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APRIL 2015 路 VOL.9 NO.4

SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

reBet uRACING NEWS NE EWS N EWS

CONTENTS APRIL 2015

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VOL. 9 NO. 4

Photo courtesy of Mike Curran

PUBLISHED BY:

PO Box 7261 • Ruidoso, NM 88355 www.surebetracingnews.com

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Firing Line, Gary Stevens aboard, after winning the Sunland Derby March 22.

Cover Stories Firing Line marches away by 14 lengths to win the $800,000 Sunland Derby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

International Star glows in gutsy Louisiana Derby triumph

Feature Stories Sunland Derby trainers, horse owner and jockey: by Michael Curran Henry Dominguez: Expect the best effort from this trainer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Dallas Barton: ‘They can’t all run’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A new blood horse owner: Meet Jarett Rogers . . . . . . . . . . 10 Joel Marr: The quiet man speaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 She was born for this: Jesiere Medina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Weekend Race Insider: Could it be happening again? by Ty Wyant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 News

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Politicaly Correct moves into poll; New AQHA Executive Committee; New Mexico-owned Materiality wins Florida Derby, next stop should be as one of Kentucky Derby favorites; Canterbury Park’s $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby moved to Aug. 29; Hernandez, Broberg and White capture leading horsemen titles at Delta Downs; New owners for Emerald Downs; Emerald Downs Racing announces Ship and Run incentive for 2015; Michael Chamberlain to take the microphone at Evangeline Downs; James Graham, Tom Amoss, Maggi Moss win Fair Grounds titles; International Star and I’m A Chatterbox tie for Horse of the Meet; Graham gets victory 2,000; Hialeah Park Hall Of Fame to add four well-known personalities; 2015 All American Juvenile purse surges to all-time record $200,000; Sam Houston Race Park 2015 American Quarter Horse stakes meet gets underway March 27; Handle and attendance gains highlight 2015 Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred meet; Jonathan Horowitz named new track announcer as Michael Chamberlain goes to Louisiana

Race Recaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Quarter Horse results from Los Alamitos Race Course; Remington Park; Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred results from Oaklawn Park, Golden Gate Fields; Santa Anita Race Park; Delta Downs; Fair Grounds Race Course; Sunland Park; SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 3

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SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

I-10 to Sunland Park Exit

COVER STORIES

Firing Line

marches away by 14 lengths to win the $ 800,000 Sunland Derby

Firing Line, Gary L. Stevens up, winning the 13th running of the Sunland Park Derby, March 22. Photos courtesy of Coady Photography

s advertised, Firing Line was just too much and marched away to a record setting 14 and one quarter length victory procession in the 13th running of the $800,000 Sunland Derby (Grade 3) on Sunday at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino in front of a record crowd of 19,081 enthusiastic fans. Bet down hard to 1-5 odds, Firing Line and Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens motored towards the lead down the backstretch run of the 1 and 1/8 mile Kentucky Derby prep race and never looked like a loser. Stevens asked for a bit of speed and Firing Line turned on some power around the final turn and the race was over. The talented son of Line of David began to pull well clear of the rivals. He responded with a terrific turn of foot and was 8 lengths in front by the middle of the stretch. Stevens

March 22, 2015 Sunland Park, NM simply hand rode the impressive winner to over a 14-length winning margin. The 14 and one-quarter length margin is a record winning margin for the Sunland Derby. “He did it all very professionally, real easy,” Stevens said. “I’m in a great spot. He can do well at the next level.” The awe inspiring win was also a track and stakes record of 1:47.39 eclipsing for the former track and stakes record of 1:47.54 held by 2013 Sunland Derby (Grade 3) winner Govenor Charlie. Firing Line earned the massive $400,000 pay day for winning owner Arnold Zetcher and earned a virtual berth in this year’s Kentucky Derby Derby by earning 50 qualifying points. Mr. Zetcher said, “This is my third horse to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. I’ve owned horses for 13 years and Firing Line is one of the best. It was SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 5

lead but suddenly ducked into the path and a $176,000 paycheck for owners Kirk of a tiring Fancy and Flashy causing her and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas. The 11-1 shot tried to muster a rally in the final jockey Norberto Arroyo to steady. In the meanwhile Callback straightened out Photos courtesy of Coady Photography quarter mile but was absolutely no threat to the winner. The runner-up finished two under jockey Martin Garcia and fought off stablemate Maybellene by a neck at the and one-quarter lengths in front of Pain great effort today and he was ready to go wire of the 1 and 1/16 mile feature. Followand Misery who earned $96,000 for the and we are going to Kentucky. Simon is ing a Stewards’ Inquiry, Callback (1-5) was Black Gold Racing stable and 10 qualifying great trainer and the way he approaches disqualified from first and placed fourth points to the Kentucky Derby. the sport is perfect for Firing Line. Having behind Fancy and Flashy. Tiznow R J, Dirt Monster, Why Two and Gary Stevens on board is a tremendous Maybelline was crowned the winner of Malibu Mogul rounded out the order of plus, and his experience will help us. We the Sunland Park Oaks for owner Natalie J. fi nish. are so lucky. We have the oldest jockey and Baffert and trainer Bob Baffert. The winning the youngest trainer. Firing Line is a really rider was Victor Espinoza. The daughter Maybellene wins $200,000 good horse. We won the 2009 Sunland of Lookin at Lucky paid $9.80 to win and Park Oaks with Gabby’s Golden Gal. We Sunland Park Oaks through earned $120,000 for her connections. purchased Firing Line for $240,000 at the disqualification Scat Means Go was moved up to Keeneland Sale.” Maybellene was awarded the victory second place followed by Fancy and Flashy Sunland’s newest sensation has been in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks foland the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes winpatiently developed by winning trainer lowing the disqualification of stablemate ner Callback in fourth. Simon Callaghan who was beaming in the Callback who originally finished first. In a stirring effort, African Rose won winner’s circle. Callaghan said, “This is very In mid-stretch, Callback had the the $100,000 Harry Henson Handicap for nice colt. He won well. We figured he was the third straight year for the best. He didn’t have to force a pace with trainer Justin Evans and rider quick fractions. In his training, he’s learned Ry Eikleberry. how to relax a lot and it paid off handJockey Ken Tohill and somely today. The Sunland Derby has been trainer Joel Marr combined on a radar for a while. It is a nice ship from forces to win three races California. He trained well over the track on the day including the and handled it well. He matured a lot in $100,000 New Mexico Breedrecent months. Those were major factors.” ers’ Oaks with Desert Tricks Firing Line earned his first career and the $100,000 New Mexico stakes win following two narrow second Breeders’ Derby with Weather place finishes to Dortmund in California. Dodger for owner Lisa RehFiring Line’s second career win pushed his burg lifetime bankroll to $574,800. He has never Under a masterful ride been worse the second in 5 career outs. from Enrique Gomez, UnfetMine That Bird Derby winner Where’s tered came rushing off the The Moon finished a long distance secpace to take a rousing win in ond with Luis Contreras in the saddle. The the $100,000 Bill Thomas MeMaybellene, Victor Espinoza up. well bred son of Malibu Moon earned 20 morial Stakes. Henry Dominqualifying points to the Kentucky Derby Photo courtesy of Coady Photography guez is the winning trainer. Above, Firing Line, Gary L. Stevens up, head to the winner’s circle; at right, winning connections.

6 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

COVER STORIES

International Star glows in

gutsy Louisiana Derby triumph March 28, 2015 Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans, LA International Star, Migue Mena up, winning the $750,000 Louisiana Derby March 28 at Fair Grounds Race Course.

enneth and Sarah Ramsey’s International Star proved once again that he is the big gun of the Big Easy on Saturday afternoon in the 102nd running of the Grade 2 $750,000 Louisiana Derby. Shooting off the rail like a comet turning for home, the son of Fusaichi Pegasus collared and ultimately wore down fellow Florida shipper Stanford in the final yards to prevail by a neck. Improving to a perfect three-for-three this year, the Mike Maker trainee completed a sweep of the triad of sophomore graded stakes at the New Orleans oval. Once again given a heady ride by Miguel Mena after breaking from an outside post, the New York-bred settled off the pace while saving ground, produced when asked and powered home under strong urging in a time of 1:50.67 – twofifths of a second faster than older horses completed that time one race prior in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap. Winning the fifth race of his career, the 3-year-old bay charge banked the $450,000 winner’s share of the purse to become the newest equine millionaire with total career earnings of $1,010,979. In nine career starts, the talented Kentucky Derby candidate now has four graded stakes victories. Game in defeat after making all the

Photo courtesy of Hodges Photography

running under Florent Geroux, Stonestreet Stables, Magnier, Tabor and Smith’s Todd Pletcher-trained Stanford fought back throughout the stretch, finishing 4¼ lengths ahead of Loooch Racing Stables, Glenn Ellis and Chris Dunn’s War Story. Under Joe Talamo, War Story produced a rally at the top of the stretch, but could not keep pace with the top two in the final furlong for trainer Tom Amoss. Donegal Racing’s Dale Romans-trained Keen Ice, as he did when finishing third behind International Star and War Story in the Grade 2 $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 21, picked up the pieces and finished 2 ¼ lengths astern in fourth under James Graham, who celebrated his 2,000th career victory in the New Orleans Handicap. Sent off as the favorite for the first time this year, International Star paid $6.60, $3.60 and $2.60 at odds of 2-1. Stanford paid $7 and $4.80 at odds of 7-1, while War Story paid $2.80 to show at odds of nearly 5-2. “We got another good trip and had a clean run,” Mena said. “He was the best horse in the race again today and I thank the connections for giving me the chance to ride him.” Maker was visibly pleased with the effort that gives him one of his best chances in the Kentucky Derby to date. “I don’t

know why (International Star is so good at Fair Grounds), but I think I might take some of the dirt from Fair Grounds up to Kentucky with us,” he quipped. “We will see how he comes out of the race and decide if we’ll train him like we did before this. I haven’t worked him until three weeks after his races.” When asked if International Star is one of his best chances at a Kentucky Derby, “Definitely. He’s a special horse.” Owner Ken Ramsey echoed Maker’s enthusiasm. “That’s back to back wins for us here in the Louisiana Derby and we swept all three this year,” the owner of 2014 Louisiana Derby and Lecomte Stakes winner Vicar’s in Trouble said. “Next stop: Kentucky!” Geroux was pleased with his mount’s effort. “We had a great start and I just let him go and relax,” he said. “If someone wanted to go faster than me, I would have let them, but he was very nice and relaxed on the lead and put up reasonable fractions. They came to us a little bit earlier than I thought they would, but that’s racing and that’s why International Star was able to run me down. He gave me a good feeling. You have to give credit to winner; he’s three-for-three and a very good horse.” “Super effort,” said Pletcher, who sad-

Continued on pg. 10

SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 7

This month’s feature: Sunland trainers Henry Dominguez, Dallas Barton and Joel Marr; horse owner Jarrett Rogers; and jockey Jesiere Medina

Henry Dominguez:

Expect the best effort from this trainer By Michael Curran

again expected to be in the running. He’s been in that race since its inauormer jockey and longtime premier Thoroughbred trainer, Henry Domin- guration in 2003 and won it in 2007 guez, motions this writer to his lunch with the stud, Song Of Navarone. The Grade 3 Sunland Derby is table at Sunland Park Racetrack for an a prep race for the Kentucky Derby unscheduled interview. The gossip is that and currently offers a purse of Dominguez is a nice, hospitable gentle$800,000. Winners of that Derby and man and that rumor was soon proven to specific other Thoroughbred races be true. A large half-eaten lunch salad is quick- may earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby based on money and points ly brushed aside by Dominguez to make Trainer Henry Dominguez stands in the padearned (usually money earned). way for the interloper. His wife, Shannon, dock at Sunland Park with his stepson, Hunter “Obviously, I would love to be and his step-son, Hunter Purdon, sit amiPurdon. in the Kentucky Derby,” Dominguez cably by and quietly listen to Dominguez Photo courtesy of Michael Curran said. being questioned. Expect Dominguez to be “So, when did it all start for you, Mr. among the top trainers at Sunland Park (He Dominguez won the distinguished Bob Dominguez?” the writer asks. “Well, I was a jockey for nine years,” currently ranks seventh [Thoroughbreds]). Haynsworth (another gentleman) award Dominguez answers. “I enjoyed riding but On Feb. 21, this trainer won the esteemed in 2009. my weight eventually became an issue. So, $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby with the “I like the weather and environment I started training in 1986 in Los Alamitos here, ” Dominguez said. “It suits my life13-to-1 three-year-old gelding, Where’s The with a split barn of Thoroughbreds, Quar- Moon. The favorite in that race, Cinco Char- style.” ter Horses and Appaloosas. But I always So, what’s left for this trainer to aclie, was a 1-to-5 bet and lost to Where’s The liked the Thoroughbreds better and they complish? Moon by two-and-a-half lengths. were always more lucrative for me. Train“I’ve always dreamed of attaining high “He truly loves what he does,” his wife ing became my passion.” goals for myself,” he said. “I would like to Shannon said. “He certainly has a dedicaIn this year’s prestigious one and one- tion to it.” win the Breeders Cup and/or the Kentucky eighth mile (9 furlongs) Sunland Derby The graciousness of this gentleman is Derby. If I could do one or both of those (formerly the Winstar Derby) for three-year- understandable – he came from humble things I would feel I accomplished my olds (on March 22), Dominguez was once goals.” beginnings in El Paso. Maybe that’s why

8 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Dallas Barton:

‘They all can’t run’

By Michael Curran

asy to talk to, engaging, humorous and a good attitude – those are some of the immediate traits of trainer Dallas Barton that jump right out at you. Most of the time he wears a slight smile pasted on his countenance like he may know something you don’t. After a conversation with him you will probably come away believing he doesn’t waste time and mince words – he tells the truth. Raised in El Paso, he’s been at the horse training profession now for 25 years and doesn’t look back. “I got my training license at the age of 18,” Barton said. “Dad was an owner, I liked the game and I enjoy being around horses.” In the past, Barton worked for the renowned trainer Jack Brooks who won the esteemed All American Futurity for Quarter Horses eight times. That wasn’t a bad place to learn. The fastest Thoroughbred Barton has seen to date is Cigar. “Cigar was a good horse and won many Grade 1 races,” Barton said. The fastest Quarter Horse Barton ever saw is Brigand Silk who was trained by Jack W. Dube and won seven races from seven starts. “Brigand Silk established many track records,” Barton explained. “And that included breaking his own records.” The easy-going trainer has about 40 head in his barn at this year’s meet at

Sunland Park Racetrack – mostly Thoroughbreds. “Horses are worse than kids,” Barton said. “You have to have patience and you learn that through the years. You show up every day and there’s something usually wrong – soreness, sickness, etc. “You’ve got to keep moving horses around. You have to have good owners, too.” Barton thinks he’s in a slump at this year’s Sunland Park meet. “I haven’t had the best year at Sunland,” the trainer said. “We won five races but I think we should have won maybe 15. Thoroughbred racing is a tough business. They all can’t run. “You can’t always tell how much heart a horse has, how fast it will run or its talent level simply by looking at it. Additionally, hundreds of horses – Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses – show a lot of talent in the a.m. but can’t put it together in the afternoon. We call them morning glories.” Barton believes his best meet was last year (Sunland, 2013-2014). “We had some good 2-year-olds then,” he said. “One horse, Mr Wizard, won $250,000 and a filly, Lady Genius, won about the same amount. Both were out of the same brood mare. Our horses ran well. Many stepped up. Cottagecupcake broke her maiden and showed promise.” After the Sunland Park meet, Barton plans to move on to Albuquerque Downs, Ruidoso Downs and then Zia Park.

Dallas Barton is a hands-on trainer and has been at his profession for 25 years. Photo courtesy of Michael Curran

Barton hopes to accomplish some things this year. Among them, he would like to develop a good crop of 2-year-olds. “We hope we get something that can run.”

TODD FUQUA

Lincoln County New Mexico’s sports authority

www.FuquaSports.com 575-937-0344 todd@fuquasports.com Like me on Facebook • Visit my Twitter page SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 9

A new blood horse owner: Meet

Jarett Rogers

Horse owners make the Sport of Kings work, thrive and exist By Michael Curran

To this day he participates wenty-seven-year-old (on March 22) on the professional rodeo circuit as a team roper. Jarett Rogers generously sits to be And his athletic teninterviewed without a prior commitdencies don’t end there. In ment. Loquacious, honest and optimistic, September 2014 he marthis horse owner doesn’t ponder questions ried Ana, an Argentinianput to him very long – he quickly replies. born athlete with strikThat’s the trait of a person who could ingly beautiful looks. Horse owner Jarett Rogers stands with his first racehorse, generally be considered genuine and “She’s a former soccer Balderinas Fame CR, which he bought in 2011. legitimate. player at UTEP and an exRaised on a 3,000 acre cotton and Photo courtesy of Michael Curran alfalfa farm in Clint, Texas (30 miles east of cellent golfer,” Rogers said. “It’s frustrating to golf with El Paso), this 5th generation agriculturist her. She’s an exceptional competitor.” something. You have to get along. You shows maturity beyond his 27 years. Ana is now a personal physical trainer. quickly get over slights and remain friends. “As for farming, at the end of the day This new-blood racehorse owner “Horseracing presents the highest of highs you have to be on the land to make deci(mainly Quarter Horses) started racing in and the lowest of lows. To win is the best sions,” he wisely said. “You can’t take vacathing you can feel. After all, this is the big tions whenever you want to. Farming is not 2011. “To begin, I had one horse – Balderinas leagues.” a job, it’s a life style – eight days a week. I Fame CR,” he said. “It was the fastest qualiRogers’ granddad (Jerry) bought his had to learn to be responsible at an early fier in the 2012 New Mexico Señor Futurity. first racehorse in the early 80s. Between his age. I had to earn being trusted.” This young horse owner has an ungranddad, father (Casey) and himself, the Athletics figured early-on in his life. common philosophical maturation for his Rogers have close to 80 horses – mares, In high school Rogers was awarded a age as per horseracing. babies and geldings – at Sunland and on plethora of football scholarships. He had “You have to take every race with a their farm. intended to matriculate to LSU but then Looking ahead to the future what are destiny intervened. He was bucked off of a grain of salt,” he said. “Basically, once they racehorse and badly injured his hip, which go to the paddock there’s nothing you can some of the things Rogers would like to do. You hope you get a good ride and hope accomplish? negated his football plans. they’re feeling good. You also have to have “I guess the same as most owners – to Without hesitation Rogers fell back win the All American Futurity,” he anon Plan B – a rodeo scholarship to Tarleton some luck on your side. “Owners and trainers are a family swered. “Along the way, I would also like to State University in Stephenville, Texas make a name for myself.” where he majored in agricultural business. and you can call on them when you need

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dled Materiality – who defeated Stanford in the Islamorada Handicap three weeks prior – to win the Grade 1 Florida Derby minutes later at Gulfstream Park. “I’m very proud of him.” “I had a really had a good trip,” Talamo said. “He broke sharper than he normally does and he put me in a really good spot. Going down the backside I was absolutely loaded and in a pretty good spot while moving with him. I swung him out and he gave me a really good sixteenth to 10 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

an eighth of a mile run and then he just couldn’t go on with the winner.” “I had to lose a little bit of ground to get him going and they quickened away from him after there was no pace,” Graham said. “If they would have gone :47 again today (like in the Risen Star), he would have been three lengths closer. I had to lose ground to get his momentum going because I know he’s going to keep finding. He’s just a big horse and he’s figuring it out as he goes.” The major disappointment of the

Louisiana Derby was Zayat Stables’ D. Wayne Lukas-trained Mr. Z, who failed to menace and ran last under Kent Desormeaux. “He gave me a dream ride until he had had enough,” the Louisiana native said afterward. Completing the remainder of the field were Fusaichi Flame, St. Joe Bay, Defondo, A Day in Paradise and the aforementioned Mr. Z. The race – worth 170 Kentucky Derby points – awarded 100 to International Star, 40 to Stanford, 20 to War Story and 10 to Keen Ice.

