surebet racing news may 2014

M A Y 2 0 1 4 · V O L . 8 N O . 5

California Chrome a favorite for 2014 Kentucky Derby pg. 5

FIRST MOONFLASHChampion Aged Stallion, Lifetime Earnings $969,000 SI 122 - 7 G1 WinsSire of Earnings of $2.3 million, 2013 #2 Leading 2YO SireSire of an All American Futurity Winner in his First Crop, 2013 #1 Leading Freshman Sire By Champion Multi Millionaire Sire First to Flash si 106 - Multiple-Stakes Producer Nagano Moon, by Major Rime

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2 SureBet RacingNews.com • May 2014 • Vol. 8 No. 5

3SureBet RacingNews.com • May 2014 • Vol. 8 No. 5

RACING NEWSRACINGNENEN WSEWSESureBetP U B L I S H E D B Y :

M A I N O F F I C E :2810 Sudderth, Ste. 206 • Ruidoso, NM 88345

575.808.8477 • 8 - 6, M - Fwww.surebetracingnews.com

P U B L I S H E R :EUGENE HEATHMAN

Cell: [email protected]

B I L L I N G / A C C O U N T I N G :ANNA FUQUA

Cell: [email protected]

A D S A L E S :MANDA TOMISONCell: 806.777.2075

[email protected]

E D I T O R I A L S T A F F :TODD FUQUA

[email protected]

MICHAEL [email protected]

MARTHA [email protected]

TOM [email protected]

TY [email protected]

C O P Y E D I T O R :MIKE SCANLON

D E S I G N D I R E C T O R :KATHERINE KIEFER

[email protected]

C O N S U L T A N T :LAURA FLYNN

CON T E N T SCON T E N T SCON T E N T SM A Y 2 0 1 4 • V O L . 8 N O . 5Cover photo courtesy of Scott MartinezCover Story: Derby Day a holiday at nation’s tracks by Todd Fuqua . . . . . . 5Feature Story: Boi George Ruidoso bound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Ruidoso Downs opens for training; Track records set at Remington;

Chitu Named Horse of Meet at Sunland Park

Racing Commission Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 RCI Model Rule changes adopted; John Ward named RCI chair,

Lamberth and Durenberger elected o� cers; Lack of compounding pharmacy enforcement making racing integrity more elusive; Ruidoso Downs supports Racing Free Clean-Racing program

Race Recaps: Quarter Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Los Alamitos Race Course: Fiesty Flo wins La Primera Del Año; It’s his

time to shine in James Smith Memorial Delta Downs: Katillac Man sets record in Delta Dash; Dashin Gage

dominates John Alleman Memorial; On The Wagon fastest to Old South

Sunland Park: Winning Merlot takes New Mexican Spring Futurity; Feature Mr Who defends title in Bank of America Challenge

SunRay Park: Warren’s Knockout holds on in Inaugural Handicap Remington Park: Remington Park Futurity a close one; $298,000

Remington Park Derby; $50,990 Bob Moore Memorial Stakes; $74,750 Laico Bird Stakes; Painted Laico Bird wins Mr Master Bug; Count it: Count De Monet wins Juvenile; Texas Silk rolls in American Paint Classic; American Paint Derby; Red Cell Distance Challenge; Merial Dista� Challenge; Bank of America Challenge; Zoetis Allowance Challenge

Sam Houston Race Park: Kiss My Hocks sensational in Sam Houston Futurity; Mister Big breaks maiden in Sam Houston Derby; Lethal Perry much the best in Sam Houston Juvenile; Im A Feature Girl � awless in Merial Texas Dista� Challenge; Cash N FDD Dynasty wins Zoetis Texas Starter Allowance Challenge; Texas Twister; Bank of America Sam Houston Challenge; Emilianos Wagon still the fastest

Thoroughbred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Oaklawn Park: Danza comes through with Arkansas Derby win; Will

Take Charge wins Oaklawn Handicap Sunland Park: Raider Red takes Copper Top, Miss BRH wins � llies

division; Isn’t He Clever crushes rivals in $75k Sunland Handicap SunRay Park: Tricky R runs away with victory; That’s Who wins Jack

Cole Handicap; Design Tobe A Winner speeds in Animas Stakes Lone Star Park Park: Grand Contender lives up to name in Texas

Mile; Lasting Bubbles takes home Wayne Hanks Stakes trophy Emerald Downs: Belt collars Follow My Tracks; Mike Man’s Gold

outduels I Keep Saying in Emerald Downs feature; Scat Daddybaby sharp in 2014 debut; Strawberry Dawn carries Felipe Valdez back to winner’s circle


http://www.raceruidoso.com


C O V E R S T O R Y

By Todd Fuqua

It’s the fi rst Saturday in May and that means two things: The Kentucky Derby runs at

Churchill Downs, and you can share in all the Derby festivities at tracks across the country.

True, Churchill Downs is the place to be May 3, when the 140th running of the Derby goes off that evening, but every racetrack in the country will be watching, and doing some-thing special for their patrons.

All tracks feature simul-cast wagering on every race at Churchill Downs that day, right up to the feature contest.

