diff --git a/nyc_taxis/challenges/default.json b/nyc_taxis/challenges/default.json
index 386ff7a13..638fa1feb 100644
--- a/nyc_taxis/challenges/default.json
+++ b/nyc_taxis/challenges/default.json
@@ -784,6 +784,10 @@
           "operation": "delete-index",
           "tags": ["setup"]
         },
+        {
+          "operation": "delete-nyc-taxis-sample-index",
+          "tags": ["setup"]
+        },
         {
           "operation": {
             "operation-type": "create-index",
@@ -926,6 +930,15 @@
           "operation": "refresh",
           "tags": ["setup"]
         },
+        {
+          "operation": "create-nyc-taxis-sample-index",
+          "tags": ["setup"]
+        },
+        {
+          "name": "refresh-after-sample-index",
+          "operation": "refresh",
+          "tags": ["setup"]
+        },
         {
           "operation": "avg_passenger_count_aggregation",
           "clients": 1,
diff --git a/nyc_taxis/operations/default.json b/nyc_taxis/operations/default.json
index c1af7f7ba..ea13e0e58 100644
--- a/nyc_taxis/operations/default.json
+++ b/nyc_taxis/operations/default.json
@@ -956,6 +956,28 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    {
+      "name": "create-nyc-taxis-sample-index",
+      "operation-type": "raw-request",
+      "index": "nyc_taxis",
+      "method": "POST",
+      "path": "/_reindex",
+      "body": {
+        "source": {
+          "index": "nyc_taxis"
+        },
+        "max_docs": 1000,
+        "dest": {
+          "index": "nyc_taxis_sample"
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "delete-nyc-taxis-sample-index",
+      "operation-type": "delete-index",
+      "index": "nyc_taxis_sample",
+      "only-if-exists": true
+    },
     {
       "name": "avg_passenger_count_esql_segment_partitioning",
       "operation-type": "esql",
@@ -1019,32 +1041,32 @@
     {
       "name": "stats_count_group_by_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis METADATA _id | stats count(passenger_count) by _id | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample METADATA _id | stats count(passenger_count) by _id"
     },
     {
       "name": "inlinestats_count_group_by_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis METADATA _id | inline stats count(passenger_count) by _id | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample METADATA _id | inline stats count(passenger_count) by _id"
     },
     {
       "name": "stats_avg_group_by_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis METADATA _id | stats avg(passenger_count) by _id | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample METADATA _id | stats avg(passenger_count) by _id"
     },
     {
       "name": "inlinestats_avg_group_by_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis METADATA _id | inline stats avg(passenger_count) by _id | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample METADATA _id | inline stats avg(passenger_count) by _id"
     },
     {
       "name": "stats_max_group_by_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis METADATA _id | stats max(passenger_count) by _id | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample METADATA _id | stats max(passenger_count) by _id"
     },
     {
       "name": "inlinestats_max_group_by_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis METADATA _id | inline stats max(passenger_count) by _id | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample METADATA _id | inline stats max(passenger_count) by _id"
     },
     {
       "name": "inlinestats_then_stats_count_esql",
@@ -1079,27 +1101,27 @@
     {
       "name": "one_chained_inlinestats_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis | inline stats s1 = sum(passenger_count) | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample | inline stats s1 = sum(passenger_count)"
     },
     {
       "name": "two_chained_inlinestats_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis | inline stats s1 = sum(passenger_count) | inline stats s2 = sum(trip_distance) | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample | inline stats s1 = sum(passenger_count) | inline stats s2 = sum(trip_distance)"
     },
     {
       "name": "three_chained_inlinestats_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis | inline stats s1 = sum(passenger_count) | inline stats s2 = sum(trip_distance) | inline stats s3 = sum(total_amount) | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample | inline stats s1 = sum(passenger_count) | inline stats s2 = sum(trip_distance) | inline stats s3 = sum(total_amount)"
     },
     {
       "name": "multiple_stats_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis | stats sum = sum(passenger_count), count = count(*), avg = avg(passenger_count) | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample | stats sum = sum(passenger_count), count = count(*), avg = avg(passenger_count)"
     },
     {
       "name": "multiple_inlinestats_esql",
       "operation-type": "esql",
-      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis | inline stats sum = sum(passenger_count), count = count(*), avg = avg(passenger_count) | LIMIT 1000"
+      "query" : "FROM nyc_taxis_sample | inline stats sum = sum(passenger_count), count = count(*), avg = avg(passenger_count)"
     },
   {# non-serverless-doc-partitioning-marker-start #}{%- if build_flavor != "serverless" -%}
     {