Joel Marr: The quiet man speaks This consistent leading trainer can be counted on to win stakes races

Thoroughbred trainer Joel Marr continues his stakes-winning ways at Sunland Park Racetrack. Photo courtesy of Michael Curran

By Michael Curran

o, maybe he isn’t the chattiest Thoroughbred trainer on the circuit. But what he may lack in verbosity he certainly makes up for with continued stakes race wins – and this year’s meet at Sunland Park Racetrack has been no different. On Sunday, March 22, Marr added two more big stakes wins by capturing the seventh running of the $100,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Oaks with 3-year-old Desert Stepper (Marr’s other horse in the race, Miss E Bar, grabbed second place). Marr then capped off the day with a victory in the 12th running of the $100,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Derby with Weather Dodger. Earlier at the Sunland meet, Marr triumphed on Dec. 28, 2014 in the $85,000 (guaranteed) Albert Dominguez Memorial with the stud, Proceed; Jan. 11, the trainer swept to victory in the $85,000 La Señora Stakes with the filly, Miss E Bar, and on March 14, Proceed gained his next stakes win in the $85,000 New Mexico State University Handicap. Long recognized as one of the finest trainers in the Southwest, Marr nevertheless continues to impress those in the industry with his steady victories. From July 16, 2005 until Dec. 14, 2008 the Marrtrained mare, Peppers Pride, remained unbeaten in 19 straight races. When asked how he thinks he’s doing at the Sunland meet Marr succinctly replied, “I’m doing OK – fair.” After his win Sunday in the New Mexico Breeders’ Derby, and as he walked past the stalls in the paddock for his next race, other trainers yelled out, “Nice win, Joel!” True to form, Marr smiled broadly and said, “Thanks.” Born in Tularosa, about 100 miles from Sunland Park, Marr still lives there on his horse farm. After a brief conversation with Marr it is easily discerned that this trainer possesses superior intelligence. No wonder. He started college at West Texas College but then graduated from NMSU in 1989 with a major in animal science. So, how long has he been coming to Sunland Park? “I’ve been coming here all my life,” he answered. “But as a Thoroughbred trainer I’ve been racing at Sunland on my own since 1990. I think it’s worked out well.” Married (going on 16 years) to a former jockey, Teresa Briggs (they met at Sunland), the couple have two young daughters, Shacie, 13, and Shaeden, 11. Currently, Marr has about 40 head in his barn at Sunland (normal) and another 40 (brood mares, babies, etc.) in training at his farm in Tularosa. Before Sunland, Marr raced in Hobbs (Zia Park) and after Sunland intends to take 15 horses to Albuquerque Downs. Then it’s on to Ruidoso Downs with about 40 head for the 2015 meet. When asked what he likes about New Mexico, Marr thought for a few seconds and said, “I love New Mexico. I just do. It’s open and the weather is good.” When asked whether he would make any adjustments in his life to date if he could, Marr answered immediately, “I wouldn’t change things.” SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 11

She was born for this

Jesiere Medina

Female jockey Jesiere Medina overcomes adversity in a male-dominated profession

By Michael Curran

isciplined, courageous and passionate about her craft – that’s a succinct characterization of jockey Jesiere Marie Medina. As you talk to her you notice she looks at you intently. Then her gaze will focus on some imaginary point off to the side like she’s concentrating on something. She is. She’s trying hard to understand the English spoken to her. With her seasoned work ethic, she will get a better understanding of the language as time goes on, of that there is little doubt. Medina was born in Puerto Rico 26 years ago. At the age of 17 she attended jockey school for two years on that Caribbean island and hasn’t second-guessed her decision since. From Puerto Rico Medina went to tracks in Philadelphia, Miami, the state of New York where she broke a collar bone and femur, California and then New Mexico. She’s been injured a total of six times, the last occasion being Dec. 8, 2014. “I was working a horse out and coming back it stumbled,” Medina said. “I fell off and hurt my right shoulder. I was in the wrong place at the right time. I’m 100 percent now.” The six injuries she sustained hasn’t dampened her enthusiasm one iota. That’s where her dedication for the sport comes in to play. “I’ve had others try to talk me out of riding but I don’t pay any attention to that. It doesn’t affect me I’m secure and confident in what I do,” she explained. “I love the horses. It’s my passion. I was born for this.” Medina, as a jockey, has Jesiere Medina heads back to the paddock after a good ride. Photos courtesy of Michael Curran 12 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

competition within her family. Older brother Jose Angel Medina is currently racing at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, while Luis is now riding in Arizona. Younger brother Anthony is now racing at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. Medina is newly married (for three months) to fellow jockey, Irwin Rosendo. Most of the time Jesiere rides Thoroughbreds but also sits aboard Quarter Horses on a few occasions and has no problems handling either breed. Thus far she has ridden for noteworthy trainers, Todd Fincher, Guadalupe Muñoz, Jr. and Vilma De La Cruz. “I started riding Thoroughbreds in Puerto Rico because that’s what is there,” the attractive jockey said. When the Sunland Park Racetrack meet ends (April 13) you may expect to see Medina riding at Ruidoso Downs Race Track, which begins its meet, Friday, May 22. Park Race Track and Casino in Hobbs. As for her goals as a jockey she “I try hard to learn to ride better with would like to become a leading rider in New Mexico – at Sunland, Ruidoso and Zia each day,” Medina said. “And I also try to set a good example for other upcoming female jockeys.” A former sports editor for the Ruidoso News, Michael Curran moved to Ruidoso from his native Pittsburgh having never seen a horse race, yet has become an enthusiastic supporter and writer about the Sport of Kings. The sometime political writer likes nothing more than spending time on the backside of a track, digging up stories that might pass others by.

It’s in the blood

By Ty Wyant

Could it be happening again? By Ty Wyant

Spit Curl Jess has had eight crops of racing age offspring with 13 stakes he Rodrigo Covarrubia-owned winners. He is the sire of 2010 chamand -trained Pure D Spit, a horse pion aged mare and champion aged who has made 16 starts in the horse Spit Curl Diva. She returned in claiming ranks, is emerging as a horse 2011 to once again take the champion to be reckoned with in the upper aged mare title. She earned $829,353 stakes ranks. and won 19 races. Pure D Spit, appreciated at 5-2 Pure D Spit is the second-leading odds, pulled away to win the Grade 2, money earner sired by Spit Curl Jess $57,120 Eastex Stakes, placing himself with $272,560 in earnings. among the top stakes horses at RemPure Princess, the dam of Pure D ington Park. A horse who shuns the Spit, is a winning daughter of Pure D whip, the gelding won by one-andDash. The Dash For Cash-sired Pure D Pure D Spit winning the Grade 2 Eastex Stakes, one-half lengths under a hand ride. Dash is also the sire of A Long GoodMarch 8 at Remington Park. He went five-for-five at Remington bye, who set a 440-yard world record Photo courtesy of Dustin Orona Photography Park last spring in starter-allowance of 20.686 seconds while winning the races with each win at a longer distance than the previous vic2005 Grade 1 MBNA Sunland Park Challenge. tory. He then stepped up at Prairie Meadows to win the $51,750 Pure D Spit is the only starter out of Pure Princess, who also Keokuk Stakes and then finished second in the Grade 1, $75,000 produced two paint foals. Refrigerator Handicap. The black type of the bottom side of Pure D Spit’s pedigree Remember JRC Callas First, last year’s world champion? is under the third dam Silver Rockets. She is a Rocket Wrangler Last year, he won six stakes. His wins included the Refrigerator daughter who won the Butch Hill Memorial Futurity. Handicap and the Grade 1, $150,480 Zia Park Championship. He Silver Rockets produced two stakes winners and one stakeswrapped up his season with a fourth-place run as the favorite in placed runner. the Grade 1, $350,000 The Championship at Sunland Park. The pair of stakes winners are each geldings. Good Day Yawl A year ago at this time, JRC Callas First was a virtual unwon the Grade 2 Kansas Jackpot Futurity while Yeah Im A Rocker known. Now he’s the world champion. In 2013, he raced at the won the Expo Square Stakes. $5,000 maiden claiming level with no takers, before winning and The stakes-placed runner is Signed In Silver, second in the moving up to the conditioned $10,000-claiming level. He made Land Run Stakes. She is the dam of three-time graded stakes winhis stakes debut and gained his first stakes win in March 2014. ner Silver Fastbac, who earned $118,448. Pure D Spit’s pedigree is loaded with line breeding. He is There is an adage: A runner can come bred 4S x 3D to Dash For Cash, 5S x 4D to Raise Your Glass, 5S x from anywhere. That has been reinforced in 4D x 4D to Rocket Wrangler, 5S x 4D to Find A Buyer (tb), 5D x 5D the past year. to Rocket Bar (tb) and 5D x 5D to Go Galla Go. Each one of those horses helped shape Quarter Horse racing and provide a solid Ty Wyant has been covering racing since foundation for Pure D Spit’s pedigree. 1976. He is currently the media relations The 7-year-old Pure D Spit is sired by the Mr Jess Perry son director for Ruidoso Downs and Zia Park, Spit Curl Jess, winner of the 2004 Grade 1, $106,530 Heritage and the curator of the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame. Place Derby.

uqua Tax and Financial Management Anna Fuqua Enrolled Agent

anna.fuqua@hotmail.com Ruidoso Downs, NM 88346 • 575-937-6849 Tax Preparation • Bookkeeping Business Startup • Payroll Services SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 13

March 25 Politicaly Correct moves into poll

American Quarter Horse Association

The second AQHA RacingHorseplayernow.com National Poll of 2015 welcomed a newcomer to the rankings when Politicaly Correct debuted at No. 8 this week. The gelded son of world champion Apollitical Jess stormed to victory in Saturday’s $268,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park to run his record to 3-for-3 on the young season. This week’s rankings continue to be topped by Matabari, who opened the season at No. 1 a week ago on the strength of her win in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship (Grade 1). The top of the poll for 3-year-olds and older remained intact this week with Moonist, Ynot Walk, Jesscuzican and Daytona B rounding out the top five. While the national rankings for 2-year-olds will debut later in the spring, Tee Chic and Mayleen PYC made loud opening statements this past weekend by capturing the Oklahoma Futurity (Grade 2) and Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity (Grade 3), respectively. National rankings, 3-year-olds & older 1. MATABARI (100) 2. MOONIST (92) 3. YNOT WALK (70) 4. JESSCUZICAN (64) 5. DAYTONA B (50) 6. SEIZE THE WIN (45) 7. PURE D SPIT (33) 8. POLITICALY CORRECT (28) 9. QUIRKY (27) 10. JESSES FIRST DOWN (19) Apollitical Zoom (16), Moonin The Eagle (16), Jake Gold BR (7), 14 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

JLS Dashn And Zoomn (7), Moonstruck Love (5), Downwiththequickness (5), Cartels Big Gun (4), Well And Good (4), Streak Hitter (2), The Ocean King (2) Voting panel: Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos) Martha Claussen (Wrangler Racing Ace) Mike Cusortelli (SureBet Racing News/Stallionesearch.com) Tom Dawson (Sports Television Producer) Dale Day (Remington Park) Ben Hudson (TRACK Magazine) Mike Joyce (TVG) Jeremy Plonk (Horse Player NOW) Jerry Shottenkirk (Horse Player NOW) Terry Turrell (Horse Player NOW) Ty Wyant (Ruidoso Downs)

Catherine, Rebecca and Clair in Keller, Texas; and Brandie Mustian, who lives with husband Mike, son Maddox and daughter Myla in Weatherford, Texas.

First Vice President Sandy Arledge

Sandy Arledge of Encinitas, California, was Congratulations to the five newly elected elected first vice presimembers of the 2015-2016 AQHA Execu- dent of AQHA. She has tive Committee. From left to right, First been an AQHA director Vice President Sandy Arledge; Member since 1997 and elevated Dr. Jim Heird; AQHA President Dr. Glenn to director emeritus in Blodgett; Member Stan Weaver; Second 2011. She has served Vice President Ralph Seekins. on the membership, Journal photo shows and professional horsemen, judges, stud Ranching and Marketing and book and registration and Hall Membership councils. of Fame selection committees. Dr. Blodgett received his Arledge also served on the bachelor’s degree in animal March 9 nominations and credentials science from Oklahoma State committee and served as the New AQHA Executive University and earned his committee’s chairwoman in Committee degree in veterinary medicine 2010. She has served on the American Quarter Horse from Texas A&M University, and Foundation council and curAssociation he has since been recognized rently serves on the animal The members of the welfare commission. as an outstanding alumnus by 2015-2016 AQHA Executive both universities. She received her bachelor’s Committee were elected at the In 1982, Dr. Blodgett degree from San Diego State 2015 AQHA Convention in Fort became the resident veterinarUniversity and her Juris Doctor Worth, Texas. This five-person ian and manager of the horse degree from the University of committee is responsible division at the Four Sixes Ranch. San Diego School of Law. for implementing important In his tenure at the Four Sixes, Arledge is active in the decisions by AQHA members Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Asthrough the Association’s board which is located near Guthrie, Texas, the ranch has become sociation and California Horse of directors. an all-time leading breeder of Council. She owned and operboth racing and performance ated Sandy Arledge Quarter President American Quarter Horses, and Horses and was a general partDr. Glenn Blodgett in 1993, won the AQHA Best ner and manager of Far West Dr. Glenn Blodgett of GuthRemuda Award. In addition to Farms, a full-service boarding rie, Texas, became an AQHA its cattle, the horse operation facility in Del Mar, California. She director in 1991, and in 2011, raises racing, performance and has bred and trained numerous elevated to director-at-large. Dr. ranch horses. Dr. Blodgett is AQHA world champions and reBlodgett served on the AQHA the recipient of the 2011 AQHA serve world champions. She was Stud Book and Registration Racing Council Special Recognamed the 2010 Professional’s Committee and as its chairnition Award. Choice Professional Horsewomman. He also served on the He and his wife, Karen, an of the Year. American Quarter Horse Hall of have two daughters: Buffie She was inducted into the Fame Selection Committee and Pacific Quarter Horse AssociaGuynes, who lives with husthe American Quarter Horse tion Hall of Fame this year. band Michael and daughters Foundation, and the AQHA

New Mexico-owned Materiality wins Florida Derby, next stop should be as one of Kentucky Derby favorites March 28

is a former chairman of the New Mexico Racing Commission. The New Mexico-owned Materiality Moutray and Harrell decided in 2009 showed maturity beyond his two starts to to form a partnership after Moutray had win the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby liquidated his stable in the mid-1990s. on Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park They named their stable Alto Racing. near Miami and become one of the favorMateriality, facing graded stakes ites in the Grade 1, $2 million Kentucky competition for the first time, fought UpDerby on the first Saturday in May. start in a classic stretch duel to take the Materiality is owned by Gil Moutray one-and-one-eighth mile Florida Derby and Eddie Harrell, who each own homes by one-and-one-half lengths. in Alto, New Mexico. Alto is located a The race gives Materiality enough few miles north of Ruidoso and each points to earn a Kentucky Derby startare regulars at Ruidoso Downs. Moutry’s grandfather raced horses in New Mexico, ing spot and his rapid advancement in his father was a founding member of the just three races makes him one of the Ruidoso Down’s Jockey Club and Moutray favorites.

Second Vice President Ralph Seekins

director for Colorado in 2009 and became a Texas director Ralph Seekins of Fairbanks, in 2011. He has served on the judges, international and show Alaska, has been an AQHA committees. Dr. Heird was chair director since 2006 for Washof the judges, show and interington/Alaska. Seekins has served on the AQHA marketing national committees as well as the show council and animal and membership committee, the Foundation council and the welfare commission. He is a former extension AQHA public policy committee. horse specialist for North Seekins began his assoCarolina; instructor/profesciation with American Quarsor at Texas Tech University in ter Horses in 1995 when his Lubbock; and has held various daughters convinced him and dean/director positions at Colohis wife, Connie, that they really rado State University for the needed horses. His early years colleges of ag sciences, equine with horses included ranch sciences and business. Dr. work and sprint racing. The first two horses for the Seekins Heird is currently the executive family were home-trained and professor and coordinator of equine initiatives at Texas A&M went on to earn AQHA open championships, AQHYA cham- University. He has been an AQHA pionships, AQHYA supreme judge since 1977 and has champion titles and one youth judged 13 AQHA World versatility award. Championship Shows, multiple For more than 13 years, the international championships Seekins family has used their American Quarter Horses in the and two National Reining Horse Association Futurities. Helping Hooves therapeutic riding program for riders with Member disabilities.

Member Dr. Jim Heird

Dr. Jim Heird of College Station, Texas, was an AQHA

Stan Weaver

Stan Weaver of Big Sandy, Montana, has been an AQHA director since 2011. He has served as a member of the

Materiality was unraced as a twoyear-old in 2014 and no horse has won the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old since Apollo in 1882. “I think that streak has to be broken at some point,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. A $400,000 2-year-old purchase, Materiality won his debut at six furlongs and then took a minor stakes at one-and-oneeighth mile in his second start. “But you don’t see horses win their second start off one six-furlong maiden win and go a mile and an eighth in exceptional time. I think he stamped himself as a very legitimate horse at that point. It takes a special one to do that.”

studbook and registration, public policy and Hall of Fame selection committees and the marketing and membership and ranching councils. He has been the chair of the ranching council since 2011. Weaver is a Ranching Heritage Breeder and is also a 31-year breeder of more than 1,400 foals. He owns and operates Weaver Cattle Co. and Weaver Order Buying, a cattle brokerage firm. Weaver is involved with the Big Sandy Public School Board, North Central Montana Stockgrowers, Montana Reined Cow Horse Futurity, Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame, Montana Quarter Horse Association, Montana Land & Mineral Owners and County Livestock Protection Association. Weaver received the award for the Montana Quarter Horse Association 1997 Ranch of the Year. Weaver Cattle Co. was recognized as the 2014 Montana State University Family Business of the Year in the business category for operations in existence at least 50 years. AQHA News and information is a

service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @ AQHARacing on Twitter, “like” Q-Racing on Facebook and visit www.aqharacing.com.

Oklahoma City, OK March 22 Oklahoma Hall of Fame owner/breeder Don McNeill passes Don McNeill, the Edmond, Oklahoma-based commodities broker with a lifelong love for breeding and racing horses, passed on Saturday, March 21. McNeill grew up on his family farm in Thomas, Okla. and immersed himself in the business of breeding racehorses at a young age. Once Pari-mutuel wagering became legal in Oklahoma in the early 1980s, McNeill was immediately involved in supporting the state’s newest sport. When Remington Park opened in 1988, McNeill Stables was primed for victory in its home state. Under the guidance of trainer, Donnie Von Hemel, McNeill runners won four races in the track’s first season. In the second season, SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 15

BACK SEAT ROLL ($276,114) FOUR TIME STAKES WINNER Never off the board in eight career starts!

SIRE OF NEW MEXICO’S 2014 CHAMPION TWO YEAR OLD FILLY UNDEFEATED TWIXY ROLL ($205,328) 17% Blacktype stakes horses from starters, including: LAKEHOUSE FUN ($258,717), HENNESEY SMASH ($252,006), KISS MY HENNESSEY ($246,592), ROLL OUT THE BAND ($231,008), etc.

ROLL HENNESSY ROLL HENNESSY - ROLL OVER BABY, BY ROLLIN ON OVER

2015 Fee: $3,500

16 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Inquires to Fred Alexander (915) 539-2176 Office: (915) 539-0040 Fax: (575) 882-1235 • Email: aahorseranch1@aol.com 1713 W. Washington, Anthony, NM 88021 • www.aaranch.org

N E W M E X I C O ’ S T O P T H O R O U G H B R E D S TA L L I O N F O R 2 0 1 4

Nationally Ranked Among North America’s Top 10 Third Crop Sires by Cumulative Earnings, #2 by Blacktype Winners (6), Co-third by Blacktype Horses (10) Led ALL NORTH AMERICAN SIRES by 2YO Stakes Winners in 2014 with 6 Sire of leading stakes winners: THAT’S THE IDEA ($291,275), LIBERTY LOVER ($282,861, to 3, 2015), MAYS OR MANTLE, MUY RAPIDO, HUMARUMBA, RAIDER RED, etc.

DIABOLICAL artax - bonnie byerly, by dayjur

Adam Coglianese

2015 Fee: $6,000

Inquires to Fred Alexander (915) 539-2176 Office: (915) 539-0040 Fax: (575) 882-1235 • Email: aahorseranch1@aol.com 1713 W. Washington, Anthony, NM 88021 • www.aaranch.org

SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 17

#1 NEW MEXICO SIRE IN 2015



2015 PEPPER’S PRIDE EXACTA



1ST RENEWED VOWS 2014 NM Champion 3YO Filly

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2ND LITTLE VIDALIA 2014 NM Champion Older Mare

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19 Blacktype horses, 10 Blacktype winners, including: THERMAL ($333,465, multiple stakes winner, multiple stakes placed at 2, 3 & 4); LITTLE VIDALIA ($315,364, multiple stakes winner), REAPER ($307,460, four time stakes winner), RENEWED VOWS ($264,644, multiple stakes winner, winner of last five starts), HUSH’S STORM ($263,821, multiple stakes winner), etc.

ATTILA’S STORM FOREST WILDCAT-SWEET SYMMETRY, BY MAGESTERIAL

2015 Fee: $3,000

18 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Inquires to Fred Alexander (915) 539-2176 Office: (915) 539-0040 Fax: (575) 882-1235 • Email: aahorseranch1@aol.com 1713 W. Washington, Anthony, NM 88021 • www.aaranch.org

A LEADING SECOND CROP SIRE IN NA

SOUTHWESTERN HEAT GONE WEST - XTRA HEAT, BY DIXIELAND HEAT

2015 Fee: $2,500

NEW MEXICO’S CHAMPION FIRST CROP SIRE 2014 

Sire of 2015 Stakes Winner SOUTHERN FIRE Winner of Sunland’s Pepsi Cola S.