California Chrome – the likely favorite – drew a huge crowd to his fi nal workout at Los Alamitos April 26 before shipping off to Louisville. He’s the top points-earner, and fans at every track in California – Los Alamitos included – will be watching.

Oaklawn, home to Arkansas Derby winner Danza and a Ken-tucky Derby contender, hosts a BBQ competition on its infi eld lead-ing right up to the post.

Ruidoso Downs is also among the tracks planning special do-ings, with Billy’s Race Book opening at 9 a.m. for breakfast and the All American Turf Club opening at noon for a lunch buff et.

Getting dressed in your fi nest and drinking mint juleps is also the norm, as Ruidoso Downs will host a women’s hat contest, with the winner receiving $100.

Some tracks are starting their season, some are ending them with the Kentucky Derby, as Turf Paradise in Phoenix is celebrating an increase in yearly attendance with its own Derby party.

Track offi cials are expecting about 9,000 fans at Turf Paradise, with yearly attendance at the Arizona oval up by more than 17,000.

Todd Fuqua is the former award-winning sports editor for the Ruidoso Free Press, Ruidoso News and Roswell Daily Record. He has written ex-tensively about racing at Ruidoso Downs Race Track, having covered the All American Futurity and Derby for the past 12 years.

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At top, California Chrome’s fi nal workout at Los Alamitos April 26;

above, bonnet-bedecked Derby en-thusiasts at Ruidoso Downs, 2013.

Above right photo courtesy of Los Alamitos; above photo courtesy of

Eugene Heathman

Derby Day a holiday

at nation’s racetracks

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F E A T U R E S T O R Y

Boi George sang a sweet tune April 13 and

won the 56th running of the $267,651 West Texas Futurity (Grade 1) at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.

One of four run-ners trained by Gene Burden, Boi George turned on the jets in deep stretch to swarm a world class fi eld of 2-year-old Quarter Horse going 300 yards.

Dismissed at 16-1 odds, Boi George and jockey Adrian A. Ramos accelerated past El Damazo to win the prestigious event by one-half length in a fast time of 14.873 seconds, good for a 93 speed index. The up-and-coming star broke from the outside No. 10 post position and was full of run at the wire.

Boi George remained unbeaten in two starts and picked up a healthy payday of $125,796 for owners Miguel Gallegos and Mauricio Gallegos.

Burden said in a post-race interview, “He qualifi ed from the outside 10 hole in the trials, so I like him coming from that post again, but you never know. There’s a bunch of good ones in that race. He drifted out a bit down the lane and almost ran on top of the track photographer. We will get him ready for the big races at

Boi George Ruidoso bound

After winning long-shot West Texas

Futurity, gelding pointed at the

mountain

April 13, 2014 • Sunland Park, NM

Boi George, Adrian A. Ramos up. Photos by Coady Photography

http://www.ruidosojockeyclub.com


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Ruidoso this summer.”Boi George paid $34.20 on a $2 win ticket.El Damazo ran a brave race to earn second place under jock-

ey Efrain Vigi. The runner-up trained by Jose Vargas closed with determination in the fi nal stages. He earned $48,177 for owners Daniel Balderrama and Juan Castro. Aka Bugga for trainer Gene Burden and Jm Famous Master for trainer Jose Muela fi nished in a dead heat for third.

Cc Kachina Eagle tried her best a fi nished fi fth, beaten less than one length. Top qualifi er and 7-5 favorite First Famous Eff ort was bumped hard at the break and lost all chance. The son of

One Famous Eagle fi nished seventh.Boi George will now point at the All American Triple Crown

– the Grade 1, $700,000 Ruidoso Futurity, the Grade 1, $900,000 Rainbow Futurity and the Grade 1, $2.6 million All American Futurity – this summer at Ruidoso Downs.

The summer season at Ruidoso Downs starts on May 22 with two days of trials to the Ruidoso Futurity and those trials could be Boi George’s Ruidoso Downs debut.

Boi George winning connections. Photo by Coady Photography

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FIRST STARTER, FIRST WINNER, FIRST 2YO RACE OF 2014

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ZUELLAS HEAT won her career debut in a maiden special weight at Sunland Park in :21.22, nearly matching the track record of :21.20

By SPEIGHTSTOWN, 2nd Leading Sire in 2013 and his 23 stakes winnners recorded the most stakes wins, 36

Out of champion 3YO filly XTRA HEAT, G1 winner of 26 of 35 starts and $2,389,635, a 2014 Hall of Fame nominee

Broodmare sire by DIXIELAND BAND, a top 10 broodmare sire last year

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Ruidoso Downs, NMRuidoso Downs opens for training

Horses began training on the Ruidoso Downs track in preparation for the summer racing season that begins on Thursday, May 22, with the first of two days of trials to the Grade, 1 $700,000 Ruidoso Futurity.

The summer season is highlighted by a number of important additions to the stakes schedule. A $200,000 guaranteed purse for the All American Gold Cup should attract Quarter Horse rac-ing’s premier older horses, three new $100,000 stakes for 3-year-olds and the Zia Festival expanding to a two-day event are some of the innovations in the stakes schedule.

