APHA Director of Racing Carly Peercy and other APHA staff were on hand to present the memorial trophy to Rosario Tijeras’ connections.

View full race results online at equibase.com.

Learn more about Paint racing at apha.com/racing.

##

[Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted. Please credit the Paint Horse Journal and provide a link provided back to apha.com.]

About APHA

The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association. Since it was founded in 1962, APHA has registered more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses. Learn more at apha.com.