  

21% Stakes Horses from Starters

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Top 24 Second Crop Sire by Cumulative Earnings Sire of more stakes horses than second crop sires ESKENDEREYA, SUMMER BIRD, HOLD ME BACK, TALE OF EKATI, etc. Sire of juvenile stakes horses Baby Vamp and Gator Heat

Inquires to Fred Alexander (915) 539-2176 Office: (915) 539-0040 Fax: (575) 882-1235 • Email: aahorseranch1@aol.com 1713 W. Washington, Anthony, NM 88021 • www.aaranch.org

SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 19

the spring of 1989, one McNeill homebred would make history. Clever Trevor, already a top local runner as a 2-year-old, became the first winner of the Oklahoma Derby, known originally as the Remington Park Derby. The triumph catapulted the gelding, by Slewacide from the McNeill mare Little Mary Beans, and his connections into a successful tour of North America in 1989. Clever Trevor finished 13th behind Horse of the Year Sunday Silence in the Kentucky Derby but would rebound to win the St. Paul Derby at Canterbury Downs in Minnesota and the Arlington Classic in Chicago. In defeat, Clever Trevor may have run his best career race, leading the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in upstate New York before the Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer could run him down in the final strides. Clever Trevor earned more than $1 million dollars before his 3-year-old campaign was over and retired in 1992 with nearly $1.4 million in earnings. He was the first horse to earn over $1million for McNeill. A few years after Clever Trevor, another Oklahoma product bred by McNeill emerged. Mr Ross, named after McNeill’s high school football coach in Thomas, would win stakes races both sprinting and going more than a mile. He won three consecutive Oklahoma Classics in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Taking his act on the road in 2001, Mr Ross nearly swept the Oaklawn Park graded handicap series in winning the Essex, the Razorback and then running second in the Oaklawn Handicap. After a career spanning six years, Mr Ross finished in 2003 with total earnings of $1,091,046. Almost half of the money was made at Remington Park where Mr Ross won nine races from 15 starts before retiring to McNeill’s farm in Edmond, Okla. 20 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Caleb’s Posse was McNeill’s most recent national talent. He campaigned the colt with Edmond, Okla. businessman and friend Everett Dobson. After winning the 2010 Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park, he matured as a 3-yearold in 2011, winning the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown, then scoring both the Grade 2 Amsterdam and the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga. He then ran away with the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Caleb’s Posse moved to a stallion career in Kentucky, having amassed over $1.4 million on the track. McNeill’s steady plan for racing enjoyment produced three millionaires and countless exciting memories for his family as most of his runners were named after children or grandchildren. McNeill joined some of his best horses in the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Remington Park in 2012. He was the second leading owner in stakes wins at Remington Park with 17. McNeill horses were trained, nearly exclusively by Von Hemel, for over 30 years. Services are still pending for McNeill, who was in California at the time of his passing.

Canterbury Park, Shakopee, MN March 16 $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby moved to Aug. 29 Canterbury’s richest race again paired with Indian Horse Relay Championship

The $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby, the richest race of Canterbury Park’s 2015 season, will be run Saturday, Aug. 29. The one-mile turf race for

3-year-old thoroughbreds had originally been scheduled for Aug. 23 but Canterbury officials made the decision to change the date, allowing for the Mystic Lake Derby to be run on the same day as the Midwest Indian Horse Relay Championship as well as placing the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack’s premier horse race on a day that will be nationally prominent for fans of the sport. “Running the Mystic Lake Derby Aug. 29 allows us to combine the race with Indian Horse Relay and continue an event that was very popular last year,” Canterbury Park president Randy Sampson said. “That Saturday is also a prominent day nationally on the racing scene with several big races, including the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Re-positioning the Mystic Lake Derby to the same day will just add to the national excitement for horseplayers.” Indian Horse Relay, a daring display of bareback riding, is America’s oldest sport dating back more than 400 years when horses became an integral part of the cultures of Indian nations of the Great Plains. The competing relay teams, many of the best in the sport, represent various American Indian nations. Relay races will be run on the racetrack Aug. 27 and 28 with the championship held Aug. 29. “This is a great event for race fans and those seeking an exciting entertainment option. We’re proud to have developed this new tradition in partnership with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community to draw additional people to the area and expose them to this amazing heritage sport,” Sampson said. In 2012, Canterbury Park and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, owners and operators of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, entered into a cooperative marketing and purse enhancement agreement that

increases horsemen purses by $75 million over 10 years and also provides funding for cobranded promotions between Canterbury and Mystic Lake. This will be the fourth running of the Mystic Lake Derby. The 2014 winner, Long on Value, has since won graded stakes in California and Florida.

Delta Downs, Vinton, LA March 19 Hernandez, Broberg and White capture leading horsemen titles at Delta Downs Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel honored the leading horsemen for its 201415 Thoroughbred season during its closing night program which took place on March 14. Karl Broberg earned the title of leading trainer for the fourth consecutive year while Colby Hernandez and Chad White won their first titles as leading jockey and leading owner respectively at the Vinton, La. oval. Hernandez, a native of Louisiana, has been a mainstay in the jockey colony at Delta Downs since he began his career in 2006. The 26-year-old has often finished near the top of the standings but this year was a breakout season for him as he rode 108 winners from 468 mounts. He also led all jockeys in mount earnings with a total of $2,304,127. Many of Hernandez’s tallies came with horses trained by Karl Broberg. Following Hernandez in the final jockey standings were Gerard Melancon (77 wins), Diego Saenz (71), Joe Patin, Jr. (61), Donald Simington (49), Billy Patin (48), C. J. McMahon (41), Donnie Meche (35), ap-

White, who hails from Benton, Louisiana, saw 21 of his horses win this season which was one better than Maggi Moss who finished second with 20. End Zone Athletics, Inc., who is owned in partnership with leading trainer Karl Broberg and his associate Matt Johanson, finished third in the standings with 18 trips to the winner’s circle. White’s highest finish in the local owner standings had been second before this season. Delta Downs will now prepare for its 2015 American Quarter Horse season which runs from April 22 through July 11. The track will conduct live races each week at 6:15 p.m. CT on a Wednesday through Saturday schedule during the meeting. For more information about the upcoming season visit the track’s website at www. deltadownsracing.com.

Emerald Downs, Auburn, WA March 13 New owners for Emerald Downs Muckleshoot Tribe completes Emerald Downs purchase and licensing – announces new horsemen incentives and facility upgrades. From top, leading jockey Colby Hernandez, leading trainer Carl Broberg and leading owner Chad White.

The Washington Horse Racing Commission today unanimously approved a license request for Emerald Downs LLC, Photos courtesy of Coady Photography which is owned by the Muckleshoot Tribe, to operate Emerald Downs Racetrack. The Tribe has owned the 157-acre prentice Courtney Hernandez (29), and property on which Emerald Downs sits Kevin Smith (27). since 2004. The Tribe announced last NoBroberg, a 45-year-old businessman vember it had reached an agreement with turned trainer from Arlington, Texas, set Northwest Racing Associates to acquire new records this season for a trainer at Delta Downs with 91 wins and $1,641,787 and operate the racetrack. That agreement was finalized with the issuance of the racin barn earnings. The old record for wins ing license at the Horse Racing Commiswas set by Keith Bourgeois who sent out sion’s regularly scheduled meeting Friday 88 winners in 2007-08. Bourgeois also set the previous mark for earnings in 2008-09 morning at Auburn City Hall. During his testimony at the meeting when his trainees made $1,431,963. Phil Ziegler, President of Emerald Downs Rounding out the top 10 trainers in terms of wins this season were Sam Breaux Racing LLC, announced agreements with (55), Keith Bourgeois (54), Tom Amoss (36), the Northwest Racing Associates management team to remain in place and that Joey Foster (27), Shane Wilson (22), Ray Spencer (22), Allen Landry (19), Brett Brink- former track President Ron Crockett has agreed to serve as a consultant. man (17), and Scott Gelner (15). SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 21

Ziegler also announced a new Ship and Run Incentive Program whereby owners of out of state horses that qualify will receive a $400 bonus for their initial start at Emerald Downs in 2015. Emerald Downs had previously announced a package of horsemen incentives that will mean larger purses and lower costs for the 2015 live racing season. Changes are also being made to enhance the fan experience. A new big screen measuring 45’ by 30’ will be installed over the tote board to give fans an up-close view of the race from all levels of the track. Construction of the big screen will begin in the coming weeks and will be completed in early summer. Upgraded television monitors will also be installed throughout the facility. A capacity crowd at the meeting greeted the Commission’s action and announced incentive enhancements and facility upgrades with sustained applause. The 2015 live racing season, which begins April 18, promises to be one of the best in years.

Emerald Downs Racing announces Ship and Run incentive for 2015 Out of state horses will receive a $400 bonus for their initial start at Emerald Downs in 2015. The new Emerald Downs Ship and Run Incentive Program is for horses whose most recent start was outside the state and have not previously raced at Emerald Downs. In addition, horses must have started for a claiming price of $3,000 or more in each of its three previous starts. First-time starters are not eligible. “The Ship and Run Incentive Program is an effort to attract new horses to race at Emerald Downs,” said Director of Racing Bret Anderson. “It’s a great supplement to our other new incentives.” Emerald Downs previously announced that daily purse distribution would increase approximately 20 percent in 2015, along with several other horsemen incentives including an Early-Bird Move-In Bonus, reduced start-up costs, and lower fees on both dorm rentals and mechanical hotwalkers. Trainers also have the opportunity to recover up to 100 percent of per stall per day costs based on a stall efficiency factor and conservation of utilities. Additionally, every unplaced starter 22 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

will receive a $200 participation fee (up from $125) and horses competing in races at 1 1/16 miles or longer will be offered additional purse money. The 70-day live racing runs Saturday, April 18 through Sunday, Sept. 27, including 29 stakes worth $1.62 million. As of Friday, 653 horses were on the grounds – up 44 horses from the same date last year.

Emerald Downs Ship and Run incentive program Rules & eligibility •

•

A guaranteed $400 bonus will be paid to any Thoroughbred horse in its initial Emerald Downs race (stakes races included) whose most recent start was made outside the State of Washington and that has not previously started at Emerald Downs. Horses must have started for a claiming price of $3,000 or more in all of their three previous starts. First time starters are not eligible to participate in the program. The $400 bonus payment for all eligible horses will be deposited directly into the owner’s account established with the Horsemen’s Bookkeeper. Emerald Downs Racing, LLC reserves the right to determine eligibility for qualified starters. Please direct any questions about the program to the Emerald Downs Race Office.

Evangeline Downs, Opelousas, LA March 17 Michael Chamberlain to take the microphone at Evangeline Downs Other key positions filled as 50th anniversary season approaches

Evangeline Downs today announced the hiring of race caller Michael Chamberlain to be its new track announcer at the Opelousas, Louisiana racetrack beginning on April 8 when the track embarks its 50th anniversary season. The racetrack has also promoted Corey Veazey to racing secre-

tary and Ramiro Flores will start his first Thoroughbred season as track superintendent. Chamberlain, a native of New Jersey, comes to Evangeline from Turf Paradise in Arizona, where he was the full-time announcer at the Phoenix area track since 2008. A graduate of Arizona State University in 1994 with a degree in broadcast journalism, Chamberlain began his race-calling career in 1996 when he worked at Phoenix Greyhound Park before taking over the microphone at Sam Houston Race Park in 1997. He worked at the Texas racetrack for 11 years before moving back to Arizona to take the Turf Paradise announcing position. “I think that Evangeline Downs has a tremendous future ahead and I am looking forward to being an integral part of it,” said Chamberlain. “Louisiana is a great state for horse racing and I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career there.” “We are very excited about Michael joining our team at Evangeline Downs,” said Chris Warren, director of racing for Evangeline Downs and Delta Downs. “He brings a wealth of experience to the position and his colorful race calls will add a lot of excitement to each program for the fans.” Veazey, a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, has worked at Evangeline Downs for nearly 10 years and comes from a horse racing family. He began his career at Evangeline Downs in 2005 as a placing judge before taking over as the as the assistant racing secretary in 2009. Flores has worked in the racing industry for 15 years and is originally from Guatemala. He joined the Evangeline Downs team last fall for the track’s Quarter Horse season following his move to Louisiana from Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Arizona. His experience also includes extensive work in California

where he honed his track surfacing skills at various racetracks such as Del Mar, Pomona and Golden Gate Fields, where his brother-in-law Juan Meza is the track superintendent. “The talent and experience that these three men bring to our team is some of the best in the industry,” said Warren. “With their help, the upcoming meet promises to be one of the best ever as we conduct our 50th anniversary season.”

in purses. The 106 wins gave Graham his best Fair Grounds meet, a one-win improvement upon his 105 wins in the 20132014 racing season and provided him a 34-win margin of victory over his closest pursuers in the standings. Graham’s biggest win of the season came in the Grade 2 $400,000 New Orleans Handicap last Saturday aboard Call Me George, a 22-1 outsider. Not only was the New Orleans Handicap the most prestigious win of the meet For more information about the for Graham, it also marked his upcoming season at Evangeline 2,000th career win as a rider. Downs visit the track’s website New Orleans native Tom at www.evangelinedownsracAmoss captured his 11th Fair ing.com. Grounds training title and second in the last three years when recording 41 victories, six more than his closest challenger while his runners collected a meet-leading Fair Grounds Race $1.29 million in earnings from Course, New Orleans, LA 152 starts. Ranked second all March 30 time in training wins at the James Graham, Tom Fair Grounds, Amoss has now recorded 1,051 victories at his Amoss, Maggi Moss win Fair Grounds titles; hometown racecourse, second only to Hall of Famer Jack Van International Star and Berg’s estimated 1,210 local I’m A Chatterbox tie for wins. Horse of the Meet Maggi Moss once again Three players who prevailed as leading owner, teamed up for several scores with her 15 wins earning her throughout the 143rd thora fifth consecutive year atop oughbred racing season were the standings. Moss’ runners named meet champions at earned $437,695 while finishFair Grounds Race Course & ing in the Exacta 52 percent Slots where James Graham of the time. Her royal blue and was named leading rider, Tom lime green silks could be found Amoss named leading trainer in the winner’s circle after and Maggi Moss named leadseveral stakes races, including ing owner. A pair of 3-year-olds who swept the sophomore stakes in their respective divisions, International Star and I’m a Chatterbox, were named co-horses of the meet in a tied vote. James Graham, second in the Fair Grounds rider standings on four occasions, captured his first meet title at the New Orleans oval, tallying 106 wins over the 81-day meet, earning more than $3.2 million

the Thanksgiving Handicap and Bonapaw Stakes with stable star Delaunay, and with Grand Contender after capturing the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes – both runners are conditioned by leading trainer Tom Amoss. The series of Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks preps at Fair Grounds was little more than a two-horse show this season, with both International Star and I’m a Chatterbox sweeping the trio of stakes in their respective divisions, earning them the shared title of Horse of the Meet. International Star, owned by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey and conditioned by Mike Maker, posted three impressive victories this year under jockey Miguel Mena, proving best in the Grade 3 Lecomte, the Grade 2 Risen Star and the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. His counterpart in the 3-year-old filly division was Fletcher and Caryolyn Gray’s Larry Jones-trained I’m a Chatterbox, who was successfully guided to victory in three dramatically differing styles by jockey Florent Geroux in the Listed Silverbulletday Stakes, the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks. Voted on by 15 members of the media, the Fair Grounds racing office and the Fair Grounds publicity team, both International Star and I’m a Chatterbox received seven votes, with owner-trainer

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Jorge Gomez’s hard-knocking Louisiana-bred Udoknowjack receiving one vote after winning four races at the meet including Saturday’s Star Guitar Stakes.

March 28 Graham gets victory 2,000

Meet-leading rider James Graham, who has clinched his first Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots title, earned his 2,000th career victory on Saturday afternoon when guiding Clint Joiner, Matthew Bond, and Jim Curry’s Grant Forster-conditioned Call me George to win the 10th race over the New Orleans oval in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap. The native of Dublin, Ireland, scored his 64th win of 2015 in the process and is currently seventh in the nation in victories. The milestone comes on the heels of a career year in 2014 when the 35-yearold finished ninth nationally in wins. During the current 2014-15 Fair Grounds meet, the multiple graded stakeswinning rider has ridden nine

race cards in which he has scored three or more times and annexed ten stakes races – both meet-leading accomplishments. Though he scored his first career victory at Naas Racecourse in County Kildare, Ireland, Graham scored his first stateside race on July 1, 2003 on Dave McGinn’s Alan Shapoff-trained B. J. Star in a 5½-furlong claiming event at River Downs. Ascending to become one of the elite journeymen in America, Graham has won three Grade 1 races and 25 graded stakes. Thus far, his career mounts have earned more than $61 million.

Hialeah Park, Hialeah, FL March 23 Hialeah Park Hall Of Fame to add four wellknown personalities Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame Jockeys Bailey, Cordero and Santos to be inducted, recently retired track announcer Tom Durkin will also be honored Hialeah Park will add four well-known racing personalities to its Hall of Fame on Monday March 30 when Thoroughbred racing Hall of Fame jockeys Jerry Bailey, Angel Cordero, Jr., and Jose Santos join recently retired track announcer Tom Durkin for induction ceremonies at this iconic

Jockey James Graham celebrates his 2000th career victory aboard Call Me George in the New Orleans Handicap at the Fair Grounds, March 28. Photo courtesy of Lou Hodges, Jr. / Hodges Photography 24 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

racing landmark. All four will be the featured guests of Hialeah Park owner John J. Brunetti, Sr. at an evening dinner event starting at 6:30 PM on March 30 in the Citation Room at Hialeah Park Racing & Casino. Bailey, Cordero, Santos, and Durkin all have strong personal ties to Hialeah Park. The three riders enjoyed success here during their many stays and aboard their numerous mounts at Hialeah Park, while Durkin spent time in the announcer’s booth at this track before settling in for his long and historic tenure at the New York Racing Association. Bailey, who has shined in a successful post-riding career as a network commentator on major racing television broadcasts, was active between 1976 and 2006. He won with 5,893 of his 30,855 mounts and included 216 Grade 1 stakes scores and 15 Breeders’ Cup victories in his win total. Cordero has plotted a successful path as a jockey agent since hanging up his saddle in 1992. He won just over 7,000 races from 38,646 mounts during his legendary 32-year riding career. Santos tallied almost 4,100 victories from 25,928 mounts from 1984-2007. He won 7 Breeders’ Cup races and won the first two legs of the Triple Crown aboard Funny Cide in 2003. Durkin, who was honored with the Eclipse Award for Merit in January of this year, called races at Hialeah Park and six other thoroughbred tracks before moving full-time to NYRA in 1990.