In addition to the two days of trials to the Ruidoso Futu-rity, there will also be two days of trials the Grade 1, $900,000 Rainbow Futurity (July 3-4) and the Grade 1, $2.6 million All American Futurity (Aug. 14-15). This is the first year that each Grade 1 futurity in the Triple Crown series will have the field comprised of horses from two days of trials. The horses with the five-fastest times from each day of trials become eligible to the futurity finals.

The season’s ultimate weekend is Labor Day week-end with the All American Gold Cup on Saturday (Aug. 30), the Grade 1, $2 million (est.) All American Derby on Sunday (Aug. 31) and the All American Futurity on Labor

Day (Sept. 1).Ruidoso Downs is still the

only track in North America projecting to annually host two $2 million races on the stakes schedule.

Three-year-olds now have the added opportunity to race in three additional $100,000 guaranteed stakes: the 400-yard Mr Jess Perry (June 7), the 440-yard Corona Cartel (July 19) and the First Down Dash (Aug. 31).

This summer the Zia Fes-tival (July 26-27) will contest eight stakes races on Satur-day and six stakes races on

Sunday, all featuring the best New Mexico-bred Thorough-breds and Quarter Horses. The grandstand will be packed with vendors selling South-western wares. The array of stakes races and the vendors make Zia Festival weekend one of the most popular week-ends of the season.

For complete Ruidoso Downs’ information, go to www.raceruidoso.com, visit the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino Facebook page and obtain the latest news by following the Ruidoso Press Box (@RuiPressBox) on Twitter.

Oklahoma City, OKTrack records set at Remington

Track records fell like domi-nos at Remington Park last month, as Pure D Spit, Major Tom and Ms Flashy Dancer turned in some spectacular short-course performances.

Talent and some extra tailwind provided Ms Flashy Dancer with her fourth consec-utive victory April 25 and a new Remington Park track record for Paint and Appaloosa racing at 330 yards.

A $14,900 Starter Allow-ance event gave Ms Flashy Dancer the stage for her fourth straight score dating back to September 2013. The 3-year-old filly also hit the finish in 16.602 seconds over a fast track, aided in part by a tail-wind of 19 mph. The new mark knocks out one set on March 16 when Call Him Awesome (Paint) posted a time of 16.661.

Ms Flashy Dancer won a nose-bob photo over 10-year-old veteran Texas Royal Snow. TH San Man was moved up to third after Junglebell was disqualified from the position and placed sixth for causing interference to BV Judys Teller midway through the race.

Owned by the McAlester, Okla., partnership of Shawn Smoot and Larry Burnett, Ms Flashy Dancer is trained by Rodney Reed and was ridden by Berkley Packer. The 6-5 wagering favorite, Ms Flashy Dancer paid $4.40 to win, $6.80 to place and $2.10 to show. Texas Royal Snow returned $3.40 to place and $2.20 to show. TH San Man paid $2.80 to show.

Horses, trainers, jockeys and spectators return to the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack in preparation for the upcoming race season. The track opens May 22 with two days of trials for the Ruidoso Futurity.

Photos courtesy of Roberta Harris, Ruidoso Downs Race Track


Bred in Oklahoma by Smoot, Ms Flashy Dancer is a 3-year-old Paint filly by Dance Master (tb) from the SF Royal Quick Flash mare Birdys Quick Flash. She won her fourth ca-reer race, all part of her streak, and her second at Remington Park. The winner’s check of $8,528 gives Ms Flashy Dancer lifetime earnings of $29,044.

330-yard mark fallsPure D Spit has become a

dynamo in starter allowance racing, racking up four straight wins with three of them this season at Remington Park. April 10, he continued his dominance of the $10,000-level starter cat-egory while setting a 330-yard track record in the process.

A 6-year-old Oklahoma-bred who is owned and trained by Rodrigo Covarrubias of Wichita, Kan., Pure D Spit had to work for the score. Under jockey Jesus Salazar, Pure D Spit rallied outside of early leader Novas Gold to just get up for victory by a nose at the finish, stopping the clock in 16.323 seconds over the fast track.

This Candys Awesome on March 16 had set the old 330-yard record with a clocking of 16.344. Pure D Spit lowered the mark by .021 of a second.

Bred in Oklahoma by Ray Enlow, Pure D Spit was the heavy 1-5 wa-gering favorite, paying $2.60 to win, $2.20 to place and $2.10 to show. Novas Gold paid $4 to place and $3 to show. DM Shannel was third and paid $5.40 to show.

The purse for the starter allowance won by Pure D Spit was $27,800 of which he gains $15,718. A gelded son of Spit Curl Jess from the Pure D Dash mare Pure Princess, Pure D Spit now boasts total career earn-ings of $153,676. He has won 12 of 33 career starts with five victories at Remington Park.

A major victoryFor the second occasion

this season, Major Tom rolled over his competition in Rem-ington Park stakes action while posting a new track record for 400 yards in Paint & Appaloosa

competition April 19.Major Tom, the lone Ap-

paloosa in the Grade 1 Mister Lewie against six Paint foes, covered the distance in 19.414 seconds under a complete hand-ride by jockey Jimmy Brooks. Trained by Eddie D Willis, Major Tom has now won seven of eight lifetime races.

