Texas Classic Derby (G1)
Order of Finish: DMNV Mountable, Coronas Leaving You, Romancing Mary, Easy Dashin Sixes, Coronas Easy Dash, Quickid Corona, Separatist Baby, Moonshine Memories, Rock Solid Jess, Rebas In The House

DMNV Mountable, a Panther Mountain colt racing for Ezra Lee and Toby Dahl, earned his fourth career stakes victory in the 440-yard, $383,756 Texas Classic Derby (G1) on November 29. Saddled by Jacque Uphaus, DMNV Mountable defeated Coronas Leaving You by a head while covering the quarter-mile distance in :21.507. The win was his 10th in 16 starts.

"He usually has trouble coming out of the gate, and I think he might have bobbled a little at the start tonight," said Uphaus, who gave a leg up to jockey Alex Baldillez Jr. "After that, he ran a really strong race."

DMNV Mountable was bred by Merrill and Virginia Lee of Billings, Montana, 30-consecutive-year breeders whose 43 homebred starters include stakes winners MNV Soupandfrackers, MNV Pack And Dash and Jodys Irish Miss. The colt is one of 10 stakes winners from two crops by Panther Mountain, a Grade 1-winning stallion by Meter Me Gone and American Quarter Horse racing's champion aged stallion in 2003.

DMNV Mountable is also one of five winners from six starters out of the winning and stakes-placed Bully Bullion mare Cheyennes Bullion. The colt is a half brother to two stakes-placed runners, including 2003 Great Falls HRA Futurity runner-up MNV Miss Arbeka Jet.

At 2, DMNV Mountable won four of five races, including the $88,597 Kansas Jackpot Futurity (RG2) at The Woodlands Racetrack in Kansas City. This year, the colt has won three Grade 1 stakes, as he began the year with victories in the Remington Park and Heritage Place derbies in Oklahoma.

"He's one of the most impressive 2-year-olds I ever rode, and I've ridden for over 33 years," said Baldillez. "Every win is great, but this one is special because I just turned 50 years old."

The $170,776 winner's share of the Texas Classic Derby purse increased DMNV Mountable's earnings to $464,400.