Ruidoso Downs, NM March 17 2015 All American Juvenile purse surges to all-time record $200,000

by Ty Wyant

The increases in race purses keep on coming at Ruidoso Downs. As if boosting the Grade 1 All American Futurity to a world-record $3 million purse wasn’t enough, the All American Juvenile purse will be raised to $200,000 on Labor Day. That is double the $100,000 purse offered in 2014. It had an $85,000 purse in 2013. “We are honored to be able to increase the All American Juvenile to $200,000,” said Ruidoso Downs’ general manager Shaun Hubbard. “This is the directly due to the confidence that breeders and owners have in the Grade 1 stakes program at Ruidoso Downs. We truly appreciate their support.” The 440-yard All American Juvenile is for horses that did not qualify for the All American Futurity. The horses with the fastest times in the trials gain preference. There will be an also-eligible list for the Juvenile. The All American Juvenile’s purse structure awards the 10th-place finisher the amount of money paid in nomination and sustaining payments for a prospect who was among the original nominees as a year-

The All American Juvenile race at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track held as the ninth race on Labor Day 2014, featured a $100,000 purse. The juvenile race was won by JM Specialwynn, owned by the same stable as All American Futurity winner JM Miracle. The All American Juvenile purse will be raised to $200,000 on Labor Day.

ling. The top-20 qualifiers will earn enough to pay or greatly profit from their prestigious All American Futurity experience. The All American Futurity winner takes $1.5 million. A stellar group can claim to be All American Juvenile winners. Recent year winners include 2011 world champion Cold Cash 123, Oklahoma Derby winner and Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby runner-up One Valiant Hero, Grade 1 Zia Futurity winner Gonna Cha Cha, Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity runner-up Back In The Pack and Grade 2 Remington Park Derby third-place finisher Louisiana Blue Dream. The increased All American Juvenile purse is one of many recent purse enhancements at Ruidoso Downs. They come at a time when many tracks are cutting back on their purse structures. Last year, the Grade 1 All American Gold Cup was raised from $40,000 to $200,000. Also last year, three $100,000 races were added in conjunction with the three Grade 1 derbies at Ruidoso Downs. Those $100,000 races are the Mr Jess Perry, the Corona Cartel and the First Down Dash. The signature event at Ruidoso Downs, the All American

Sam Houston Race Park, Houston, TX March 19 Sam Houston Race Park 2015 American Quarter Horse stakes meet gets underway March 27

racing season. The racing season will feature 17 stakes races, including five graded stakes. The $100,000 Bank of America Texas Challenge Championship (Grade 2) is set for April 18 with the winner of the 440-yard stakes to represent Texas in the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (Grade 1) at Lone Star Park this fall. On April 25, Sam Houston Race Park will host the Sam Houston Futurity (Grade 2) and the Sam Houston Derby (Grade 3). The Sam Houston Classic (Grade 2) will be run on May 9 and the John Deere Texas Juvenile Challenge (Grade 3) will close out on the meet on May 16. Sam Houston Race Park

Live American Quarter Horse racing returns to Sam Houston Race Park on Friday, March 27. Known for their Photo courtesy of Todd Fuqua explosive starts and powerful finishes, the “world’s fastest Futurity, reaches record heights athletes” will provide plenty of this year with the $3 million thrills throughout the 24-day purse. It is the largest purse for any 2-year-old horse race in the 2015 Sam Houston Race Park world and equals the secondQuarter Horse stakes schedule highest purse for horses of any age in North America. Date Trial Date Also, the Grade 1 All March 28 American Derby is estimated to $20,000 Harris County Stakes have a $2.3 million purse, the April 3 largest purse for any Quarter $20,000 Miss Houston Stakes Horse derby. April 11 By comparison, the Ken $15,000-added Sam Houston Maiden Classic March 27 tucky Derby offers a $2 million $20,000- added Zoetis Texas Distance Challenge March 28 purse. April 18 Labor Day weekend at $100,000-added Bank of America Texas March 28 Ruidoso Downs will he historic. Challenge Championship (G2) The All American Futurity, the $20,000-added Colors of Texas Paint Maturity April 2 All American Derby, the All $20,000-added Colors of Texas Paint Futurity April 2 American Gold Cup, the All American Juvenile and the First April 25 Down Dash will be held. That’s $100,000-added Sam Houston Futurity (G2) April 4 approximately $5.8 million $35,000-added Sam Houston Derby (G3) April 3 paid in purses from just those $25,000-added Sam Houston Juvenile races held over three days. May 2 The summer season at $22,000-added Merial Texas Distaff Challenge April 17 Ruidoso Downs begins May $15,000 Texas Twister 22 with the first of two days of May 9 trials to the Grade 1, $750,000 $50,000 Sam Houston Classic (G2) Ruidoso Futurity. $25,000 Governors’ Cup Marathon Handicap For complete Ruidoso Downs’ May 15 $18,000-added Bank of America May 2 information, go to www.rac Texas Maiden Challenge eruidoso.com, visit the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino May 16 Facebook page and follow the $35,000-added John Deere Texas Juvenile Challenge April 23 Ruidoso Press Box (@RuiPres $35,000-added Adequan Texas Derby Challenge (G3) April 24 sBox) on Twitter. SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 25

racing secretary Fred Hutton is pleased with the stall applications from horsemen and looks forward to the upcoming live racing season. “The Sam Houston Quarter Horse meet has always been a springboard for exceptional horses,” said Hutton. “We look forward to hosting a competitive meet with quality fields.” Hutton notes that a special early post time for Saturday, April 4 will be announced soon to accommodate a full day of trials for the Sam Houston Futurity. “We have a significant number of 2-year-olds eligible for the Sam Houston Futurity and will move our post time accordingly,” added Hutton. Post times are set for Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m. Special afternoon matinees are set for Saturday, May 2 (Kentucky Derby); Sunday, May 10, (Mother’s Day) and Saturday, May 16, (Preakness), the final day of the meet. Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertainment facility, located just 15 minutes from downtown Houston, and offers a variety of attractions including 16 recently renovated luxury suites overlooking the race track, The Pavilion Centre, and awardwinning dining options at the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and Jockey Club. For more information on upcoming shows, events and tickets, please visit www. shrp.com.

Other notable highlights March 11 from the 2015 season include: Handle and attendance Average field size increase • gains highlight 2015 5 percent to 8.4 runners Sam Houston Race Park per race Thoroughbred meet Cassatt named Horse of the • Daily purses averaged $167,900 per day, a slight Meet; DeShawn Parker takes decrease over 2014 first riding title

Total handle for the recently concluded 32-day Thoroughbred meet at Sam Houston Race Park increased more than 15 percent totaling $51,258,598 in 2015 up from $44,493,991 in 2014. 2015 also marked the fourth consecutive year of average daily handle gains for the annual thoroughbred season. Total average daily handle ticked up to $1,601,537 for the meet. “This was another successful Thoroughbred racing season with many notable gains,” said Sam Houston Race Park president, Andréa Young. “We were very pleased to top the $2 million mark seven times this season compared to just once in 2014. Without a doubt, the success and the excitement surrounding this meet continue to build.” Racing fans in Houston and across the country continued to take note of Sam Houston Race Park for its industrylow 12 percent take-out of multi-race wagers including the Pick 3 and Pick 4. This marked the second consecutive year of increases in handle of these wagers. Total multirace wagers exceeded $6.23 million in 2015, an increase of 22 percent.

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Live attendance for Friday and Saturday increased to a daily average of 6,622, 8 percent over the 6,182 daily average from 2014. The largest weekend of the season came on March 6 and 7, when Sam Houston Race Park hosted the fourth annual Camel and Ostrich Races, adding Zebras for this year’s festivities. The highly entertaining weekend attracted a crowd of 24,568, topping the recordsetting attendance of 23,685 last year, and up significantly from 18,231 fans in 2013.

Cassatt named 2015 Horse of the Meet

Cassatt, winner of the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic, the richest Thoroughbred race in Texas, was named 2015 Horse of the Meet at Sam Houston Race Park. The daughter of Tapit is owned by Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farms, Inc. and trained by Larry Jones. Her Houston Ladies Classic victory was the third stakes in a row for the striking grey filly. She captured the $300,000 Zia Oaks and followed that with a victory in the Tiffany Lass at Fair Grounds on December 21. Bred in Kentucky by Mt Brilliant Farm, Cassatt’s record

stands at 6 wins from 9 starts. The winner’s share of $232,800 from the Houston Ladies Classic vaulted her career earnings to $603,033. Under a confident ride by her regular rider Kerwin Clark, the daughter of Tapit out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Justenufftime, defeated seven rivals in the Houston Ladies Classic. Breaking sharply from the far outside post, Cassatt went immediately to the lead, covering fractions of :24.29; 47.85; 1:11.91 and holding off a huge late run from Angelica Zapata. Cassatt held on by a neck completing the mile and one-sixteenth stakes over a fast main track in 1:44.96. Jones, who won four of his five stakes this season at Sam Houston Race Park, has been patient with Cassatt acknowledging that she is a late-developing filly, very similar to 2013 Houston Ladies Classic champion, Joyful Victory. “We had a weird start to her career; had to do a lot of jumping around,” said Jones. “She has those cotton-picking nerves, but now we’re getting in a good rhythm.” Jones is taking the same route with Cassatt as he did in 2013 with Joyful Victory, pointing to the Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Margarita on Saturday, March 14. She arrived in California on Tuesday to prepare for the mile and one-eighth stakes. “If we get another grade 1 winner out of this race it will make Sam Houston look good!,” said the affable horseman.

Providing Multimedia, Advertising, Marketing and Design Services P.O. Box 7261  Ruidoso, NM 88355 575.937.6113 or 575.937.6849  By appointment only 26 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Steve Asmussen notches his seventh Leading Trainer title in Houston

money statistic. Parker won two stakes this meet, guiding the Ghost is Clear to victory in the The leading owner, trainer $50,000 Sam Houston Sprint Cup Stakes for Mike Maker and and jockey awards were also I am Jane Dough in the $50,000 presented on the final day of the meeting. Steve Asmussen, Tomball Stakes for Pish. Parker, 44, was born in Cinwon his seventh training title at cinnati, Ohio and is the all-time the Houston racetrack, finishleading rider at Mountaineer ing the meet with 28 wins. He Park. He celebrated a career was honored as top trainer milestone in Houston, winning here in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, the 4,700th race of his career on 2005 and 2014. Jan. 20. Danny Pish finished sec“I was lucky to ride for great ond with 22 wins, followed by horsemen, ” said Parker. “My Shea Stuart with 13 victories agent Billy Johnson did a great and Bret Calhoun, who won 12 job. I worked hard and rode a races. lot of nice horses. This is a really “It’s always nice to win a nice racetrack, and the people title,” said Asmussen. “I’ve had a here have been so good to me.” lot of luck at Sam Houston and David Cabrera, who was an have always been pleased with apprentice last year, was second their track surfaces.” in the standings with 38 wins. With racing operations The 22-year-old native of Guaacross the country, the twonajuato, Mexico is a jockey to time Eclipse Award winning watch with leading rider titles at conditioner relied on his longLone Star Park and Retama Park time assistant, Pablo Ocampo, in 2014. Lindey Wade, leading to oversee the Houston barn. rider as Sam Houston in 2011, “He does a tremendous finished third with 34 victories job,” said Asmussen of Ocampo, and Gerardo Mora, who won who ran the Houston string the title in 2013 and 2014, was and will head next to Lone Star fourth with 32 wins. Park. “Without a doubt, Pablo Parker will return to Mounhas played an important role in taineer Park to ride on Saturday each of the Houston titles.” and will also have mounts at Turfway Park in Florence, Ken.

Keene. “I expected a little better meet, but we were lucky to get what we got. It’s a pretty short meet, but the facilities are really good and the track surfaces are excellent.” Keene, who owns a plumbing contractor company in McKinney, Texas, has been involved in Thoroughbred racing for less than five years. He was honored as leading owner of the 2013 Lone Star Park meet and tied with Karl Broberg as leading owner in 2014. Steve Asmussen was second in the owner standings with 14 wins and George Bryant followed with seven victories.

Turf Paradise, Phoenix, AZ March 18 Jonathan Horowitz named new track announcer as Michael Chamberlain goes to Louisiana

the management, my co-workers, the horsemen, and all the fans at Turf Paradise. Six years went by so fast, but I loved every minute of it. Whatever the future may hold, I will always take pride in saying I was the announcer at Turf Paradise. It is a special group of people that work here and I will miss everyone. ”Horowitz and Chamberlain have been friends for several years. Horowitz is pictured on the left; Chamberlain on the right. In fact, Horowitz has served as guest announcer at Turf on several occasions. Jonathan called his first thoroughbred race at Turf Paradise when he was 14 as a guest announcer back in February of 2000. As a teen he practiced at the track while sitting in the stands. The track announcer at the time overheard Jonathan and management decided to let him call a race. Horowitz continued to practice and after getting his master’s degree, he went on to call races professionally in Colorado (Arapahoe Park) and New Mexico (Zia Park). Turf Paradise General Manager Vince Francia said, “This is certainly a bittersweet changing of the guard. We welcome Johnathan to the Turf family as we say goodbye to our good friend Michael Chamberlain.”

Jonathan Horowitz is the new track announcer at Turf Deshawn Parker earns first Paradise now that Michael Sam Houston riding title Danny Keene Wins Second Chamberlain has been named Jockey Deshawn Parker Owner of the Meet Title the announcer at Evangeline made his Sam Houston Race Texas businessman Danny Downs in Park debut last year, finishing a Keene won his second Sam Opelousas, close second in the standings to Houston Race Park leadLouisiana. defending champion Gerardo ing owner title with 15 wins. ChamberMora. The respected veteran Keene’s winners were a mix of lain has been came to Texas to ride for trainer maidens and allowance runners the voice of Turf Eric Reed, but quickly caught with several horses winning Paradise since the attention of horsemen more than once, including 2008. Before and returned to Houston with stable star Internet Success that, he was the plenty of business. With support with a perfect three-for-three track announcer from many trainers, including record this meet. at Sam Houston Reed, Steve Asmussen, Danny Keene entrusted Shea Stu- Race Park for Pish and Travis Short, Parker be- art to train the majority of his 11years. gan the 2015 meet in the lead runners and while a few horses ChamJonathan Horowitz, at left, new track announcer and finished the season with 55 were conditioned by Stuart’s berlain said, “I at Turf Paradise as Michael Chamberlain (right) wins. He was the leading rider father, Clint. would like to heads to Evangeline Downs, La. “I’m tickled to death with in money earned with $657,746 say a sincere the job Shea did for us,” said and a stellar 51 percent in the thank you to Courtesy photo SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 27

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RACE RECAPS - QUARTER HORSE PHOTO CREDITS: ARIZONA: Turf Paradise: Coady Photography ARKANSAS: Oaklawn Park: Coady Photography CALIFORNIA: Del Mar: © Benoit Photo Golden Gate Fields: Vassar Photography Los Alamitos Race Course: Scott Martinez Santa Anita Race Park: © Benoit Photo COLORADO: Arapahoe Park: Coady Photography FLORIDA: Hialeah Park: Coady Photography IOWA: Prairie Meadows Racetrack: Jack Coady/ Coady Photography LOUISIANA: Delta Downs: Nicole Walker/Coady Photography Evangeline Downs Racetrack: Courtesy of Evangeline Downs Fair Grounds: Hodges Photography Louisiana Downs: Natalie Glyshaw/ Hodges Photography MINNESOTA: Canterbury Park: Coady Photography NEW MEXICO: Ruidoso Downs Race Track: Ty Wyant/ Roberta Harris/Todd Fuqua Sunland Park: Coady Photography SunRay Park: Coady Photography The Downs at Albuquerque: Coady Photography Zia Park: Coady Photography OKLAHOMA: Remington Park: Dustin Orona Photography Will Rogers Downs: Courtesy of Will Rogers Downs OREGON: Portland Meadows: Courtesy of Portland Meadows TEXAS: Lone Star Park: Dustin Orona Photography Retama Park: Courtesy of Retama Park Sam Houston Race Park: Coady Photography WASHINGTON: Emerald Downs: Courtesy of Emerald Downs

Girls Can Fly

CALIFORNIA

Home from post five. Only a nose separated the two mares during the first half of the race, but Girls Can Fly eventually began to increase her advantage with each stride. At the end, Girls Can Fly held off Bring Me Home by a neck, while covering the distance in a time of :17.745. Veronica Gail Worth’s Zigfield Follies, a finalist in Los Alamitos Race the Grade 1 Southern California Derby last Course, Cypress, CA year, followed them in third place with Bearing A Secret, Barrel Babe and One March 28 Girls Can Fly lives up to her name Prompt JJ completing the field. After winning her only start as a 2-yearin Irvine Handicap at Los Al old, Girls Can Fly finished in the top four in After Ed Allred’s Girls Can Fly won her all but one of her next six outings. However, first and only start during her 2-year-old her second career victory did not occur campaign in 2013, trainer Scott Willoughby until she scored in a conditioned allowance believed that she was on her way to berace here on Dec. 14, 2014. Having now coming one of the barn’s top fillies. added a stakes victory to her resume, Girl “She’s been a hard knocking (runner), Can Fly’s racing future is bright. She could but little problems kept her from winning make her next start in the Miss Princess races,” Willoughby said. “She almost fell Handicap for fillies and mares at 350 yards (when stumbling at the start of her race on on May 11 and of course, there’s California Jan. 23).” Breeders Champions Night in late July. Now at 4-years-old, Girls Can Fly has “We’ll see what’s next for her,” Wilturned the corner based on her last two loughby said. “She had this race to deal starts. The Foose mare was the runner-up with first.” in the Elan Again Handicap on February A winner in three of 11 career starts, 28 before returning with an impressive Girls Can Fly earned $8,250 for the win to wire-to-wire victory in the $15,000 Irvine take her career earnings to $30,205. She’s Handicap on Saturday night at Los Alamifinished in the top three in seven of those tos. The Allred-bred sprinter defeated a starts. field that included Zigfield Follies, which had previously beaten Girls Can Fly by a March 22 half-length in the Elan Again. Moonist back to his winning Ridden by Carlos Huerta, Girls Can Fly flew out of the gate from post number ways in Katella Handicap two, but so did Marta Pilling’s Bring Me Ron and Jeryl Hartley’s Moonist, a twoSureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 29

Moonist

time AQHA champion last year, began a new winning streak after scoring a solid ¾ length victory over Scott Lewis Handicap winner Well And Good in the $20,000 Katellla Handicap at Los Alamitos. Ridden by Cesar De Alba for trainer John Cooper, Moonist won nine races in a row between March 16, 2014 and Jan. 25, 2015 before his bid for a 10th straight victory was spoiled by the millionaire champion Matabarist in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Championship on February 15. Leaving the gate from post number one, Moonist returned to the winner’s circle thanks to this blue-collar effort in the Katella at 350 yards. Now a winner of 15 of 23 career starts, the Separatist gelding covered the 350 yards in the meet’s fastest time of :17.484. Moonist has won 13 of his last 16 starts. “He had a little bobble a few steps out of the gate and when I saw that my heart just started beating fast,” Ron Hartley said. “Then I saw that Cesar started asking him to run and the horse responded. It was great to see. The horse just took off from there. He’s a once in a lifetime type of a horse.” “He wanted to go out,” De Alba said. “I had a hold of him, but I had to let him drift a little 30 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

BV Jesse James

bit to let him run. He was looking for the competition. It was a good race back.” Moonist became the first horse to win four derbies at Los Alamitos last season after taking the El Primero Del Ano Derby, Governor’s Cup Derby, Golden State Derby, and PCQHRA Breeders Derby in 2014. For his tremendous campaign, he was voted the AQHA champion 3-year-old and champion 3-year-old gelding. The PCQHRA also honored him as California’s Horse of the Year and top 3-year-old gelding. “Horses like this don’t come along very often,” Cooper said. The $11,000 first place share of the Katella purse moved Moonist’s career earnings over the half-million mark. Out of the champion Your First Moon, Monist has now earned $503,084 in his outstanding career. “(Moonist) was looking for the competition “We were going to have to work him or we could run him,” Hartley added.” He was feeling pretty good so we said ‘let’s run.’ We’re now pointing him to the trials to the Vessels Maturity (on June 14). “ “He came up to this race in good form,” Cooper continued. “There are only so many races in a horse, just like there are

only so many fights in a man, but if we didn’t run him now and waited until it was closer (to the Vessels trials) and something was to happen, then we couldn’t run him.” The Vessels Maturity final will be held on Sunday, July 5 and it offers a starting berth to the prestigious Grade 1, $500,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos. Ed Allred’s Well And Good, the winner of the Scott Lewis at 550 yards, finished strongly to outduel Cypress Handicap winner Unchangeable for second place. Ridden by Carlos Huerta for trainer Scott Willoughby, Well And Good earned $4,500 in the Katella. He’s now earned $94,159 in his 15-race career. Ron and Ronnie Keller’s Unchangeable earned $2,500 for third place. Another Storm and New Look completed the field.

OKLAHOMA

Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK March 29 BV Jesse James handles first out in almost a year Oklahoma-breds were

featured in a quick 250-yard allowance Sunday at Remington Park. BV Jesse James was favored in the $30,100 event, despite the fact it was his first official pari-mutuel race since April 2014. The horse handled the pressure, getting a quick start and going on to win by a neck. Owned by Oscar Padilla of Kingfisher, Okla. and trained by Oscar Nunez, BV Jesse James was ridden by Agustin Silva. The 5-year-old horse had not raced since an allowance score at Remington Park nearly a year ago. BV Jesse James handled the distance in :13.091 over the fast track. The betting favorite at 3-1 odds, BV Jesse James paid $8 to win, $6 to place and $3.80 to show. Royal Rhythm was second and paid $9 to place and $5.60 to show. Flyen To The Finish was third and paid $7 to show. The win for BV Jesse James is the third from 10 career starts. A horse by Ivory James from the Willie Wanta Dash mare Chicks Wanta Dash, BV Jesse James made $17,790 for the win off the layoff, to run his overall earnings to $63,465. Remington Park features a three-night race week April 2-4, with no racing on Easter Sunday. Thursday, April 2 racing

RACE RECAPS - QUARTER HORSE

Dashin Brown Streak

him he just really responded powerfully. I think I was probably two lengths in front. The last half of the race I just let him coast. He actually pricked his ears and kind of let up on me but he had the race well in hand and was very impressive.” The Leo Stakes was the fourth consecutive win for Dashin Brown Streak who has not lost in since beginning the streak in September 2014 at Will Rogers Downs. The Leo Stakes is the second straight stakes triumph in the win streak March 28 for Dashin Brown Streak who Dashin Brown Streak won the Sam’s Town Stakes at flies to impressive Leo Evangeline Downs, in Louisiana Stakes win in December. The initial Grade 1 stakes Dashin Brown Streak held race of the Remington Park off Testing The Ice who settled season went to Dashin Brown for second and Wagon Tales, Streak as he came in from the 8-5 wagering favorite, who his Louisiana base to take ran third. Dashin Brown Streak the $101,120 Leo Stakes. The crossed the finish in :19.636 5-year-old gelding was triumseconds over a fast track. phant in easy fashion, winning Away at 4-1 odds, Dashin by a half-length after holding Brown Streak paid $10.20 to a wide-open lead midway win, $6 to place and $4.20 through the 400 yards. to show. Testing The Ice paid Owned by the Keller, Texas $35.80 to place and $19.60 to partnership of the Estate of show. Wagon Tales returned $3 C.W. Navarre and Melvin Hatley, to show. Dashin Brown Streak is trained The Leo Stakes was the by John Brasseaux and was rid- 10th career win from 17 atden by a confident G.R. Carter. tempts for Dashin Brown “He broke phenomenal,” Streak, a 5-year-old gelding by Carter explained from the win- Hotdoggin from the Streakin La ner’s circle. “When I called on Jolla mare Annas Streakin Dash. will feature six trials for the Remington Park Derby, along with the Grade 3, $50,000 Pauls Valley Stakes at 870 yards and the $70,000 Mr. Jet Moore Stakes for Oklahoma-breds at 350 yards. Friday and Saturday night racing on April 3 and 4 features 11 trials each night for the Remington Park Futurity. The $1 million Remington Park Futurity program for Oklahoma-breds will be featured on April 18.