The 3-year-old gelded son of Red Storm Cat (QH) from the Mr Eye Opener (QH) mare Eyesa Knockout is owned by Mary Hainline of Noble, Okla. The winning 2-5 favorite paid

$2.80 to win, $2.20 to place and $2.10 to show. Power Possum finished second and paid $3.60 to place and $3 to show. Judys Miss Banks ran third and paid $2.60 to show.

Major Tom has won six straight races dating to May last year when he won his trial for the Speedhorse/Graham Farms Paint & Appaloosa Futu-rity. Only a 3-year-old, facing older runners for the first time in the Mister Lewie, Major Tom’s 400-yard time was actually .002 faster than the clocking of This Candys Awesome in the Rem-ington Park Derby for American Quarter Horses.

Major Tom broke the 2006 Remington Park mark for Paint/Appaloosa of racing of 19.552 set by all-time Paint leader Got Country Grip.

The Mister Lewie win is worth another $24,492 to Major Tom, making his new total $191,323. He was bred in Oklahoma by Gary Vaughn.

Sunland Park, NMChitu Named Horse of Meet at Sunland Park

Chitu, the winner of the meet’s richest race, was named horse of the meet at Sunland Park Racetrack, which ended its 76-day season on April 15.

A 3-year-old son of Henny

Above, Ms Flashy Dancer, Berkley Packer up. Above right, Pure D Spit, Jesus Salazar up. At right, Major Tom, Jimmy Brooks up.

Photos by Dustin Orona Photography


Hughes racing for Charles and Susan Chu’s Tanma Corpo-ration and trained by Bob Baff ert, Chitu scored a 2¼-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile, $800,000 Sunland Derby (Grade 3) on March 23. The colt cur-rently ranks 13th on the Kentucky Derby points qualifi er list, and he is likely to make his next start in the 1¼-mile, $2 million Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs May 3.

The Sunland Park meet was also marked by a track-record attendance fi gure, as 18,642 attended the track’s Sunland Derby Day card.

Chitu was also named the meet’s top 3-year-old Thor-oughbred. Other Thorough-bred season honors went to Sunland Park Oaks winner Awe-some Baby (top 3-year-old fi lly), Riley Allison Futurity winner Rebranded (top 2-year-old colt or gelding), African Rose (top older mare), Homerun Berti and Warren’s Knockout (co-top sprinters), and Isn’t He Clever (top router).

The following Thorough-breds were honored as the top New Mexico-breds during the meet -- Rose’s Desert and Tricky R. (co-top older mares), Proceed (top 2-year-old), Miss B R H (top 2-year-old fi lly), High Test Gal (top 3-year-old fi lly), Reaper (top 3-year-old colt or gelding), Mr. Wizard (top older horse), and Devons Ca Ching (top sprinter).

Feature Mr Bojangles was named Sunland Park’s Quarter Horse of the Meet. A 5-year-old stallion by Feature Mr Jess racing for R.D. Hubbard and Heysol Howlet from the barn of Paul Jones, Feature Mr Bojan-

gles won the Dec. 29, $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park (Grade 1).

Other open Quarter Horse awards went to West Texas Futurity (Grade 2) winner Boi George (top 2-year-old colt or gelding), West Texas Derby (Grade 3) winner I Azoomed You Knew (top 3-year-old colt or gelding), TF Featured Eff ort and Feature Mr Who (co-top older horse), and Fire On The Fly (top 870 horse).

The following New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses were also honored – New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) winner Winning Merlot (top state-bred 2-year-old fi lly), Spring Futurity runner-up Dungarees Version (top state-bred 2-year-old colt or gelding), Too Flash For You (top state-bred 3-year-old colt or gelding), Woodys Allstar (top state-bred 3-year-old fi lly, and Here Kittykittykitty (top older state-bred horse).

Another record was set in Sunland Park’s Thoroughbred trainer standings, as leading trainer Justin Evans won 93 rac-es from 324 starters. Evans won eight stakes during the season, including the Dec. 22, $104,800

Riley Allison Futurity with Tony Pennington’s Rebranded.

Ry Eikleberry was Sun-land’s leading Thoroughbred jockey for the second consecu-tive season. Eikleberry rode the winners of 97 races from 366 mounts. He also won four Quarter Horse races at the track, which pushed his season combined total to 101 wins. Eikleberry plans to ride at Can-terbury Park in Minnesota this summer.

Wes Giles led all Quarter Horse trainers with 27 wins from 123 starters, while Esgar Ramirez was the meet’s leading Quarter Horse jockey. Ramirez is a seven-time Sunland Park jockey champion.

Judge Lanier Racing was

Sunland Park’s lead-ing owner with 20 wins.

More than $19 million in purses were paid dur-ing the 76-day meet, an average of $251,200 per day. Average daily handle for the meet reached $729,654, an 8.5-percent decrease from the 2012-13 season.

The total on-track handle of $5,631,692 was down slightly from last season’s $5,638,096.

“We were encouraged that our on-track business was so close to the previous year, and we broke our all-time record for attendance on Sunland Derby Day,” said director of racing Dustin Dix. “Our off -track support was hurt by the bad weather on the East Coast in the winter, and the added rac-ing competition on Tuesdays.”

