At Bosque Ranch, it came down to one run—and Gabriel Borges delivered.
Marking a 230, Borges won the 2026 The Run For A Million Qualifier, punching his ticket to Las Vegas and closing out the final spots in one of reining’s most exclusive lineups.
Borges’ win continues a stretch that has defined his rise over the past year. After crossing the $1 million rider mark and finishing reserve champion at the NRHA Level 4 Futurity he has remained a constant threat in top-level competition.
His qualifier victory came aboard Spooks Gotta Ice, a horse that has steadily developed into a major contender. The pair previously captured the the 100X Tulsa Reining Classic 4-Year-Old Stakes title in 2025.
Now, with another major win added to his résumé, Borges returns to Las Vegas for a second time to compete in the main event.
A tie for second brought together two riders well-acquainted with the Las Vegas stage: Francesco Martinotti and Martin Muehlstaetter, each marking a 228.5.
Martinotti piloted Smoking Trash, a horse he has shown extensively at the sport’s highest levels. The pair boasts more than $149,000 in lifetime earnings and multiple appearances at The Run For A Million, including Top 10 finishes in both the million-dollar event and the $100K Shootout.
Muehlstaetter, who placed 5th at The Run For A Million in 2023, rode Smoky Mountain Rein, a horse that has proven himself at the highest levels of non-pro competition, earning back-to-back NRHA Level 4 Non Pro Derby Co-Championships (2024, 2025) and the 2025 NRBC Non Pro title under Muehlstaetter’s wife, Kim.
From a deep international field, nine riders advanced through the single-class qualifier:
1. Gabriel Borges — 230
T-2. Francesco Martinotti — 228.5
T-2. Martin Muehlstaetter — 228.5
4. Dany Tremblay — 228
5. Cade McCutcheon — 227
T-6. Mirko Midili — 226
T-6. Trevor Elliot Dare — 226
T-8. Arno Honstetter — 225.5
T-8. Ben Beckett — 225.5
With the qualifier complete, the full field for The Run for a Million is now set.
Previously qualified riders earned their spots through top finishes at the 2025 TRFAM $100K Shootout, international qualification events, and returning exemptions:
They will be joined by the nine riders advancing from Bosque Ranch—bringing the total field to 16.
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