This Candys Awesome

Bred in Louisiana by Flat Get It Farm, Inc., Dashin Brown Streak picked up $59,730 to move his overall earnings to $302,814. The Leo Stakes is named in honor of the American Quarter Horse foundation sire who stood for Bud Warren in Perry, Okla. A statue honoring the great Leo still stands in his honor in Perry.

Grade 3, $58,000 Decketta Stakes

This Candys Awesome recorded her fourth Remington Park win and her seventh overall from 13 lifetime starts in the Grade 3, $58,000 Decketta Stakes at 350 yards. Sent off as the 3-1 second choice in the wagering, This Candys Awesome, a 4-year-old daughter of PYC Paint Your Wagon from the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Send Candy, raced quickly to the front and then was just able to cling to a victory by a head margin in a time of :17.492.

Trained by Clinton Crawford, This Candys Awesome earned $34,530 for owner, The Estate of Carl Pevehouse of Ratliff City, Okla. The late Carl Pevehouse also bred the mare who has now accumulated $264,731. This Candys Awesome was ridden by jockey G.R. Carter who stated after the race that he may have allowed the race to be closer at the finish than he would have liked. “I got into her left-handed away from there and she really just kind of squirted to the front. I was going to just let her run and she finished on her own. I may have gotten a little too confident at the end.” This Candys Awesome paid $8.40 to win, $4.40 to place and $2.80 to show. Nellie Delaney flew home late on the outside of the track to pay $7.80 to place and $4.20 to show. Kuhl Wave, the 8-5 race favorite, finished third and paid $2.40 to show. SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 31

Judys Miss Banks

The Decketta Stakes is named in honor of the 1964 All American Futurity winner who was bred, owned and trained by W.W. Wilson of Blanchard, Okla., who brought the talented filly home after her racing career where she became a prominent broodmare for the next two decades.

$22,500 Paul Harber Memorial Stakes

Judys Miss Banks utilized a perfect start, grabbing an early lead and holding the momentum to the finish to win the Paul Harber Memorial for Oklahomabred Paints & Appaloosas. In the process, the 5-year-old mare knocked off not just one, but two Remington Park champions from a year ago. Major Tom, the Horse of the Meeting and Champion Appaloosa last year at Remington Park was the heavy 1-2 wagering favorite, expected to make his 2015 debut a romp like most of his past races. Also in the race, Texas Silk, the Champion Paint from a year ago who had already made two starts this season and was still seeking his first win. Judys Miss Banks had other ideas for both. Owned by Sammy & Nadine Hester of Tulsa, Okla. and trained by Clint Crawford, Judys Miss Banks was away quickly 32 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Lotta Jess

in the 350-yard Paul Harber Memorial and never looked back. Guided by Larry Payne, the Paint mare found the finish line a half-length better than Major Tom who attempted to rally but ran out of real estate. Major Mac was along for third. Judys Miss Banks crossed the 350-yard finish in :17.686 over the fast track. Judys Miss Banks was 8-1 in the betting and paid $18.40 to win, $5.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Major Tom returned $3.20 to place and $2.10 to show. Major Mac paid $2.20 to show. The win was the sixth from 22 career starts for Judys Miss Banks, a Paint by Gold Medal Jess (qh) from the Olympia Joe mare Judys Chicklet. She was bred in Oklahoma by Jerry Banks. The first-place check of $13,500 moves the career earnings for Judys Miss Banks to $149,519. The Paul Harber Stakes is named in honor of one of the founding members of the American Paint Horse Association.

March 27 Still undefeated, Lotta Jess wins Remington Park debut Lotta Jess didn’t make his first career start until late

in his 2-year-old season but he made them count, scoring twice at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla. Friday night at Remington Park, Lotta Jess made his 3-year-old debut triumphant, staying undefeated through three career attempts. Owned by Juanita Jaquez of Oklahoma City and trained by Jose Gamez, Lotta Jess was ridden by Omar Reyes who has been the pilot for all three of the gelding’s wins. Positioned outside in post number 10 for the $24,500 allowance feature at 350 yards, Lotta Jess methodically gained and gathered in the early leaders to win by a neck in :17.596 seconds over a fast track. Eye Aint No Girl battled for second while Jess Botticelli was third. Lotta Jess was 3-1 in the wagering, paying $8.80 to win, $4.60 to place and $4.20 to show. Eye Aint No Girl returned $15.20 to place and $7.60 to show. Jess Botticelli paid $5.60 to show. Dash Through Fire was the beaten wagering favorite at 8-5 odds, finishing sixth. The third win from as many attempts was worth $12,990 for Lotta Jess, a Colorado-bred by First Down Mr Jess from the Bono Jazz mare Serabono. His overall earnings now stand at $23,550.

March 26 Novas Gold rolls in Remington Park feature A return to Remington Park seemed to make a positive difference for Novas Gold who was an impressive 1-1/2 length winner in Thursday’s $22,700 allowance-optional $35,000 claiming event. Owned by Gene Cox of Chester, S.C. and trained by Donnie Strickland, Novas Gold was guided home to his easy win by Joe Badilla. Away quickly from the starting gate, Novas Gold was a clear leader by the midway point of the 330 yards, crossing the finish in :16.565 over a fast track. JK Hard Times, the wagering 6-5 favorite, was second while Fillemup Phil was along for third. At 3-1 odds, Novas Gold paid $8.80 to win, $3.60 to place and $4.20 to show. JK Hard Times returned $2.80 to place and $2.80 to show. Fillemup Phil paid $3.60 to show. The win was the third from 17 career starts for Novas Gold, who had not won a race in nearly 15 months. An Oklahoma-bred 5-year-old gelding by Gold Medal jess from the Hot Colours mare Hot Nova, Novas Gold picked up $14,858 for the victory to move his lifetime bankroll to $81,464.

RACE RECAPS - QUARTER HORSE

Novas Gold

Tee Chic

March 21 Top qualifier Tee Chic prevailes in richest Oklahoma Futurity

Politicaly Correct is a 3-year-old gelded, gray son of Apollitical Jess out of the Tres Seis mare Senorita Tres. He is co-owned by his breeder, Walter R. “Dick” Harrison of Battle Creek, Mich. along with trainer James E. Helzer. “There’s a lot of luck that goes with this, by the same token we try to raise good horses and try to get the best out of them, Helzer said. “Tonight, that little gray horse really showed us what he was.” Politicaly Correct paid $11.20 to win, $4 to place and $3.20 to show. Gold Digging Ashley paid $2.40 to place and $2.20 to show. Viento Negro paid $4.60 to show. The derby was the fourth

Tee Chic paid $5 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.40 to show. Big Lew returned $3 to place and $2.40 to show as part of a three-horse entry After 15 qualifying trials owned by Reliance Ranches of on March 7, Tee Chic was the Edmond, Okla. Cashshae was fastest qualifier for the Grade third and paid $4 to show. 2, $410,000 Oklahoma Futurity. In winning the richest Saturday at Remington Park, Oklahoma Futurity in the the speedy gelding overcame race’s history, Tee Chic made an awkward start to gain the $164,000. He is a son of Jumpn lead and hold off rivals to win Chic from the Burrs First Down the first major futurity of the mare First Down Tee. season. Owned and bred in Texas by Francisco Garza of Laredo, Texas, Tee Chic is trained by Rick Robinson and was ridden by Francisco Calderon. Leaving the starting gate, Tee Chic leaned inward and continued to attempt to move that way throughout most of the race. “He wanted to lug in a little bit but I was correcting him the whole way and he was running so I was just on there for the ride,” Calderon said. “I still had to pull him a little bit but he had what he got.” Tee Chic crossed the finish a head in front of a charging Big Lew, stopping the clock in :15.263 seconds over a fast track. Tee Chic was the 3-2 wagering favorite and handled the status by staying undefeated through two career attempts after dominating his trial by 1-1/4 lengths.

Oklahoma Derby is PC

Politicaly Correct was a mild upset winner of the $268,000 Oklahoma Derby when he outraced the 3-5 favorite, Gold Digging Ashley, to win by a length in a time of :17.277 seconds for 350 yards over a fast track. Despite being the fastest qualifier to the race, Politicaly Correct was sent off as the 9-2 second-choice. “It was a perfect trip,” said winning jockey Larry Payne. “He went right in there and stood really well and paid attention, he looked right down the racetrack and when it was time to go, he went. He left really well, he was a neck in front when they hit the ground for the first time and it was pretty much all him from there. They never did get up close to him.”

career win from eight starts for Politicaly Correct who was bred in Texas. The winner’s check of $107,200 moves his overall money to $151,672.

Another sharp performance for Painted Turnpike

Painted Turnpike did not disappoint his backers in the Grade 1, $140,600 Oklahoma Paint & Appaloosa Futurity, when the 3-5 favorite broke on top and never looked back. The 2-year-old colt by PYC Paint Your Wagon covered the 300-yard distance over a fast track in a winning time of :15.430 seconds. Nolan D. Pevehouse of Webbers Falls, Okla. bred the

Politicaly Correct SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 33

Painted Turnpike

colt who is out of the SF Royal Quick Flash mare, High Class Turnpike. “It’s been a long dry spell, I’m glad it’s over with. I had good feelings about him from day one,” said an overwhelmed Pevehouse, who earned $56,428 for the win. Trainer Matt Whitekiller said he knew he had a runner early on. “This colt was nice, when Nolan first called me and told me that he was on the ground. We looked at him and he’s just one of those kind. He’s just business.” Jockey Cody Smith rode the fastest qualifier with confidence. “In the trials, he broke sharp but not as good as he did tonight. He got away on his feet good, he was doing it on his own I just stayed out of his way. I didn’t whip him or anything tonight. He’s a hardtrying, honest little horse, you can’t knock him.” Painted Turnpike won by 1-1/2 lengths and paid $3.20 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.80 to show. Mt De Boss finished second to pay $12.00 to place and $6.60 to show. Imahotchicken finished third to pay $3.60.

Cant Be Caught wins 6th straight

Appaloosas are not the most prevalent breed in straight racing but they still 34 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Cant Be Caught

have some high-quality runners, such as Cant Be Caught who scored the Grade 1, $47,100 Speedhorse Graham Derby, defeating nine Paint rivals. Owned and bred in Oklahoma by John Diediker of Parsons, Kan., and trained by Jeff Dean, Cant Be Caught won his sixth consecutive race in winning the derby by an easy 1-1/4 lengths. Jockey Cody Jensen picked up the mount from Randy Wilson who was injured a week ago and could not honor his regular ride. “He’s a great horse, I just happened to be the lucky one who picked him up when Randy (Wilson) got hurt,” Jensen noted. “I’ll just try and keep him warm until Randy gets back, he’s got all of hopes, prayers and blessings that he makes a quick recovery. Honest to God, this was one of those trips where you just don’t fall off.” Diediker was thrilled with the victory and for what it means for Appaloosa racing. “The Apps could always run but we just don’t have near the numbers we used to have. It used to be the other way around, we had all the numbers but the Paints came along and now they’ve got all the numbers but we’ve still got

some racehorses.” Cant Be Caught launched from the starting gate and put the field away in the opening yards of the 350-yard race, opening up for an easy score in :17.456 seconds. Away as the even-money wagering favorite, the 3-year-old gelding paid $4 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.80 to show. Wagon On Turnpike was second, paying $10 to place and $5 to show. Dashin JJ was third and paid $3.80 to show. A winner of nine of his 11 career starts, Cant Be Caught has won every race he has competed in since September 7, 2014. The derby was worth $17,898 to him, boosting his overall earnings to $108,353.

The Serge Protector

The son of With Intent from the Rare Form (qh) mare Unique Form (qh) has only finished off the board twice in his career.

$50,000 Oklahoma Futurity Juvenile The Serge Protector won the Juvenile, for horses who competed in trials for the Oklahoma Futurity but didn’t make the final field. Owned and bred in Oklahoma by Peggy Zynda of Anadarko, Okla., The Serge Protector is trained by Eddie Willis and was ridden by Jimmy Brooks. The Serge Protector is a 2-year-old gelding by Capo De Capi from the Walk Thru Fire mare Directors Cut. He won his

RACE RECAPS - QUARTER HORSE

Echoes of Love

Big Boy Rules

winner, running seventh. Oklahoma Futurity trial and with victory in the Juvenile, reThe win was the fourth mains undefeated. He handled from 11 starts for Echoes Of 300 yards in :15.559 seconds. Love, a Texas-bred by One Famous Eagle from the Eyesa Special mare Echoes Of AnMarch 20 Echoes of Love roars to gels. The triumph was worth $12,498, pushing the career Friday feature victory total for Echoes Of Love to Echoes Of Love was $98,242. convincing in her first start of Carter won three on the the year, dominating a $23,500 evening to move his seasonallowance feature at 300 yards leading total to 13. His triple on Friday night at Remington came with Kathys Star Teller Park. ($9.40 to win) in the first race, A regular in derby and fuPryme Time ($12.20) and turity competition during her Echoes Of Love. first two years of action, the Remington Park racing 4-year-old mare was too tough continues at 6pm Saturfor her seven foes Friday, scorday, featuring the Grade 2, ing by 1-3/4 lengths. Owned $410,000 Oklahoma Futurity by Valeriano Racing Stables and four other stakes events. of Odessa, Texas and trained The Oklahoma Futurity is the by Toby Keeton, Echoes Of longest-running futurity in Love was ridden by G.R. Carter. Quarter Horse racing and this Echoes Of Love crossed the season, it carries the largest finish in :15.239 seconds over a purse in its history. The overall fast track. program Saturday night carries Away at 2-1 odds, Echoes Of Love returned $6.60 to win, total purses of more than $1 million. $3.60 to place and $3.20 to

was a romp by 1-3/4 lengths with Joe Badilla, Jr. aboard. Big Boy Rules exploded from the starting gate in a $15,000-level claiming event Thursday, rolling easily over the 440 yards in :21.577 over a sloppy track. He added the win to his most recent triumph as he ended his winter stay at Hialeah Park in south Florida with an allowance victory in February. Owned and bred in Texas by Ted Abrams of Houston, Big Boy Rules is trained by Donnie Strickland. Away as the evenmoney wagering favorite, the 4-year-old gelding paid $4 to win, $3.40 to place and $3 to show. Rockhole Dash was second and paid $9.60 to place and $6.40 to show. Dream Catch Her finished third and returned $8 to show. The win was the third from six career starts for Big Boy Rules, a son of Jess Zoomin from the A Classic Dash mare Mighty Classy Lassy.

show. Hey Hey Hey Hey was second and paid $11.80 to place and $8.40 to show. Jess Too Hot was along for third and returned $6.20 to show. The Ultimate Eagle was the beaten wagering favorite at 2-1 odds, with slightly more money played on him than the

March 19 Big Boy Rules continues strong 2015 start

March 14 Streak Hitter flies to SLM Big Daddy win in Remington Park debut

Big Boy Rules won his Remington Park debut ThursThe $50,000 SLM Big day night and in the process Daddy Stakes was enough rolled up a second consecutive to lure Streak Hitter and his win in 2015. The local score connections to travel from

Sunland Park in New Mexico to Remington Park on Saturday night. The journey was worthwhile as the 5-year-old gelding glided to an easy 1-1/4 lengths triumph in the 550-yard event. Owned by Olivas Racing of Seminole, Texas, Streak Hitter is trained by Guadalupe Munoz who was confident about his charge is he could get out of the starting gate well. “It was really good company and the only thing we were asking for was a good break,” Munoz said from the winner’s circle. “He hadn’t broke his last two outs. Tonight we got that clean break we were looking for and when he broke I thought we’d be up there pretty easily.” Under jockey Jaime Leos, Streak Hitter reached the front of the seven-horse field with just under 400 yards remaining. He opened up on defending SLM Big Daddy Stakes champ Mixed Fantasy, crossing the finish in :26.72 over a fast track. I V Gone was another half-length back in third. Streak Hitter was 4-1 in the wagering and paid $10 to win, $4 to place and $3.80 to show. Mixed Fantasy returned $6.40 to place and $4.20 to show. I V Gone paid $4.60 to show. Emperor Valerian was the beaten 5-2 betting favorite while SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 35

Streak Hitter

finishing fourth, 2-1/2 lengths behind the winner. Streak Hitter handled his first attempt at 550-yards easily while gaining his seventh career win from 16 starts. The first-place check of $30,000 put the gelding to $124,042. Bred in California by Edward Allred, Streak Hitter is by Walk Thru Fire from the Chicks Beduino mare Chickasis. The SLM Big Daddy is named after the two-time American Quarter Horse Association World Champion from the late 1990s, who was one of the most popular horses in Remington Park history.

Tempting Secret Dash

of LaSalle, Colo. and trained by Gustavo Rios, Im Beau Brown was ridden by Ramiro Garcia. Im Beau Brown won his last start at Remington Park, taking the American Quarter Horse Association Starter Allowance Challenge on May 11. That qualified him for the yearly final in the series, which he won at Prairie Meadows in Iowa in October. Im Beau Brown gained steadily from the outside then pulled away to win by a halflength, covering the 300 yards in :15.352 seconds. Slew Of Success, the Champion Oklahoma-bred from last season, was the even-money favorite in the race but failed to make a March 13 bid, finishing ninth. Tempting Secret Dash Im Beau Brown was 7-1 in scores over sloppy the wagering and paid $17.60 surface to win, $6.40 to place and $4 A drenching rain that to show. Specials Jamie was lasted for nearly seven hours, second and returned $7.20 soaked Remington Park on Fri- March 12 to place and $6 to show. SM day the 13th, causing the first Im Beau Brown starts Chicksastreakin was third and sloppy track of the American new season the way he paid $15.40 to show. Quarter Horse & Mixed-breed ended the last The win was the fifth from Season. Tempting Secret Dash 23 career starts for Im Beau The initial Thursday night didn’t mind the wet racing, Brown, a 5-year-old Missouriof racing for 2015 at Remingcoming home a neck in front bred gelding by PYC Paint ton Park saw Im Beau Brown in a $30,100 allowance feature Your Wagon from the This continue a win streak, both for Oklahoma-breds. Snow Is Royal mare Special overall and locally. He was triOwned by Twisted S umphant in the night’s $35,000 Smoothie. The first-place check Ranch of Oklahoma City of $18,300 moved his career allowance feature. and trained by Luz Chavira, Owned by Desiderio Nava money to $85,618. Tempting Secret Dash took a 36 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

lead late in the 330-yard race, holding off a charge by Stormy Runaway to get the score. Ridden by James Flores, Tempting Secret Dash crossed the finish in :16.853. Away at 5-1 odds, Tempting Secret Dash paid $12 to win, $6.60 to place and $4.60 to show. Stormy Runaway paid $7.40 to place and $4.40 to show. VF Famous Fooster was along for third and paid $6.40 to show. Pymp Your Wagon was the beaten 2-1 wagering favorite, finishing eighth. The first attempt of 2015 for Tempting Secret Dash was worth $17,044. He moves his career earnings to $28,115 with win. A 3-year-old colt by Tempting Dash from the Raise A Secret mare Secret Baby Doll, Tempting Secret Dash won his second career race from four starts.

texas

Sam Houston Race Park, Houston, TX March 28 Brookstone Gray wins the Harris County Stakes on opening weekend of the 2015 American Quarter Horse meet It was a big night for jockey Rodrigo Vallejo and trainer Leslie Padilla, scoring victories in both the first stakes of the 2015 Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse season and trials for the Bank of America Challenge Championship. Brookstone Grey closed with authority to capture the $20,000 Harris County Stakes. Owned by Manny Lozano and George Temple, the striking grey son of Brookstone Bay out of the Tres Seis mare Senorita Tres, won his last two races at Hialeah Park, including a 550 yard starter allowance on February 13. Vallejo piloted the Texas-bred from the far outside post, drawing off to a 1 1/4 length margin. The final

RACE RECAPS - QUARTER HORSE

Im Beau Brown

Brookstone Gray

time over a fast main track was :27.682. “His best distance is 550 yards,” said winning rider Vallejo. Lozano and Temple claimed their stakes winner last year at Lone Star for $5,000. Tonight’s victory was his fourth win in five starts. Brookstone Grey, part of a coupled entry with Mr High Sheriff, was sent off as the evenmoney betting choice and returned $4.60, $3.60 and $2.60 across the board. King of the Bunnys ran second under Raul Ramirez, Jr., followed by The Field Cricket and Bar Struck. Temple indicated that Brookstone Grey would make his next start in the $50,000 Sam Houston Classic on May 9.

