Catherine Asmussen and her 8-year-old bay mare, Girl Cartel LBH, clinched the South Valley Equine Derby win at the 2025 Royal Crown in Buckeye, Arizona with a 16.802-second run, earning $2,447.
Bred by Laurel Brothers Horses LLC and owned by Asmussen, Girl Cartel LBH is sired by The Louisiana Cartel and out of Wachovia Girl, who is by Tres Seis.
“Today was the first time I ran her on a standard pattern,” Asmussen said. “She’s really fast and turny, so I just sent her from the holding pens. She did her job, and I did my best to stay out of her way.”
Hailing from Laredo, Texas, Asmussen has had Girl Cartel LBH since she was a yearling. She started the mare on the pattern as a 2-year-old and plans to keep her in her program for the foreseeable future.
“We broke her as a yearling for some owners that raced her,” Asmussen said. “She had a short-lived racing career. Her previous owners gifted her to me, and I trained her. She’s done really well everywhere I have taken her. She’s won money at the NBHA in Waco, at Texarkana—really, anywhere I’ve taken her, she’s performed well.”
Looking ahead, Asmussen is still considering Girl Cartel LBH’s future after she completes her derby career.
“I have some babies out of her, but I don’t know what we will do with her after this year,” Asmussen said. “I have quite a few futurity horses, so I don’t know if I’ll go rodeo on her or not. Hopefully, my sister will ride her for me, and we can continue to have babies out of her.”
Asmussen currently has two foals on the ground out of Girl Cartel LBH—one by Kiss My Hocks and another by Aint Seen Nothin Yet. She is also expecting two more foals this year by The Goodbye Lane.
First Round South Valley Equine Derby Results
| Rider | Owner | Horse | Time | Place | Division | Payout |
| CATHERINE ASMUSSEN | CATHERINE ASMUSSEN | GIRL CARTEL LBH | 16.802 | 1 | 1D | $ 2,447 |
| ASHLEY SCHAFER | ASHLEY OR SETH SCHAFER | FIESTA BY DESIGN | 16.905 | 2 | 1D | $ 2,025 |
| MCKENNA CONRONADO | KELLY LYNN THOUVENELL | KT SHINE DOWN | 17.069 | 3 | 1D | $ 1,603 |
| SYDNI BLANCHARD | SYDNI BLANCHARD | EJSB DIAMONDS N FAME | 17.089 | 4 | 1D | $ 1,181 |
| ASHLEY SCHAFER | CHARLIE COLE & JASON MARTIN | CHROME PLATED FAME | 17.211 | 5 | 1D | $ 759 |
| KATHY GRIMES | KATHY GRIMES | KG JUKEBOX HERO | 17.276 | 6 | 1D | $ 422 |
Watch the Royal Crown Live on Ride TV
The 2025 Royal Crown in Buckeye, Arizona, is available on Ride TV or on the mobile app for free. Archived footage from the event will be available exclusively to members.
