SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Wednesday, September 10, 2025) – Highest Memories and Jockey Andres Ulloa just made a lasting moment for owner Matt Kwiatkowski. The Indiana gelding found room in the stretch and captured the title in the $100,000 Empire Wednesday, September 10 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
 
Highest Memories broke from the starting gate from post one but were immediately swallowed up by early speed. Ulloa, a native of Chile, was able to keep Highest Memories in the early mix, sitting in fourth along the inside as horses were three and four deep to his outside. Mr Chaos and Evin Roman were the first pair to get the early lead heading into the turn with Hoosier Daddy Now and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. sitting right on their outside flank around the first turn.
 
As the field straightened out down the backstretch, Ulloa had Highest Memories still under a firm hold on the inside in fourth and let him move up just behind Mr Chaos past the halfway mark of the one and one-sixteenth mile race. Still covered up by horses around the final turn, several from the back of the pack began to fan out to get racing room, including Kingsbury Road and Luis Contreras. Highest Memories was still taking in a lot of dirt along the inside.
 
Coming out of the turn, a seam opened up and Ulloa was able to put Highest Memories through traffic. Midway through the stretch, he began to ask the gelding for a little more speed, and he got it, powering home to win by one and one-quarter length at 20-1 over Hoosier Daddy Now. Kingsbury Road closed in for third.
 
“He (Highest Memories) broke okay and got a little trapped,” noted trainer Tim Eggleston. “But Andres (Ulloa) was able to get him out of there and get him home. I’m really happy for that kid. He works very hard and deserves to win this. I have to thank our barn too. They all did a really good job with this horse.”
 
Ulloa and Highest Memories were equally covered in dirt when they arrived at the winner’s circle. Both horse and jockey had to have their faces washed off before they were lined up for the victory photo. Highest Memories paid $42.40 for the win, repeating for the title in the Empire Handicap. He now has seven wins with two earned for Kwiatkowski’s 514 Racing.
 
“We’ve only had this horse for three starts and we have had two wins and a second,” noted Kwiatkowski, who owns a State Farm Insurance Agency in Franklin, Ind. “Randy Burkett bred and raised him, and he raced well for them. We got him earlier this year after he had a couple of races that weren’t the best. We were able to get him and I’m thankful to Tim (Eggleston) and his team for what they have done with him.”
 
Highest Memories has seven career wins. Ulloa, who also rode him for his previous connections, guided him to four of those victories, showing a good connection between horse and rider. Overall, Highest Memories has more than $250,000 on his card. The Santiva five-year-old gelding is two for six this year after scoring four wins last year as a four year old.
 
The 23^rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Thursday, Nov. 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.