streak at Hialeah Park near Miami, and is currently ranked fifth on the weekly AQHA/ HorsePlayernow.com Top Ten Poll. For a complete list of finalists, times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys, visit stallionesearch.com. The top ten will The ten fastest qualifiers will return for the final on April 18 and the winner will represent Sam Houston Race Park in the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship.

by Padilla. “This horse loves to run,” said Abrams. “He finished so well and was a game winner tonight. We look forward to a great final.” This was just the second win from 12 starts for the bay gelding, who has faced tough company at Ruidoso Downs as a 3-year-old. He captured the Hialeah Maturity on January 15, and ran second in another 440 yard stakes on March 1. Sent off as the favorite in his trial, Jessies First Down paid $3.20 to win with multiple stakes winner The Lizzard King running second. The winner of the first trial Pyro, bred and owned by Kathleen O Matey, blazed to the wire of the 440 yard trial in :21.893. The 5-year-old son of Make It Anywhere is trained by Jessies First Down and Pyro Padilla and was ridden by Luis win trial races for the Bank Guerrero. of America Texas Challenge Last year, Pyro paid $39 for Championship the win, but got more respect Two trials were contested this year, and returned $9. this evening to determine the Daytona B, a 4-year-old son of ten fastest qualifiers for the First Down Dash, ran second $100,000 Bank of America to Pyro. He qualified for the Texas Challenge Championship Adequan Derby Challenge last (Grade 2). September at Prairie Meadows Jessies First Down posted and won the $200,000 Adethe fastest time in the trials, quan Derby Challenge Chamcovering 440 yards in :21.828 pionship on October 18. The seconds. The 4-year-old son powerful Texas-bred, owned of Fdd Dynasty is owned by by Gregorio Garcia Garza, ships Ted G. Abrams, Sr. and trained to Houston off a two-race win

worked in tandem to get their charge primed for his 4-yearold season. Ponce has only been training for one year, and liked what he saw last night. “I think it was a combination of Damien getting to know him and his training,” said Ponce. “He’s a good horse; I was just worried about the lights as last year at Gillespie, he ran in the afternoon. Martinez comes into the 2015 Sam Houston Race Park meet with a great deal of confidence. He won the first stakes race of his career one El Chinito Boy fastest qualiyear ago, guiding Jrc Callas First fier for the Sam Houston to victory in the $20,000 Harris County Stakes. The Texas-bred Maiden Classic won seven more stakes last Twelve trials were run year and was honored as AQHA on Friday, March 27 for the $102,200 Sam Houston Maiden World Champion. “I’ve galloped El Chinito Classic. With a record number of horses paid into the trials, Boy several times,” said Martithe purse for the April 11 final is nez. “He loves to run, but hadn’t up $25,000 from last year. quite figured it. Last night, even The fastest qualifier was El after he stumbled in the break, Chinito Boy, a 4-year-old son of he really ran well. I hope he can Sss Ace in the Hole, who covdo that again in the final.” ered 350 yards in :17.698. Juan The ten fastest qualifiers Antonio Avila owns the geldwill return on April 11. The race ing, who was making his third continues to grow in popularity career start at Sam Houston, with the horsemen; last year’s following two second-place final purse was $77,100, up efforts last summer at Gillespie considerably from $53,400 ofFair Grounds. fered in 2013. The complete list Two “young guns”, trainer of qualifiers for the 2015 Sam Josue Ponce, 19, and jockey, Houston Maiden Classic, can be Damien Martinez, 21, have viewed at stallionesearch,com. SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 37

Weast Hill

Be My Caroline

ARKANSAS

Caroline, following in the footsteps of her big sister and top Arkansas-bred female All About Allie, led gate to wire to win Saturday’s $75,000 Rainbow Miss before a hometown crowd of 25,000. The daughter of Storm and a Half completed the six furlong race for Arkansas-bred 3-year-old fillies in 1:11 3/5. Sent off as the 6-1 third choice, Be My Caroline was the fastest from the gate and never lost her position as she took the field through early fractions of :21 4/5 and :45 2/5 for the first half mile. Easter Indy, the even money favorite, came flying late to finish a nose behind in second, 4 ½ lengths in front of third-place finisher Wolf City. “I was afraid maybe she went a little too fast early,” said owner/breeder Jimmie Sanders, who co-owns the filly with his brother Roy. “I didn’t think the finish line could get here quick enough, that’s for sure.” “I wanted to make sure I got the early jump with her and got her to relax,” added winning rider Jareth Loveberry. “She saved just enough to get to the wire at the end. This is my first stakes win at Oaklawn. I’m pretty excited about that. I’m very thankful for the opportunity.” The Sanders also owned

We Be Stormin in third. “He’s a nice horse and I let him do his own thing,” said winning jockey Jesus Castanon. “I let him settle the first part of the race and when they came up to me, I just let him go and do his business. He opened up Oaklawn Park, right away when I asked him to Hot Springs, AR go at the eighth pole. He’s got talent and he showed it today.” March 29 “We knew he was set for a Weast Hill wins Rainbow big eff ort today,” added trainer Stakes impressively Brad Cox. “We’ll regroup with Coming off an eye-catchhim and maybe ship him to ing 7 ½-length maiden score Churchill. We’ll look for a small in his career debut, Weast Hill stakes somewhere against was equally impressive winning open company, obviously, and his second start in Sunday’s see if he can compete with $75,000 Rainbow Stakes. The those. That was cool to have a Arkansas-bred 3-year-old by fast time. I was proud of him.” Rockport Harbor stopped the The undefeated Weast Hill clock in 1:09 4/5 for six furlongs was bred by his owner Staron the a fast track, the second sky Weast of Star City, Ark. He fastest time in 41 editions of has now earned $83,400. He the Rainbow. returned $4.80, $3.80 and $2.40 Weast Hill was the quickest as the 8-5 second choice in the from the gate and proceeded fi eld of seven. to lead the field through open“I’m real excited,” Weast ing fractions of :21 3/5 and :44 said. “I’ve raised this horse from 4/5 for the first half mile while a baby and it’s good to come maintaining a comfortable one out and see him do good like length advantage. The winner, this.” after getting a breather around the turn, widened his lead March 28 through the stretch and easily Be My Caroline pulls defeated Comic Bird, who was mild upset in Rainbow making his career debut, by 3 ¼ lengths. It was another halfMiss length back to the 6-5 favorite Sanders Brothers’ Be My 38 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

and bred All About Allie, who won the 2011 Rainbow Miss and three straight editions of the Downthedustyroad Stakes between 2011 and 2013. “For us, it’s very important (to win an Arkansas-bred stakes),” said owner/breeder Jimmie Sanders, who co-owns the filly with his brother Roy. “In fact, that’s about all we participate in - the Arkansas-bred program. It’s everything to us, my brother and I.” Be My Caroline improved her record to two wins from three starts and has now earned $86,500. She returned $14.20, $5.40 and $3.60.

March 21 Favorite Subtle Indian remains undefeated with Gazebo win Mercedes Stables’ Subtle Indian improved his career record to a perfect three for three with his front running victory in the $100,000 Gazebo Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters. Sent off as the heavy 7-5 favorite after the scratches of Cinco Charlie and American Sailor, the winner paid $4.80, $2.80 and $2.40. Subtle Indian, breaking from the rail, was the quickest from the gate and proceeded to lead his competition through early fractions of :22

RACE RECAPS - THOROUGHBRED

Subtle Indian

and :45 2/5 for the first half mile. Jockey Chris Landeros gave the colt a breather around the turn and when the rider called on him in the stretch, the winner dug in gamely to hold off Bayerd by a half-length in a final time of 1:11 2/5 for six furlongs over a good track. Hebbronville made a mild rally to be third. “He broke sharp and was very alert early on,” said Landeros. “He was going along nicely on the backside and I was able to give him a breather around the turn. He handled everything so well. He kicked on and gave me his all down the lane. I was proud of him for getting over this track. He’s worked over it a few times and they were mediocre, so I was really proud of his effort today.” “It feels good, for sure,” trainer Robertino Diodoro said after winning his first Oaklawn Stakes in his first meet in Hot Springs. “He ran big today. I thought he dug in. I still don’t think he really cared for the race track today. But, like (Jockey) Chris (Landeros) said, he dug in late when it counted.” Diodoro said Subtle Indian, an Indian Charlie gelding, will be pointed for the $100,000 Bachelor Stakes April 10 where he will look to build on his $112,500 in career earnings.

American Pharoah

March 14 Champion American Pharoah returns a winner in Rebel Stakes

horse. The first time I rode him, (trainer) Bob (Baffert) said he’s the real deal. Bob’s a Hall of Famer, so he knows. Bob was confident, so that made me Making his first start since confident. He is a tremendous Sept. 27 and his first start outhorse. He has a lot of talent and side his home state of Califorhe loves to run. This is an amaznia, American Pharoah proved ing horse.” why he is among the early The Todd Pletcher-trained Kentucky Derby favorites with a Madefromlucky made a mild dominating 6 ¼ length victory move, but had to settle for in the $750,000 Rebel Stakes second place. Bold Conquest, at Oaklawn. An estimated who had finished fourth in the crowd of 30,000 was on hand Southwest Stakes (Grade 3) Feb. to witness the 2014 Champion 22 improved to be third in the Juvenile Male splash home a Rebel and he was followed by winner in a final time of 1:45 The Truth or Else, Paid Admis3/5 for 1 1/16 on a track labeled sion, Sakima and Tizwonderfulsloppy by post time. creek. Breaking from post four “You always hope that he’s under jockey Victor Espinoza, as good as he’s been showing American Pharoah was the us in the mornings and he was quickest out of the gate and today,” said trainer Bob Bafproceeded to take full control fert, who was winning his fifth of the race through easy fracRebel Stakes in six years. “His tions of :24 2/5 and :49 3/5 for right front shoe wasn’t on right, the first half mile. The champion, who had maintained a com- and when he can run like that fortable one length advantage all the way around with it like that, it shows you how good he down the backstretch, began is. This was the perfect kind of to shake clear of his competirace on the comeback, and it’s tion entering the stretch and pretty exciting.” widened his lead through the Bafferts other Rebel winstretch under a hand ride by Espinoza. ners were champion 3-year-old “He was very impressive,” Lookin at Lucky (2010), The Facsaid Espinoza, who picked up tor (2011), Secret Circle (2012) his second Kentucky Derby and Hoppertunity (2014). victory last year with CaliforAmerican Pharoah, who nia Chrome. “He’s an amazing was winning for the third

time in four career starts, has now improved his bankroll to $811,500. The Zayat Stable homebred by Pioneerof the Nile returned $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10 as the heavy 2-5 favorite. The Rebel victory earned him 50 points toward eligibility for the Kentucky Derby and moved him into fifth place on the leader board. Madefromlucky earned 20 points and jumped into 10th place, just behind the Oaklawn-based Far Right, winner of the Smarty Jones and Southwest (Grade 3) Stakes. Far Right skipped the Rebel and is pointing for the Arkansas Derby (Grade 1) April 11 where he could meet American Pharoah in their final prep before heading on to Kentucky.

Gold Medal Dancer upsets champion Untapable in Azeri

The $300,000 Azeri Stakes (Grade 2) at Oaklawn marked the eagerly-anticipated 2015 debut of reigning 3-year-old Filly champion Untapable, but long shot Gold Medal Dancer spoiled the party while capturing the first graded stakes win of her career in gate-to-wire fashion. Untapable, the 1-9 favorite in the field of five fillies and mares, broke cleanly from her spot on the rail while the SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 39

Gold Medal Dancer

winner, sent off at odds of 8-1, went right to the front under Luis Quinonez. Untapable, with Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez aboard, was in perfect position up the backside and came to Gold Medal Dancer, who set pedestrian fractions of :24.3, :48.5, and 1:39.1 through the first mile as they hit the top of the lane. Gold Medal Dancer, a Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Stud homebred, dug in on the track rated as good while the champion tried to catch her down the stretch while never seeming comfortable in her first start on an off track. Gold Medal Dancer crossed the wire in 1:45.4 for the 1 1/6 miles, onehalf length in front of Untatable. Pippin and Bayakoa stakes winner Mufaajah was another 2 ½ lengths behind in third. “The track was a little heavy and obviously it was a bit of a concern off the layoff,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, who last saddled Untapable for her triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff Oct. 31. “The main thing is that she comes out of it well. There’s a lot of reasons for her to move forward off this race. It was a concern not being able to get her up here and have a work over the track, but the weather didn’t allow for that. As long as she comes out ok, we’ll 40 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

It’s sure a possibility that we’ll be back for the Apple Blossom.” The $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (Grade 1) is Friday, April 10. In the $250,000 Razorback Handicap (Grade 3) the Todd-Pletcher trained Race Day won the first stakes race and first graded stakes of his career under John Velazquez with a neck victory of the Bob Bafferttrained Midnight Hawk. Race Day, who was purchased for $285,000 from a sale of racing stock last November by Matthew Schera and was making his third start for Pletcher, made every pole a winning be happy with this effort.” one but had to battle through Velazquez, who rode the lane with a very game MidUntapable once before when night Hawk, dispatched at 7-1 they won the Mother Goose in the field of six horses. Stakes (Grade 1) in dominating After setting fractions of fashion, said, “She was in per23.87, 48.1, 1:12.2, and 1:38.1 fect position and I was happy the 2-1 favorite finished the 1 where I was coming down the 1/16 miles in 1:44.1 under John backstretch. Coming down the Velazquez on a track rated as lane, she was a little hesitant to good. Golden Ticket closed go by the other filly. She put in from far back in the pack to be a good fight for her first start of third, seven lengths back the year. It was her first time on “There was a lot of pace a wet track, but take nothing in his last race at Gulfstream away from the winner. The win- and he didn’t get a good break. ner is a nice horse.” Today, he broke well. I loved the Trainer Donnie K. Von way he was running into the Hemel could not have been first turn. When he came down prouder of Gold Medal Dancer, the lane, he put up a good a 5-year-old daughter of fight,” said Velazquez. Medaglia D’Oro, who upped Jim Barnes, Baffert’s assisher bankroll to $629,269 with tant was pleased with Midnight the $180,000 winner’s share Hawk, who was ridden by Victor of the purse and won for the Espinoza, as well. seventh time in 16 starts. She “He ran huge, and he ran paid $18.80 and $3.80. There straight, which makes us really was no show wagering on the happy because in a lot of his five-horse field. past races he’s been very er“It’s very exciting and the ratic. We could not be happier mare just ran a huge race,” said with him and how well he did Von Hemel. “Thanks to Pin Oak today,” said Barnes. The Razorback win was the (Stud) and my entire staff. It was second consecutive for Pletcha team effort and I am thrilled er, who took last year’s edition to death. We had a chance to with Golden Lad. Race Day, a go out and control the pace 4-year-old son of Tapit, boosted and Luis did a great job. She his earnings to $250,450 and fought off the champion and has now won 4 of seven efforts. she showed a lot of heart. The He returned $6.20, $4.80 and big mare came through and got her nose down on the wire. $3.60.

CALIFORNIA

Golden Gate Fields, Berkeley, CA March 28 Hernandez follows up riding double with hat trick

Jockey Juan Hernandez followed up his riding double on Friday with a riding hat trick Saturday at Golden Gate Fields. After winning with his final two mounts Friday, Hernandez scored with his first two rides Saturday, taking the first race with Tempetuous ($4.60) and the third with Tempest Rising ($15). Hernandez completed his triple with a victory aboard Warren’s Joe T. ($4.80) in the sixth race. Trainer John F. Martin saddled a pair of winners. Martin sent out Tempetuous to her victory in the first race and also captured the eighth race with Agustina De Aragon ($14). Midnight Bolt, a Kentucky-bred runner who was purchased as a 2-year-old for $150,000, made a winning debut for trainer Jeff Bonde in the seventh race. Ridden by Frank Alvarado, Midnight Bolt outran New Karma down the stretch to take the six-furlong maiden allowance race for 3-year-olds by three-quarters of a length in 1:11.28. Midnight Bolt, a gelded son of Midnight Lute, earned $15,600 for his first-out win.

March 26 Our Little Hen stays perfect on Tapeta

Our Little Hen continued her dominance on Golden Gate Fields’ synthetic Tapeta racing surface Thursday with

RACE RECAPS - THOROUGHBRED

Blue Tone

was comfortable. She’s got a good turn of foot so she can sit behind horses. I knew we’d run the leader down. I rode her with confidence and she did a great job.” Living The Life Living The Life has recorded all three of her U.S. wins on an authoritative victory in the and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita synthetic racing surfaces and $30,845 allowance feature. on Nov. 1, scored an impressive earned her second U.S. stakes A 5-year-old mare by come-from-behind victory in triumph in the Camilla Urso. Henny Hughes, Our Little Hen the $55,660 Camilla Urso Stakes Last September, Living The improved to 4-for-4 on Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields. Life won the Grade 2 $400,400 when she led from start to Ridden by Santa AnitaPresque Isle Downs Masters finish in the one-mile race for based Flavien Prat, Living The Stakes. Presque Isle Downs, lofillies and mares. Life rallied from last in a field cated in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Our Little Hen rated nicely of seven to win the six-furlong Golden Gate Fields both have on the front end for jockey race for fillies and mares by 2 Tapeta racing surfaces. Kyle Frey and scored by 1 1/2 1/4 lengths in a quick 1:09.21. Living The Life joined the lengths over Papercoversrock The classy mare Marks Mine set Southern California racing and jockey Juan Hernandez in the pace under jockey Frank stable of trainer Gary Mandella 1:38.96. If You Like It, ridden Alvarado and hung on to take last summer. by Ricardo Gonzalez, finished second by a length over Tabled “She likes synthetic and third. With Gold and apprentice Dathere aren’t as many races on Our Little Hen, trained by vid C. Lopez. it as there used to be,” said Dan Markle, was the 9-5 favorBred in Ireland, Living The Mandella. “She’s a talented filly ite and paid $5.60. Owned in Life earned her eighth victory in and this was a good place to partnership by Roger, Sol and 23 career starts and improved start her out this year and give Laqueta Hicks, Our Little Hen to 3-for-4 in the U.S. Prat rode her some confidence after the earned $17,400 for the victory Living The Life in a race for the Breeders’ Cup. Now we have – her ninth triumph in 22 career first time Saturday. to see if she can transfer that starts. “I worked her once,” said ability to grass, either down the Prat, who collected his first hill at Santa Anita or stretching March 14 win at Golden Gate Fields. “In out to a mile. She had to work Living The Life scores the morning she did a good a little bit in the end today but decisive win in Camilla job so I was confident coming there were some classy fillies in there. Marks Mine is very into the race. I got a good trip. Urso Stakes Living The Life, making her I knew there was a lot of speed classy and she had homecourt advantage.” in the race so I just wanted to first start since finishing last in Living The Life was the the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly get her in a place where she

4-5 favorite and paid $3.80. Owned by HnR Nothhaft Horse Racing LLC, Living The Life earned $30,350 for the Camilla Urso victory and has banked $509,594 in her 23 outings.

Santa Anita Race Park, Arcadia, CA March 29 Blue Tone eases off pace and wins $75,000 Santana Mile by 2 ¾ lengths

Blue Tone sat just off a lively pace and registered an impressive 2 ¾ length win in Sunday’s $75,000 Santana Mile at Santa Anita, covering the distance in 1:36.11 under Kent Desormeaux. With Appealing Tale, Storm Fighter and Ankeny Hill slugging it out through fractions of 23.13, 46.14, 1:10.39 and 1:22.80, Blue Tone, who is trained by Bob Hess, Jr., eased just off the threesome turning down the backside and rallied four-wide turning for home. “Full credit to Kent,” said Hess. “They were going pretty quick up there and the race was really over turning for home.” SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 41

the pacesetter under the wire for the first time. Garcia got on terms with Arlington House at the five furlong pole and took the lead going to the three furlong mark. “They gave him a break but he runs well after some time off,” said Garcia. “He loves this track and he loves this distance. The farther the better for him. He has a long stride and these longer races just make him happy.” Off at 5-2, Sky Kingdom paid $7.60, $4.80 and $2.60. Owned by Westrock Stables, Sky Kingdom LLC, he improved his overall mark to 19-6-2-2 and with Off at 9-2 in a field of eight finished one length in front of the winner’s share of $60,000 older horses, Blue Tone paid favored Galicado and paid $9 increased his earnings to $11.60, $6 and $4.40. A 6-year- to show. $472,122. old Kentucky-bred gelding Ridden by Mike Smith, “This horse runs well fresh by Birdstone, he came off a Argentine-bred Galicado, who and this was a good spot for 12-length defeat in the Grade 1 was off at 8-5, was next to last him,” said Baffert assistant Jim Donn Handicap at Gulfstream early but lacked any substanBarnes. “They had sensible and registered his fifth win tive rally in his U.S. debut. fractions (24.15, 48.56, 1:13.28, from 14 career starts. Owned by “I’d like to ride him back,” 1:38.33 and 2:03.43) and that Beverly Engelberg, Schroeder said Smith. He hadn’t run since was good. The final time was Farms, LLC and Jan Steeper, last June and he’s the kind of good, they picked it up and Blue Tone picked up $47,400 for horse, that it’s tough to get him Martin had to move on him a the win, increasing his earnings fit enough in the morning. He little early passing the five and to $338,150. needed this race and this will a half…he did an excellent job “He’s a quirky horse,” said put some air in him.” riding him and we couldn’t be Desormeaux. “He doesn’t like happier.” to be on the inside. I had Joe Last under the wire the March 28 Talamo and Ankeny Hill on my Sky Kingdom streaks first time, Bailoutbobby moved shoulder around the first turn inside favored Bronzo into the to impressive win in and they hung there, so I had far turn and outran him for the to get him out of that situation $100,000 Tokyo City place by 4 ½ lengths. Ridden by Cup under Garcia and then I had clear sailing… Elvis Trujillo, Bailoutbobby was Sky Kingdom proved histo- off at 12-1 and paid $7.40 and The company made all the difference today, he’s a really good ry can repeat itself as he was an $2.80. impressive 5 ¾ length winner horse.” Trained by Neil Drysdale Interviewed by TVG follow- of Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 and ridden by Gary Stevens, Tokyo City Cup under Martin ing the race, co-owner Cathy Chilean-bred Bronzo came off Garcia. A winner of the mile and a fifth place run in the Grade 1 Schroeder had similar sentia half marathon in 2013, the ments. Santa Anita Handicap and had Bob Baffert trainee had been “I just knew he was going been facing the likes of Shared idle since well beaten in the Las Belief, California Chrome and to win on the backside,” said Schroeder. “I can’t tell you how Vegas Marathon (1 ¾ miles) on Hoppertunity in his three stateOct. 31 and got the distance in side engagements dating back happy I am.” 2:28.90 as the second choice in to Jan. 10. Ridden by Drayden Van a field of six older horses. Dyke, Edge of Reality rallied Off at 3-5, Bronzo paid Second early to longshot from off the pace and outran $2.10 to show. Ankeny Hill by a half length for Arlington House, Sky Kingdom, “They went really slow second money. Off at 9-1, Edge a 6-year-old horse by Empire early,” said Stevens. “Maybe I of Reality paid $9.40 and $6.20. Maker, relaxed well under should have let him dance away Garcia and was a length off Off at 15-1, Ankeny Hill from there for the first quarter 42 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

mile. He went to sleep on me and I couldn’t wake him up.”