Dix also reported that Sun-land Park’s average fi eld size of 8.84 horses per race was down from last year’s 9.03.

“We’re going to look at ways to reverse these declines for our 2014-15 season,” Dix added.

At far left, Chitu winning the Sunland Derby, Martin Garcia up. At left, Feature Mr Bojangles, Cody Jensen up.

Photos by Coady Photography

TODD FUQUALincoln County New Mexico’s sports authority

www.FuquaSports.com

[email protected]

Like me on Facebook • Visit my Twitter page


Lexington, KYRCI Model Rule changes adopted

The membership of Racing Com-missioners International (RCI) this week approved several modifications to the association’s Model Rules.

The RCI Members approved a recommendation by the Drug Testing Standards and Practices and Model Rules Committees to remove the words “Restricted Admin-istrative Time” and replace them with “Recommended Withdrawal Time” on the RCI Controlled Therapeutic Substanc-es Schedule. This change was considered after a request from the United States Trotting Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.

RCI also voted to make the following modifications to the Controlled Therapeu-tic Substance Schedule:

Reduce the current regulatory thresh-old for Ketoprofen from 10 ng/mL of plasma or serum to 2ng/ml. This would translate into a primary (24 hour) and sec-ondary (48 hour) threshold for Ketoprofen in plasma or serum. Ketoprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic medication which is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in horses as Ketofen®.

Modify the recommended withdrawal time for Flunixen from 24 hours to 32 hours. This change is based on analysis of a recent research project conducted by the RMTC.

RCI also voted to make the following additions to the Controlled Therapeutic Substance Schedule:

Isoflupredone: Isoflupredone acetate is a corticoste-

roid that can be used for the treatment of allergic, musculoskeletal, and inflammato-

ry processes in the horse. It can be administered via intra-articular,

intravenous and intra-mus-cular/subcutaneous routes. RCI approved a threshold of 100 pg/mL in plasma based upon the subcutaneous (10 mg) and intra-articular (20

mg) doses. The recommended withdrawal time is 7 days,

based upon the research analysis performed by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC).

Albuterol: Albuterol is indicated for the relief of

bronchospasm and bronchoconstriction in horses with reversible airway obstruc-tion and is effective for up to 7 hour as a bronchodilator. Albuterol is administered either as an intra-nasal aerosol (either via intra-nasal apparatus or mask – depending upon which delivery method is available) or orally. The oral preparations are subject to very high first-pass metabolism and poor systemic bioavailability. Oral prod-ucts have not been extensively studied and should be used with caution.

The RMTC has indicated that Alb-uterol administered by inhalation at a total dose of 360 mcg resulted in a 70 percent increase in pulmonary function within 5 minutes of administration. While a 360 mcg dose is sufficient to cause this change, the researchers determined that, if using a mask system (such as an Aero Mask™), a 720 mcg dose should be used

as much of the medication does not reach the target tissue.

Based upon the RMTC’s Scientific Advisory Committee’s review of existing research and pharmacokinetic data avail-able from studies in Europe and the United States, the RCI adopted the RMTC recom-mended interim threshold of 1 ng/mL of urine with a 72-hour withdrawal guideline.

The RCI also adopted a number of revisions to its Model Rules affecting Stan-dardbred Racing that had previously been approved for thoroughbred racing. Adop-tions of these rules were delayed to give Standardbred Horsemen’s organizations the opportunity to comment. None did.

Specifically, RCI approved additional restrictions on shock wave therapy to standardbred races, requiring that ma-chines in use be registered and approved by the racing commission. All treatments must be reported within 24 hours prior to treatment. The location of any such machine would also need to be disclosed. Previously RCI adopted rules that prohibit treatments within 10 days of racing, affect-ing all breeds.

A modification previously made af-fecting certain thresholds for the andro-genic-anabolic steroids in flat racing were formally adopted for standardbred racing as was a technical change to eliminate re-dundant language pertaining to anti-ulcer medications.

RCI also adopted an amendment to provide greater clarification that a thor-oughbred horse is to be considered ineli-gible to race if wholly or partially owned by a person or spouse of a person who for any reason has been deemed ineligible to be licensed or participate in that jurisdic-tion. The model rule presumes that the disqualified person and spouse constitute

R AC I N G CO M M I S S I O N B R I E F S

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R AC I N G CO M M I S S I O N B R I E F Sa single financial entity with respect to the ownership of the horse.

RCI Model Rules represent best practice regulatory policy developed by the collective deliberations of racing regulators in consultation with indus-try representatives. RCI Model Rules are recommendations and the association has no direct regulatory power. In some cases, commissions, states and the Canadian federal government have adopted “by reference” portions of the RCI Model Rules, giving the rules the force of law in those jurisdictions.

John Ward named RCI chair, Lamberth and Durenberger elected officers

A renowned Thoroughbred trainer, long time horse owner and a leading regulatory veterinarian are the new of-ficers of the Association of Racing Com-missioners for 2014-15, RCI President Ed Martin announced today.