March 27 Irish-bred Abbey Vale overcomes 11-month layoff to take ABBEY VALE OVERC $60,000 Santa Anita allowance feature at 7-1 Irish-bred Abbey Vale overcame an 11-month layoff to register a convincing one length victory on Friday in Santa Anita’s $60,000 allowance feature for older horses at one mile on turf. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Abbey Vale sat a close third into the far turn, rallied three-wide turning for home and held favored Awesome Return off late while covering the distance in 1:35.46. Trained by former Mike Mitchell assistant Phil D’Amato, Abbey Vale, who had been off since being vanned off the track on April 20, was off at 7-1 and paid $17.20, $6.80 and $5.40. Originally trained in America by Mitchell, the 5-yearold gelding, who was making his third stateside start, improved his overall mark to 183-4-1. Owned by Andy Ellis, JR Riley Stables and Michael Sim, Abbey Vale picked up $36,000 for the win, thus increasing his earnings to $98,014. “It’s amazing,” said McCall Mitchell Rousenfell, daughter of Mike Mitchell, who retired last April due to health concerns. “My husband, Boomer, picked the horse out in Ireland and Dad was so high on him before he got hurt. He thought this horse had more potential than (eventual Grade 1 winner) Obviously when he came into his barn. “Dad has been so excited the past three days, never forgetting that the horse was running today. We thought, ‘Okay, first time back so…,’ but he’s such a tiger, we were just so excited.” (Mitchell, who is suffer-

RACE RECAPS - THOROUGHBRED

Five Palms

Eden Prairie

ing from brain cancer, watched the race from home). Part owner Michael Sim checked his poker-face at the admission gates. “I can’t even put it into words, it’s unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable,” said Sim. “I thought Flavien moved too early. Before the quarter pole, he started moving and I got nervous, but he had plenty of horse left.” Ridden by Mike Smith, Awesome Return who was next to last at the quarter pole, switched off the rail and rallied well to just touch Jules Journey for the place by a nose. Off at 8-5, Awesome Return paid $3.60 and $2.60. Jules Journey, who was ridden by Santiago Gonzalez, finished third, 1 ¾ lengths in front of longshot Calm Pacific. Off at 8-1, Jules Journey paid $4.40 to show.

March 26 Baffert’s Five Palms, idle since Dec. 2013, wins $60,000 allowance by 4 ½ lengths under Garcia Comebacking Five Palms

returned to action in style on Thursday, as he took command mid-way around the far turn and sped to an impressive 4 ½ length win under Martin Garcia while covering seven furlongs in 1:22.29. Trained by Bob Baffert, the 5-year-old horse by Unbridled’s Song had been idle since winning a first condition allowance at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, 2013. “Fifteen months off, he attacked and he ran strong today,” said Baffert assistant Jim Barnes. “We can do it. If anybody can bring a horse back after that kind of a layoff, we can.” Indeed they can. Off at even money in a field of seven older horses, Five Palms paid $4.00, $3.40 and $2.40. Owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman, Five Palms notched his third win from four starts and with the winner’s share of $36,000, increased his earnings to $100,680. “He was really hot in the post parade, but once we got over to the backside, he was really relaxed,” said Garcia. “I just sat chilly and when Raised a Secret (ridden by Agapito Del-

gadillo) got close to me at the quarter pole, I asked my horse to go and he just took off. He’s a really good horse.” Raised a Secret, who sat third behind early pacesetter Macro Access and Five Palms, was no match for the winner the final eighth of a mile and finished second, one length in front of Airfoil. Off at 9-2, Raised a Secret paid $4.60 and $3.40. Ridden by Tyler Baze, Airfoil closed from well off the pace to finish third, 4 ½ lengths in front of Solid Wager. Off at 9-2, Airfoil paid $2.40 to show.

March 22 Favored Wild in the Saddle handy 6 ¼ length winner of $100,000 Dream of Summer Stakes under Bejarano

Odds on favorite Wild in the Saddle made short work of three California-bred or sired fillies and mares in taking Sunday’s $100,000 Dream of Summer Stakes by 6 ¼ lengths under Rafael Bejarano. Trained by Richard Baltas, the 6-yearold mare by Silic was attentive to a fast pace and took charge midway around the far turn en route to getting a flat mile in 1:36.73. Ridden by Elvis Trujillo,

Sudden Sunday, who broke from the inside, was hustled to a narrow advantage over the winner into and around the Club House turn, but Wild in the Saddle opened up leaving the quarter pole and the Dream of Summer was over. “The trainer told me to go to the lead, but when I saw Sudden Sunday rushing too much into the first turn, I just decided to let her go,” said Bejarano. “My horse doesn’t have to be on the lead and the way she was going I didn’t have to worry about the lead. I was holding her as long as I could and when we hit the three eighths pole, I asked her to pick it up and she showed me a big kick. She won easy.” With no show wagering, Wild in the Saddle was off at 3-5 and paid $3.40 and $2.40. Owned by Nadine Anderson and Cheyenne Ortiz, Wild in the Saddle was bred in California by Dinesh Maniar. The Dream of Summer marked Wild in the Saddle’s first stakes win and improved her overall mark to 34-8-1-9. With the winner’s share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $289,318. “She’s starting to relax in her training finally,” said David Meah, assistant to Baltas, who is currently out of town. “It took a long time to get there. SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 43

Wild in the Saddle

I think she can go a mile and a sixteenth and I think anywhere from seven furlongs, that will be her thing…It pays to have a Cal-bred. The longest shot in the field at 7-1, Melanistic, who was ridden by Tyler Baze, moved into contention when a close third going into the far turn and proved second best, finishing 4 ¼ lengths in front of Grazenette. Melanistic paid $4.40 to place.

March 21 Rising star Ashleyluvssugar outruns favored Finnegans Wake to win Grade 2, $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths In his first-ever graded stakes assignment, Californiabred Ashleyluvssugar out-dueled heavily favored Finnegans Wake to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths under Gary Stevens. Trained by Peter Eurton, Ashleyluvssugar bested seven other older horses in negotiating 1 ½ miles on turf in 2:25.78. Well back in fifth position into the Club House turn, Ashleyluvssugar, who came off of an allowance win going 1 44 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Ashleyluvssugar

1/8 miles on turf Feb. 5, raced as a team with the favorite three-wide around the far turn and when Stevens went to his left handed stick at the furlong pole, the 4-year-old gelding by Game Plan seemingly found another gear and spurted clear. “I watched his last race, when Mike (Smith, who was away today to ride at Turfway Park) was on him and he battled back then too,” said Stevens. “Those were different kinds of horses but he really came back for Mike when he went left handed with the whip. I noticed he really responded for Mike last time and he did the same for me today. “He relaxed like a dream for me. I knew if he would relax, we’d have a good chance. I was loaded going into the (far) turn, a horse came up to our outside, he got headed but he’s tough, he likes a fight.” Owned and bred by Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable and Ciaglia Racing, LLC, Ashleyluvssugar was off at 5-1 and paid $13.20, $4.80 and $3.00. In getting his first stakes win, he notched his fifth win overall from 10 starts. With the winner’s share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $335,504. “I just told Gary to keep him relaxed,” said Eurton. “He

watched tapes on him and he talked to Mike about him. The question was just whether he’d just be too keen early…It was just an amazing ride. We’ll wait now for the San Juan Capistrano (Grade 3, 1 ¾ miles on turf June 28).” Ridden by Victor Espinoza and in search of his fourth consecutive graded stakes win on turf, Finnegans Wake sat just outside the winner around the far turn and into the stretch and appeared to have him measured, but ended up second best, finishing second, 1 ¼ lengths in front of Power Foot. Off at 3-5, Finnegans Wake paid $2.40 and $2.10. “He was a little bit flat today, all the way, as soon as he came out of the gate,” said Espinoza. “He was a little lazy, not really running, he was empty all the way…I got next to the winner and was hoping I could get some company and cruise a little bit more, but it’s one of those things. It was not his day.” Ridden by Flavien Prat, Power Foot sat a joint third with Raise Your Gaze around the Club House turn, made the lead going to the quarter pole while saving ground but was not match for the top two through the drive. Off at 5-1, he paid $2.80 to show.

Papacoolpapacool rallies to win $75,000 Pasadena Stakes at one mile on turf

Attentive to the pace under Elvis Trujillo, Papacoolpapacool saved ground at the rail to the quarter pole, swung three-wide turning for home and overhauled pacesetter Anytime Anyplace and Soul Driver for an impressive 1 ½ length win in Saturday’s $75,000 Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita. With a field of nine 3-year-olds contesting one mile on turf, Papacoolpapacool, who is trained by Phil D’Amato, got the distance in 1:36.55. “Elvis had him a little further back last time out and he was able to make up the ground on the rail,” said D’Amato. “I kind of wanted him closer today so he could get a jump on the closer. Elvis had him right where I wanted him, saving ground and stalking. He angled him out and he came with a big run…He’s a turf horse for now. I’m just happy I have an improving horse.” Off at 5-1, Papacoolpapacool paid $12.40, $7 and $5. Owned by Cellist Racing Group, LLC and Ali Nilforushan, Papacoolpapacool, a Kentuckybred colt by Temple City out of the Saint Ballado mare

RACE RECAPS - THOROUGHBRED

Papacoolpapacool

Sainttwok, notched his second consecutive win going a mile on turf at Santa Anita and improved his overall mark to 7-3-1-1. With the winner’s share of $47,700, he increased his earnings to $145,350. “It was a perfect trip,” said Trujillo. “At the three eighths pole, I saw that Soul Driver was moving too early so I waited a little bit. Once we moved out, my horse was gone.” Breaking from the far outside with Martin Pedroza up, Anytime Anyplace showed the way until tackled by Soul Driver approaching the quarter pole, repelled his challenge a sixteenth out, but couldn’t hold the winner off late. Off at 13-1 Anytime Anyplace paid $11 and $7. Ridden by Gary Stevens, Soul Driver was last after a half mile, made an eye catching move four-wide going to the three eighths pole but could not sustain his run through the drive. The second choice in the wagering at 3-1, he paid $3.40 to show.

March 20 Combacking Oliver’s Tale wins $60,000 Miss Lady Bug purse gateto-wire by 3 ½ lengths under Baze Comebacking Oliver’s Tale

Oliver’s Tale

went to the front early and registered an emphatic 3 ½ length win under Tyler Baze in the $60,000 Miss Lady Bug allowance feature at Santa Anita, covering 6 ½ furlongs down the track’s hillside turf course in 1:12.25. Trained, owned and bred by Mark Tsagalakis, the 6-year-old Kentucky-bred horse by E Dubai had been idle since June 12. “My instructions were to get him out of the gate and after that, he just did it himself, really classy,” said Baze. “He was going fast but he was doing it easy. If they’re fast horses and they’re doing it nice and well within themselves, it doesn’t take as much energy out of them…When I asked him, he really fired home.” Off at 5-1 in a field of 10 older horses, Oliver’s Tale paid $13, $7.60 and $6.20. Undefeated in two starts down the hill, Oliver’s Tale got his third win from eight starts and with the winner’s cut of $36,000, increased his earnings to $133,450. “He runs well fresh,” said Tsagalakis, who is headquartered with a small stable at Los Alamitos. “We brought him over here a week before the race and he likes the track here. I felt he’d run well today.” When asked if the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes, to be run down the hillside turf on April

19 would be considered, Tgagalakis said “Yes, we can think about it.” Longshot Indexical, who sat close to the winner’s fractions of 21.54, 43.28 and 1:06.23, proved second best under Mario Gutierrez, finishing second, a half length in front of Horse Laugh. Off at 12-1, Indexical paid $10.60 and $7.20. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke and the next-to-longest shot in the field at 41-1, Horse Laugh rallied from last for the show and paid $10.40. Note: Owner/breeder and trainer Mark Tsagalakis was joined in the Winner’s Circle by his 82-year-old father, “Sad Sam” Tsagalakis, who gained national fame in the early 1950s as an outstanding place kicker for the USC Trojans football team. “I’ve been coming here since I worked as an usher when I was going to USC, back in 1952, ’53 and ’54,” said Sam Tsagalakis. “It’s so nice to be out here for Mark. It’s not the Kentucky Derby. It’s not the Preakness, but it is Santa Anita.”

March 19 Heavily favored One Lucky Dane makes lead, demolishes allowance foes by 9 ¾ lengths Idle since running sixth

in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 1, Bob Baffert’s heavily favored One Lucky Dane came off the bench swinging on Thursday, as he demolished four rival sophomores in Santa Anita’s $58,000 allowance feature, winning by 9 ¾ lengths under Rafael Bejarano while covering one mile in 1:35.48. Breaking from the outside post position five, One Lucky Dane was sent to the lead aggressively by Bejarano, setting fractions of 23.89, 47.84, 1:11.34 and 1:23.15. “I thought the number three (Commute, with Elvis Trujillo) was the only other speed and when he broke slow, I put my horse on the lead,” said Bejarano. “There was no competition for him today. He was just breezing the whole way and he was much the best.” An imposing bay colt by Lookin At Lucky, out of the Boston Harbor mare, Echo Harbor, One Lucky Dane was a runaway 9 ½ length maiden special weight winner going a mile two starts back on Oct. 4, and thus registered his second win from five starts Thursday. Off at 2-5, he paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10. “We were hoping he would do something like that, but he’s coming off a layoff,” said Baffert. “We were disappointed after SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 45

the Breeders’ Cup. We freshened him up, and here he is…I was hoping this would prep him for something real big, so hopefully, it will.” Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, One Lucky Dane collected $34,800 for the win, boosting his earnings to $92,400. Off at 7-1 with Kent Desormeaux up, Harmonic sat a close fifth into the far turn and just edged Commute on the wire by a nose for second money. Harmonic paid $3.20 and $2.20. Although he broke cleanly, Commute, who was trying two turns for the first time in his third career start, bobbled shortly after the break but was quickly into contention around the Club House turn. Ridden by Elvis Trujillo and trained by Mark Casse, Commute drew within a half length of One Lucky Dane approaching the quarter pole, but was no match for him thereafter. The second choice at 2-1, Commute paid $2.10 to show. Note: Baffert also noted following the race that another of his talented 3-year-olds, Lord Nelson, who won the Grade 2, seven furlong San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 1, and was most recently fourth in the Grade 2, 1 1/16 miles San Felipe Stakes March 7, will not run as originally planned in Sunday’s Grade 3 Sunland Derby in New Mexico. “He just ran and I entered him to see if he would bounce back, but he’s…not quite as sharp as I’d want him to be,” said Baffert, who declined to say what might be next for the son of Pulpit.

March 15 Hoop of Colour springs 12-1 surprise in Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Ana Stakes Attentive to a slow early

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pace, Hoop of Colour, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, wore down Three Hearts and Tyler Baze late to win Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita by three quarters of a length. Trained by Graham Motion, the Flaxman Holdings, Ltd. homebred covered 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:49.08. With longshot Rusty Slipper cutting out fractions of 25.19, 49.56 and 1:13.73, Three Hearts took command approaching the quarter pole and opened up a one length advantage on the winner while getting one mile in 1:37.43. From there, Van Dyke tracked the winner three-wide turning for home and gained the advantage well inside the sixteenth pole. “Today, right out of the gate, I was set up perfect,” said Van Dyke, who is now two for two aboard Hoop of Colour. “She broke well. The only other speed was Three Hearts and the other (Graham) Motion (trained) horse, Rusty Slipper. I got right behind Rusty Slipper and my horse threw her ears up and she was so relaxed. Near the half mile pole only two horses were in front of me, so I got out, stayed off Three Hearts’ hip and I had clear sailing from there.” A winner of a 1 ¼ miles turf allowance in her U.S. debut at Santa Anita Feb. 5, Hoop of Colour, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Distorted Humor who was two for four in England, was off at 12-1 in a field of nine older fillies and mares and paid $26.80, $13.80 and $10. A minor stakes winner in England last July, Hoop of Colour, who is out of the Unbridled mare Surya, got her first graded stakes win and improved her overall mark to 6-4-1-0. The winner’s take of $120,000 increased her earn-

Hoop of Colour

ings to $173,751. “She’s a really nice filly, and all (of her) family, three or four of them, have been graded stakes winners,” said Alice Clapham, assistant trainer to Motion. “She’s shown a lot of talent since she’s been here… I’m sure Graham will talk to the owners…We might run her back here that mile and a quarter turf race (Grade 3, $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap on April 18) or she might go to Keeneland.” Three Hearts, a Team Valor International homebred filly by Hat Trick, had been idle since running a close third in the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita Dec. 27, tracked Rusty Slipper early but couldn’t hold off the winner close home, finishing second, one length in front of Winning Rhythm. Off at 8-1, Three Hearts paid $10.60 and $7.20. Last into the Club House turn, Winning Rhythm saved ground to mid-stretch and angled out leaving the eighth pole under Victor Espinoza to run third, a half length in front of Testa Rossi. The longest shot in the field at 41-1, Winning Rhythm paid $13.20 to show. Ridden by Gary Stevens, 5-2 favorite Diversy Harbor, who came off a come from behind win in the Grade 2 Buena

Vista Stakes Feb. 16, lacked her customary late kick. “No pace,” said Stevens in explaining his filly’s subpar effort.

March 14 California-bred Warren’s Veneda is smashing 7 ¼ length winner of Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Margarita Stakes

California-bred Warren’s Veneda firmly established herself as the West Coast’s top older filly or mare with a sensational 7 ¼ length win in Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Margarita Stakes, as she negotiated 1 1/8 miles under Tyler Baze in 1:48.73. Conditioned by Craig Lewis, the 5-year-old chestnut mare by Affirmative registered her third win in-a-row and followed up on a career-best 2 ¾ length win in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on Feb. 14. Drawn outside in a field of six older fillies and mares, Warren’s Veneda was hung three-wide while last into the Club House turn and cruised to the leaders while in-hand under Baze going to the far turn. Three-wide turning for home she lengthened her considerable stride and put her competition away with a furlong to run.

RACE RECAPS - THOROUGHBRED

Warren’s Veneda

“The last three times I’ve ridden her, she just does things so easy,” said Baze. “I haven’t gotten to the bottom of her yet. There’s so much horse under me and she just does what she needs to do to win…Usually, if you’re sitting mid-pack, horses won’t flick their ears back and forth and just relax, but she was…and was totally relaxed. “Craig tells me she’s only getting better and she proved it today. She’s special. She’s named after Mr. Warren’s late wife, so I know how special this is for him.” Owned by her breeder, Benjamin, C. Warren, Warren’s Veneda provided Warren, who has owned and bred horses in California for 35 years, with his first-ever Grade 1 win. “Out of our 800 horses, that’s the best win, the biggest,” said Warren, who currently resides in Las Vegas. The 3-2 favorite, Warren’s Veneda paid $5, $2.60 and $2.20. The Santa Margarita was her eighth win from 22 career starts, and with the winner’s share of $240,000, she increased her earnings to $827,612. “I was pretty confident that she was going to win, but I didn’t think that she would be that dominating, because I

Go West Marie

thought the two Eastern fillies (runner-up Dame Dorothy and early pace setter Cassatt) looked awful good on paper,” said Lewis. “We’re thinking about the Charles Town Classic (versus males on April 18). We’re going to have to take on some pretty tough boys, but she could be up to the task.” Dame Dorothy, who shipped in from South Florida for trainer Todd Pletcher, stalked the early pace and overhauled Thegirlinthatsong and Uzziel late to run second by a half length. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Dame Dorothy was the second choice at 2-1 and paid $3.20 and $2.60. Ridden by Mike Smith, Thegirlinthatsong was off at 8-1 and finished third, a half length in front of Uzziel and paid $2.80 to show.

Favored Go West Marie overcomes nightmarish trip to win $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes down hillside turf course

”It was an ugly race on my part, but a great result.” So said Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens following Go West Marie’s half length victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes at Santa Anita, a race in which the

California-bred filly trained by Eddie Truman overcame seemingly insurmountable traffic trouble en route to negotiating 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in 1:12.90. “I didn’t think she’d overcome that traffic that late in the race,” said Truman. “No shot. Gary was just waiting (to find an opening). Any time, right?… and then when they closed the hole coming across the dirt, what’s he going to do? He tried out, he tried in again, and then, zoom. That’s a race horse. What a heart. She is something.” Off at 7-5 in a field of seven older fillies and mares bred or sired in California, Go West Marie, a 4-year-old filly by Western Fame, paid $4.80, $3.40 and $2.20. Now a perfect three-in-a-row with Stevens up, she came off a three quarter length win down the hill in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint on Jan. 24 and with the O’Brien win, improved her overall record to 18-6-1-5. Owned by Peter Redekop BC, Ltd., she picked up $60,000 for the win, increasing her earnings to $462,520. “Not really what I want to add to my Hall of Fame tape reel,” quipped Stevens. “I was so loaded coming down the hill with so much horse. Talamo’s filly (Demonica) was lugging

out prior to crossing the dirt. I thought, ‘I’m going to get a run here, it’s just a question of when I want to push the button. “I could have come out, but Mike (Smith, aboard Velvet Mesquite) was getting out a bit and I chose to stay inside. It was really the wrong decision. I got stopped cold inside the eighth pole and in these off the hill races, you don’t want to get stopped there. Her turn of foot is brilliant and I had enough (of a) spread that I was able to get out without interfering with the horses behind me.” Last after the first half mile, longshot Qiaona rallied wideout under Rafael Bejarano to nail Velvet Mesquite by a nose for the place. Off at 9-1, she paid $7.20 and $3.20. Velvet Mesquite, who entered the Irish O’Brien with five wins from eight starts down the hillside course, appeared to have a perfect trip under Mike Smith, but was no match for the winner. The second choice in the wagering at 8-5, she finished a half length in front of Bert’s Melody and paid $2.20 to show. NOTE: The winner, who is out of the Swiss Yodeler mare Marie’s Rose, was bred in California by former trainer Summer Mayberry. SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 47

March 13 Favored Sweet Swap takes $65,000 Santa Anita allowance feature gate-to-wire under Talamo

these horses a chance to run back.” Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, U S Citizen sat second to the winner throughout and prevailed by 1 ¾ lengths as the runner-up over Favored Sweet Swap went longshot County Lineman. The second choice in the wagering to the front and never looked at 7-2, U S Citizen paid $3.60 back in taking the $65,000 and $3.20. allowance feature by three County Lineman, who was quarters of a length under ridden by Rafael Bejarano, was Joe Talamo. Trained by John Sadler, Sweet Swap carved out next to last crossing the dirt at the top of the lane, wheeled fractions of 22.29, 44.56 and 1:06.58 en route to a final time five-wide turning for home and finished third, a half length Bellarmine of 1:12.54 down Santa Anita’s in front of Si Sage. Off at 6-1, hillside turf course. County Lineman paid $3.40 to “I was glad to see him prior to Saturday night, School show. break well today,” said Talamo. Spirit had beaten Bellarmine in “He has a tendency, even when the Fremont Stakes on January he’s won, to break slow some17 when Hip Four Sixtynine times. Fortunately, he’s easy to was victorious, School Spirit ride. When he makes the lead, ran second and Bellarmine he puts his ears up and just settled for third. idles which is real easy on the The win by Bellarmine on rider. I just let him do his own Saturday marked the seventh thing.” Delta Downs, of his career from 23 overall Off at 6-5 in a field of seven starts. The $45,000 winner’s Vinton, LA older horses, Sweet Swap paid paycheck raised his lifetime $4.60, $2.60 and $2.40. Owned March 14 bankroll to $274,405. Bellarmine turns the by Hronis Racing, LLC, the Bred in Kentucky by John tables on School Spirit 6-year-old Candy Ride horse W. Phillips, Bellarmine is a picked up his fifth win from 12 in the Borgata Stakes at 5-year-old dark bay or brown tries down the unique hillside Delta Downs horse by Magna Graduate, out layout and improved his overall Delta Downs wrapped of the Alydar mare Aly Capri. record to 17-7-3-3. With the up its 2014-15 Thoroughbred Bellarmine was sent to the winner’s share of $39,000, season on Saturday night with post as the 6-5 wagering favorhe increased his earnings to a 12-race program and the ite and rewarded his backers $390,529. final stakes race of the meet, with payoffs of $4.60 to win, Third, beaten three quarthe $75,000 Borgata for 4-year- $2.40 to place and $2.20 to ters of a length after hopping olds and up competing at one show. School Spirit paid $2.80 at the break in in the restricted mile. The headliner was won to place and $2.20 to show. Ide Clockers’ Corner Stakes down by Loooch Racing Stable, Inc.’s Be Cool was worth $2.60 so the hill Jan. 25, Sweet Swap Bellarmine, who was ridden to show. had been the beaten favorite victory by Gerard Melancon. in his last three starts, but Bellarmine, who is trained March 13 will now be pointed to a title by Tom Amoss, defeated defense in the Grade 3 San School Spirit by two lengths af- Run Hide My Girl proves Simeon Stakes over the course ter a spirited duel between the best in the Gold Coast Stakes at Delta Downs on April 19. rivals in the final half mile. Ide “Yes, we’ll run next in the Be Cool finished another four What Else Racing’s Run San Simeon,” said Sadler. “I’m lengths behind the time pair in Hide My Girl took on heavreally happy. This is the makethird. The final running time of ily favored Parc Monceau in up race for the Joe Hernandez the Borgata was 1:39.10 over Friday night’s $75,000 Gold Stakes on Feb. 22, which got a track that was listed fast but Coast Stakes at Delta Downs rained out. It was really nice sealed. and came away with a hard that the Racing Office gave In their only other meeting fought win under jockey C. J.

LOUISIANA

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McMahon. The Ron Faucheux trainee was claimed in her most recent start for $20,000 and paid immediate dividends of $45,000 for her victory in the Gold Coast after she was supplemented to the race on entry day. After breaking sharply from the inside post position in a field of six, Run Hide My Girl angled off the rail and moved up to press the pace set by 1-5 favorite Parc Monceau. As the field entered the far turn McMahon urged his mount to take the lead and she responded by dueling with Parc Monceau and wearing her down in the lane. At the finish line Run Hide My Girl proved ¾ of a length better than her rival with Handmade finishing another 3-1/4 lengths behind the top pair. Run Hide My Girl covered the one mile distance of the Gold Coast Stakes in 1:39.86 over a track listed as sloppy. The victory by Run Hide My Girl marked the first stakes win of her career. She had finished a distance second to Parc Monceau earlier in the season when they met in the El Dorado Stakes. Overall Run Hide My Girl has been to the winner’s circle six times from 16 starts and has earned a total of $160,891.

RACE RECAPS - THOROUGHBRED

Run Hide My Girl

Chocolate Ride

Run Hide My Girl is a 4-year-old chestnut filly by Run Away and Hide, out of the Dynaformer mare Dynameesch. She was bred in Kentucky by Greg McDonald & Ben Walden Jr. Sent to the gate at odds of 7-1, Run Hide My Girl paid $16.20 to win, $3.40 to place and $3 to show. Parc Monceau was worth $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. Handmade returned $2.60 for a show ticket.

$125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap on Feb. 21 – paid $10.60, $4.40 and 3.20 at odds of nearly 9-2. He more than doubled his career earnings in the process, earning $180,000 to bolster his bankroll to $342,191. Slumber, under Alan Garcia, paid $3.20 and $2.80. Paroled, who pressed Chocolate Ride throughout under Brian Hernandez, Jr., was passed late by Slumber and paid $3.80 to show. “I really appreciate the opportunity today,” Talamo said. “What a nice horse – he did everything so nice; relaxed on the front end and really held those two horses off. I had a lot of horse left.” Ricky Giannini, assistant to Cox who has meticulously overseen Chocolate Ride since his acquisition, was elated. “He has just been getting better every single day we’ve had him here,” he beamed. “Being able to work him on the turf here has just pushed him to the next level. Working on the turf really helped his feet and his soundness and helped him in the right direction. He has been steadily improving – we saw it in the Fair Grounds Handicap and he showed it again today.” “He ran a good race,” said a disappointed Garcia. “I was a little disappointed the way he

5-year-old gelding break the 1 1/8-miles track record over the same sod, but the flashy frontrunning Kentucky-bred also became the first stakes winner for his owner when annexing the Grade 2 $300,000 Mervin H. Muniz, Jr. Memorial Handicap gate-to-wire. The icing on the proverbial chocolate cake is that the two-time graded stakes winner was the first horse Wentworth ever acquired when the Brad Cox trainee was claimed from Mark Casse for $40,000 at Churchill Downs in November. All in all, it seems that Chocolate Ride – ridden Saturday afternoon by Joe TaFair Grounds Race lamo – has been a sweet deal. After popping out of the Course, New Orleans, LA gate well, Chocolate Ride March 28 quickly took over the lead and Chocolate Ride melts carved out fractions of :24.08, track record in Muniz :48.31, 1:11.73 and 1:35.78 en John Wentworth’s Chocoroute to defeating Michael late Ride has produced anyDubb, Sheep Pond Partners thing but a rocky road for those and Bethlehem Stables’ Chad involved with him – in fact, he Brown-trained 9-5 favorite continues to make history for Slumber by a half-length in his connections. Two weeks 1:48.18 – besting Mystery ago, he was the first horse ever Giver’s 1:48.29 mark set in the to record a workout on the 2004 Muniz. It was another Stall-Wilson turf course at Fair half-length back to Two Dimes Grounds Race Course and Slots, Stable’s Angel Montano-trained which he did once again one Paroled in third. Chocolate Ride, week ago, impressing on both going off as the fourth choice occasions. Then, on Saturday in the field of six – despite afternoon at the New Orleans handily winning the course and oval, not only did the dark bay distance prep in the Grade 3

started from the gate. I had to ask him to put him in the race.” Hernandez, aboard fellow track record-holder Paroled who set said mark in a grassy one-mile allowance last out, was pleased with his mount’s effort. “He ran a good race. I thought (Coalport) would go with (Chocolate Ride) and when he didn’t go we were put in that spot. In these kinds of races you can’t let a horse get around there easy, so we put the pressure on. My horse gave a good effort.” Paroled was followed by Divine Oath and Coalport, who both failed to make a dent on the outcome at 5-2 odds, respectively. Potomac River rounded out the Muniz field.

No talking over I’m a Chatterbox in Fair Grounds Oaks In the Grade 2 $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, I’m a Chatterbox turned in not a scintillating frontrunning performance like her January Silverbulletday Stakes score, nor did she produce a dramatic closing effort as in February’s Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes, but her workmanlike pressing tally put an emphatic stamp on her claim as the one SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 49

Call Me George

off, despite being overlooked on the board at 22-1. Settled off of splits of :23.48, :47.57 and 1:11.27 set by longshot Go Go Rocket, Call Me George angled out at the top of the stretch and reeled in the leaders in the final sixteenth of a mile, stopping the clock in 1:51.07 for the nine-furlong main track trip. I’m a Chatterbox Winning rider Graham was pleased with his mount’s to beat in the Grade 1 Kentucky running on.” performance. “He’s a good old Trainer Larry Jones was Oaks in May at Churchill Downs. horse and he has tried so hard Fletcher and Carolyn Gray’s enthused with his charge’s against very tough company. It performance. “She is a really Larry Jones-trained daughter has been great (getting 2,000 of Munnings attended splits of nice filly. We have been very wins). Thanks to Grant for putCall Me George gives blessed to get to race her. On to :23.69 and :47.03 set by longting me on this horse.” James Graham 2,000th Kentucky is the plan.” shot Jugni before assuming Forster credited the rider career victory in New I’m a Chatterbox will look command through a threefor his part in the victory, addquarters split of 1:11.19 before to follow in the footsteps of last Orleans Handicap ing, “We were certainly hoping year’s Fair Grounds Oaks winsteadily holding sway over Clint Joiner, Matthew Bond for a good effort. That was Regis Racing’s Steve Asmussen- ner, Untapable, and capture the and Jim Curry’s Call Me George just the epitome of a James trained Shook Up in a final time Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on the captured the first stakes race of Graham ride, giving 110% on first Friday in May. If successful, his career in memorable fashof 1:44.40 for the 1 1/16 miles every mount. Call Me George is she would become the seventh ion Saturday at Fair Grounds trip, paying $3.20, $2.40, and a funny horse; he has a ton of filly in the last eleven editions $2.10 as the 3-5 wagering fapersonality. The harder you ride Race Course & Slots when vorite. The victory was her third of the Fair Grounds Oaks to do parlaying a furious rally into a him, the harder he runs.” so. in as many starts at the New Call Me George, winning half-length score in the Grade 2 Shook Up, fifth behind I’m $400,000 New Orleans HandiOrleans oval and fourth overall for the sixth time in 23 career a Chatterbox in last month’s from six career starts, with cap, giving meet-leading jockey starts, returned $46.40, $15.20 Rachel Alexandra, tracked the the $240,000 winner’s share James Graham the 2,000th win and $5.20 as the secondboosting her career bankroll to pace outside of horses, took longest shot on the board of his career. a shot at the eventual winner $468,614. The Grant Forster-trained and boosted his bankroll to turning for home under Robby son of Point Given exited a “She was right where I $415,621 with the $240,000 Albarado but could not keep wanted to be,” winning rider winner’s purse. third-place allowance effort pace late, finishing a length Florent Geroux said. “She got Brereton C. Jones’ Albano, behind a pair of New Orleans clear of Charles Fipke’s Dala little bit bored in the final rivals and improved markedly trained by Larry Jones, battled throughout the stretch under las Stewart-trained Forever eighth of a mile but she kept in his second start off the layUnbridled, third for rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. “She left in order,” Albarado explained. “Much more professional today. You’ve seen her previous races where she lugged in a bit. She was much better today and she stayed to the wire.” Shook Up returned $3.40 and $2.80, while Forever Unbridled paid $2.20. Danette, Audrey’s Double, Tachiello, Desert Valley, and Jugni completed the order of finish.

50 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

RACE RECAPS - THOROUGHBRED

Tensas Harbor

Kerwin Clark with Southern Equine Stable’s Eric Guillottrained race favorite Moreno, ridden by Joe Talamo, but neither could withstand the winner’s late charge after each getting what their respective riders called “a good trip.” Albano bested Moreno by a head for second, returning $4.20 and $3, and Moreno returned $2.40. The late Jim Tafel’s Greg Geier-trained Afford loomed a threat off the turn for Robby Albarado but flattened late to finish fourth, followed by Red Rifle, One King’s Man, Indycott, and Go Go Rocket.

March 21 Tensas Harbor gets Red Camelia redemption

Cantrell Family Partnership’s Tensas Harbor finally extracted her revenge on rival I Dazzle in the $60,000 Red Camelia Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots with a sharp victory over fellow Louisiana-bred mares in the one-mile turf event. After finishing astern her Mike Stidham-trained opponent in their four previous meetings, the daughter of Private Vow got the jump on I Dazzle and ran down John Duvieilh and Keith and Earl Hernandez’s Heatseeker Sharon in the process

Pacific Pink

to score by a neck under Brian Hernandez, Jr. Interestingly, it was one year ago in this race that I Dazzle – who ran today what was likely her final career race – got the jump on Tensas Harbor and held her at bay by 1¼ lengths in the first of their quintet of quarrels. After breaking without haste, Tensas Harbor methodically advanced toward the rail, eventually reaching third around the far turn while frontrunners Eva La Rouge and Heatseeker Sharon contested the lead through fractions of :23.68 and :48.77. After the latter put away her speedy rival at the top of the stretch through three-quarters in 1:13.69, Hernandez switched Tensas Harbor to the outside and diligently wore the game filly down in the final sixteenth to win in 1:38.34. I Dazzle, under James Graham, chased Tensas Harbor, but could only match strides with the winner – never closing the advantage her foe had established at the head of the lane. Saturday’s victory was the Keith Desormeaux trainee’s second consecutive stakes win after a 4¼-length tally in the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Distaff at Delta Downs on Feb. 7. It was her fifth stakes win overall and first in a turf

stakes. She is now an eighttime winner in 24 starts, with 15 top-three finishes. The $36,000 winner’s share increased her career earnings to $479,450. Sent off as the slight favorite over I Dazzle – both at $1.70-1 – Tensas Harbor returned $5.40, $3.60 and $2.60. Heatseeker Sharon, under Robby Albarado, returned $7.60 and $4. A length and a quarter behind that rival, The Farm on 4, Brent Gasaway and Stidham’s I Dazzle paid $2.40 to show. “We had a good trip,” Hernandez said. “Keith and the whole team had the filly ready to go and my job was just to give her a clean trip and she was the best filly in the race today. We had a smooth trip the whole way around there and she took us there.” “I had a great trip,” Albarado said. “A nice filly beat us.” According to Stidham, I Dazzle was sold privately for breeding purposes and the Red Camelia was likely her final race. In 32 career starts, the daughter of Hold That Tiger won eight times – including three stakes – and earned $398,337 while finishing in the money 19 times. Indian Wind, Eva La Rouge, Prissy Bele, E Moon and Tujua-

cagofast completed the order of finish.

Louisiana-breds share Derby Day spotlight

Before Fair Grounds & Slots hosted four Grade 2 races on Saturday’s Louisiana Derby Day card, 42 Louisiana-breds competed in a quartet of restricted stakes races showcasing the Pelican State’s finest. Keith Plaisance’s Eddie Johnston-trained Pacific Pink captured the first stakes race of her career in the $75,000 Crescent City Oaks, running down favored Sibling War in the final strides to win by a head. Running the one mile and 70 yards on dirt in 1:43.89, the daughter of Private Vow returned $21.60, $8 and $4.80, earning $45,000 to boost her career bankroll to $105,600. Sibling War finished second, returning $3.80 and $3, with Forest Lake returning $3.20 in third. One race later, Four Leaf Chief rallied from last to claim the $75,000 Crescent City Derby by two comfortable lengths. Trained by Steve Flint for Whispering Oaks Farm, the son of Lookin At Lucky settled well at the back for jockey Gerard Melancon before launching a serious bid around the far turn. Paying $9.80, $4.60 and $3.40, the second choice SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4 51

Four Leaf Chief

stopped the clock in 1:46.28 for the 1 1/16 miles main track trip. With his fourth win in nine starts, Four Leaf Chief has now earned $215,600. Charlie’s Affair finished second, paying $19 and $11.40. Finishlikeapro crossed the wire third but was disqualified to sixth for interference, elevating Grande Basin to the show spot where he returned $5.20. Rowell Enterprises’ hardknocking sprinter Heitai set quick splits and found the wire first in the $60,000 Costa Rising Stakes at 5½ furlongs on the Stall-Wilson turf course. Ridden again by James Graham for trainer Tom Amoss, the 5-yearold son of Fusaichi Pegasus stopped the clock in 1:02.80 and returned $3, $2.40 and $2.10 as the odds-on favorite. The speedy gelding’s 14th win from 29 career starts padded his bankroll with another $36,000, boosting his lifetime earnings to $919,543. Laterunning 48-1 longshot Win Lion Win narrowed the gap late but 52 SureBet RacingNews.com • April 2015 • Vol. 9 No. 4

Heitai could never seriously threaten the winner, falling a length short while finishing a nose in front of Knockitdownhard. Win Lion Win returned $25.20 and $11.20, while Knockitdownhard paid $5.80. In the final state-bred race of the day, Udoknowjack bounced back off his only subpar effort of the meet with a 33-1 win in the $60,000 Star Guitar Stakes. Ridden by Jocelyn Gomez for owner-trainer Jorge Gomez, Udoknowjack led at every call and repelled all late challengers en route to a neck victory – his fourth of the Fair Grounds meet. The 5-year-old son of Storm Day completed the 1-1/16 miles journey in 1:45.11, returning $68.80, $24.40 and $10.40, and increasing his career earnings to $136,830 with the $36,000 winner’s share. Beauty’s Pioneer rallied late but just missed, returning $6 and $4, with Galveston Harbor another three-quarters of a length behind in third, Udoknowjack paying $5.