John Ward, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, was automatically elevated to become the RCI Chairman this month. Ward is a long time director of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium and a founding member and past president of the Ken-tucky Thoroughbred Association as well as the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Ward has also served on the TOBA Sales Integrity Task Force and the Ken-tucky Equine Drug Research Council and as a Member of the Kentucky Horse Rac-ing Commission. In 2002, he and his wife Donna were named recipients of the 2002 Kentucky Thoroughbred Media’s “Ambas-sadors of Racing Award.”

All RCI officers serve for a term of one year. Ward replaces Duncan Patterson who is the current Chair of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission.

Arkansas Racing Commissioner Mark Lamberth was elected to be Chair-elect by the newly elected RCI Board. Lamberth has owned horses since 1985 and prior to his appointment to the commission, served on the Board of the Arkansas HBPA. He is a prominent business leader in his state and serves on the RCI Model Rules and Equine Welfare Committees.

Massachusetts Director of Racing Jennifer Durenberger, DMV, was elected to serve as the association’s Treasurer. Dr.

Durenberger, who is also an attorney, has been involved as a regulatory veterinarian and racing official in multiple jurisdic-tions since becoming involved with racing in 1991. She is an accredited Steward and member of the Racing Officials Ac-creditation Program Education Commit-tee. She serves on the AAEP Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, the RCI Model Rules and Drug Testing Stan-dards and Practices Committees, as well as the Jockey Club’s Racing Equipment and Safety Committee. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Law Association and is active with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Safety and Integrity Alliance.

“At a critical time for the racing industry RCI continues to demonstrate proficiency and leadership in a number of areas essential to the sport. The collective involvement of our Members, working in consultation with the various breeds and industry leaders has resulted in important advances designed to safeguard horses as well as the integrity of the sport,” RCI President Ed Martin said. Those advances include widespread adherence to RCI/RMTC lab standards, increased reliance on pre-race veterinarian examinations, limits on toe grabs, development of uni-versal totalizator system standards, and increased training and accreditation for racing officials.

“The expertise represented in the RCI leadership and Board is balanced, and represents every aspect of the sport. Veterinarians, owners, trainers, fans, those who know business, those who know rac-ing, and those who understand govern-ment. RCI is truly independent with no agenda other than to protect these great sports by safeguarding our athletes and participants as well as the public interest,” he said.

RCI is incorporated in the United States as a not-for-profit 501(c)(6). It is the same legal structure as the NFL, although it is currently only empowered to func-tion in an advisory and supportive role to the government regulators of horse and greyhound racing, who comprise its vot-ing members.

Lack of compounding pharmacy enforcement making racing integrity more elusive

RCI’s 80th annual conference opened


this week in Lexington with calls for increased diligence on the part of the US Federal Government to commit resources and enforce its current laws governing compounding pharmacies and the distri-bution and use of illegal substances which are being confiscated by commission investigators at racetracks.

“The failure of the federal govern-ment to enforce its laws is making our job harder,” RCI President Ed Martin said at the conclusion of a panel on Regulatory Veteri-narian and Racing Investigator Needs.

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Equine Medical Director Dr. Mary Scol-lay briefed the attendees on substances coming from compounded laboratories and the difference between those that are legal and those not. In short, appro-priate substances are those prescribed by a veterinarian to treat a specific horse following a specific diagnosis utilizing substances that have been authorized by the FDA directly for horses or extra label use. “Veterinarians and individuals who administer illegal compounded substanc-es are crossing the line,” Dr. Scollay said.

Martin noted that several racing commissions had complained to the federal government more than a year ago, presenting information about illegal sub-stances being marketed and distributed by compounding pharmacies in various states. To date no indictments have come down.

Chris Clark, the President of the Orga-nization of Racing Investigators, stressed that it was essential for commissions and racetracks to deploy investigators who are properly trained in order to effectively police the backstretch.

Ruidoso Downs, NMRuidoso Downs supports Racing Free Clean-Racing program

By Ty Wyant

Ruidoso Downs, which begins the summer racing season May 22, an-nounced its enthusiastic support for

the Racing Free program that proactively takes a stance against performance-enhanc-ing drugs in horse racing.

Ruidoso Downs has long been an in-novator and leader against performance-enhancing drugs in racing Last week, track management affirmed the track’s policy that trainers who have been suspended by the American Quarter Horse Association,

The Jockey Club or any racing jurisdiction will not be allowed to com-pete at Ruidoso Downs.

The incentive-laden Racing Free program started one year ago. A racehorse may be entered in the program for $300 and the owner then receives $1,500 any time a horse in the program wins a race and then receives a clear drug test.

The program is backed by numerous racing organizations with similar policy as Ruidoso Downs, including AQHA and Remington Park.

“We’re ready for more of the key players to step up and support an organi-zation like Racing Free,” said Racing Free co-founder Micah McKinney. “Racing Free is committed to leveling the field and we’re excited to bring together others who share that commitment.”

The record-setting Ruidoso Downs racing season starts with the daylong trials to the Grade 1, $750,000 Ruidoso Futurity Friday and follows with the trials to the Grade 1, $800,000 (est.) Rainbow Derby Saturday.

The Grade 1 All American Derby on September 1 projects to have a $2.8-mil-lion purse and will pay the all-time largest purse in quarter horse racing. It will also be the richest derby in North America. By comparison, the Kentucky Derby purse is $2-million.

On Labor Day, the day after the All American Derby is held, the Grade 1, $2.6-million All American Futurity will be contested. It is the richest 2-year-old race in North America.

Also setting records are the Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity and the Grade 1 Rain-bow Derby, which are each expected to become $1 million races.

Ty Wyant has been covering racing since 1976. He is currently the media relations director for Ruidoso Downs and Zia Park, and the curator of the Ruidoso Downs Race-horse Hall of Fame.


R A C E R E C A P S - Q U A R T E R H O R S ECALIFORNIA

Los Alamitos Race Course, Cypress, CAFiesty Flo wins La Primera Del Año

Freakier LLC’s Fiesty Flo came close to qualify-ing to several futurities at Los Alamitos with no luck in 2013, yet in her first derby attempt of the year the sorrel filly not only reached the fi-nal, but won it in strong fash-ion in the Grade 3 $223,800 La Primera Del Año Derby for fillies April 6.

Fiesty Flo had the 12th fastest clocking to the PC-QHRA Breeders Futurity last year and also had times just outside the top 10 in both the Kindergarten Futurity and Ed Burke Million Futurity trials. It was a different story on March 15, as Santiago Mendez piloted the Jose Flores-trainee to a half-length victory in her La Primera trial to give her the fast-est qualifying time among the horses in the final.

Sent off as the 8-5 favorite, the filly lived up to the billing of favorite, as she led from start to finish en route to an impressive length victory over Ed Allred’s Quirky in a time of 19.634. Racing from the outside post No. 10 in this race, Fiesty Flo’s winning in the final was almost identical to her trial time of 19.631 seconds.

Sired by TR Dasher and out of the Bono Jazz mare Sables Bono, Fiesty Flo also matched her full brother’s accom-plishment of being a derby winner at Los Alamitos. Her older brother is the Los Alamitos Equine graduate Remember-ing Spence, the hero of the Los Alamitos Winter Derby last season.

Purchased by Julio Encinas of Freakier LLC for $8,500 at the 2012 Los Alamitos Equine Sale, Fiesty Flo now joins Remem-bering Spence as a derby winner in Or-ange County, and like her brother, she was bred by Allred, the sport’s all-time lead-ing breeder. Now a winner of three of 10 career starts, Fiesty Flo earned $93,996 for

her evening’s work. A Top 2 finisher eight times in her career, Fiesty Flo also raised her lifetime earnings to $110,981.

“We’re very pleased,” said Luis Sierra of Freakier LLC. “She did not make any errors. She had a good start and after the first 200 yards you could see that she started to pull away. She had some good trial races as a 2-year-old, but she wasn’t able to qualify to a final. She would win easy, but not have a fast enough time. She didn’t have luck and sometimes that’s 99 percent of the game. She’s matured a lot now. She’s more professional and definitely a more mature horse. We were expecting her to have this type of an effort.”

Cattlemen from Sonora, Mexico, Sierra and Encinas have been good friends for more than 15 years.

“I’ve liked horses since I was a kid,” Sierra said. “My family enjoyed horses at the ranch. We’ve been racing horses in Arizona, New Mexico and here in California at Los Alamitos. We have eight horses here right now. Fiesty Flo is our first big winner.”

“She just keeps getting better,” Flores said. “She’s really developed and now that she’s got a derby win like Remembering Spence, I hope that she can continue on that path. It was her time. She had bad luck all last year, but I’m happy that she’s

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: Emily Stevens/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 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: Reed Palmer Photography Retama Park: Courtesy of Retama Park Sam Houston Race Park: Coady Photography

WASHINGTON: Emerald Downs: Courtesy of Emerald

Downs

PHOTO CREDITS:

Fiesty Flo


given those guys something back.”

There was activity in the starting gate prior to the start of the La Primera, as a few fillies acted up.

“She behaved well,” said Mendez of the eventual winner. “She’s always acted well in the gate. She’s a very calm filly. She broke like a shot and she re-sponded great at the end. I saw a couple of horses to my inside and I knew (Grade 1 finalist Sis Is Hot) was right there pressur-ing us. The competition was difficult, but Fiesty Flo ran her race.”

Allred’s Quirky had trouble early on, as she veered out and bumped to find herself in fourth place after breaking from post No. 7. The Stel Co-rona filly battled back and came on strong at the end, eventually catching Sis Is Hot while hold-ing on to second place. Ridden by Eulices Gomez for trainer James Glenn Jr., Quirky earned $38,046. The Allred-bred had now made $109,286 in her six-race career.

Encinas, Paul Penuelas and Robert Parra’s Sis Is Hot posted a solid effort from post No. 1 on the way running third. Ridden by Cruz Mendez and also sad-dled by Flores, Sis Is Hot earned $26,856. The Walk Thru Fire filly ran in last year’s Los Alamitos

Two Million Futurity.“Sis Is Hot ran a heck of a

race,” Flores said. “She’s a small filly so I was worried that she would have a tough trip from the inside. I was hoping that Fiesty Flo would draw inside because she runs great from there and that Sis Is Hot would get an outside post. That didn’t happen, but I thought Sis Is Hot did great. She was fighting for second place and Quirky, who is an outstanding filly. I think Sis Is Hot will keep getting better. We’re going to give Fiesty Flo and Sis Is Hot a break and bring them back for the Los Alamitos Super Derby trials (on Oct. 12).”

The complete order of finish is as follows: Fiesty Flo, Quirky, Sis Is Hot, Composed Charisma, Princess Teller, She Forgives, Dynasty Of Habits, Babe On Fire, Chalalita and Brighterthanthesun.

It’s his time to shine in James Smith Memorial

In a battle between Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby fi-nalists, Jesus Garera Garcia’s Mr Its Country Time dominated the $20,000 James Smith Memorial Handicap thanks to a wire-to-wire victory over Spirit Leader at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Raul Valenzuela for trainer Juan Aleman, Mr Its Country Time covered the 350

yards in a time of :17.430 while earning $11,000 for the effort. The gelding by Country Chicks Man came into this race after crossing the wire in the Winter Derby behind Spirit Leader. Mr Its Country Time was fifth in that $197,000 race, while Spirit Leader finished in second place. Mr Its Country Time was the better of the two talented sophomores in the James Smith Handicap, as he broke per-fectly from post No. 4 and never looked back. Bred by Grant Farms LLC, the Louisiana-bred was picking up only his second victory in eight career starts. His only other win was a comfort-able decision in the trials to the Winter Derby.

“He ran tonight like he ran in the derby trials,” Aleman said. “He’s still a horse that is matur-ing. His maiden win came in the trials and he started pretty nicely in the Winter Derby final, but tired a little bit at the end. He’s going to keep getting bet-ter and better. He runs stronger when he’s had some time off in between starts. I think it’s be-cause he runs so hard and gives it his all every single time. Every horse is different and he’s one that needs a little bit of time in between races.”

Mr Its Country Time will be featured in events like the James Smith in 2014, Aleman

explained.“He’s not paid into any

major derbies so we’ll keep run-ning him in handicaps like this one,” he said. “We’ll look into races like the Vessels Maturity for him next season.”

Mr Its Country Time im-proved his career earnings to $34,466.

Trained by Paul Jones for Abigail Kawananakoa, Spirit Leader finished in second place for the third race in a row. The son of Corona Cartel was sec-ond in both the Winter Derby trial and final to the talented Viva Mi Corazon before posting this runner-up effort. Ridden by Ramon Sanchez, the colt earned $4,500 to take his career earnings to $50,542. Another Storm, China Wall, Well And Good and Sadie Sis completed the field.

LOUISIANA

Delta Downs, Vinton, LAKatillac Man sets record in Delta Dash

Delta Downs kicked off its 2014 American Quarter Horse season on April 25 with a 10-

Katillac ManMr Its Country Time


R A C E R E C A P S - Q U A R T E R H O R S E

race program that featured the $20,000 Delta Dash Stakes and four qualifying trials for this year’s $62,810 Old South Derby.

The Delta Dash was won by Rene Amaro’s Katillac Man, who was ridden to victory by jockey Martin Rubalcava. Katil-lac Man defeated Blaze Carver by a half-length in the 250-yard showdown for older horses. Mr Ease Cartel finished another ¾ of a length behind the top pair in third.

Katillac Man, who is trained by Robert Meche, covered the distance over a fast track in 12.912, which established a new stakes record and resulted in a speed index of 101.

The victory by Katillac Man was the eighth of his 20-race career and it earned him $12,000. His career bankroll now stands at $201,800.

Katillac Man is a 5-year-old sorrel gelding by Country Chicks Man, out of the Dash Ta Fame mare Kitty Kat Dash. He was bred in Oklahoma by Richard Joneson.

In the 400-yard trials for the Old South Derby it was Mary G. Lynn Thompson’s The Eagle Express who came away with

the fast time after winning the fourth and final trial of the night.

Dashin Gage dominates John Alleman Memorial

Delta Downs wrapped up opening weekend of its 2014 American Quarter Horse season while hosting the $50,000 John Alleman Memorial Stakes (RG3) and seven qualifying trials for this year’s $83,615 Old South Futurity.

The John Alleman was won impressively by Douglas O. Traylor’s Dashin Gage, who was ridden to victory by Jose Vega. Dashin Gage defeated Coppers Fit by one length while the latter nosed out T Boy C who finished third.

Dashin Gage, who is trained by Kenneth L. Rob-erts Sr., covered 350 yards in the John Alleman in 17.200 second, which earned him a

speed index of 99. The clocking also established a new stakes record.

Dashin Gage won $30,000 for his victory. His bankroll now stands at $243,882 on six wins from 15 career starts.

Bred in Louisiana by Margie Loup, Dashin Gage is a 4-year-old brown gelding by Oak Tree Special, out of the Dash Thru Traffic mare Dash Lady Love.

On The Wagon fastest to Old South

In other action on Satur-day it was Isidro Flores’s On The Wagon who recorded the fastest qualifying time for this year’s $83,615 Old South Futu-rity, which will be run on Satur-day, May 17. The complete list of qualifiers for the Old South Futurity are listed below.

Delta Downs will begin its second week of racing on Wednesday night as the track

goes to a Wednesday-through-Saturday format for the rest of the season. Post times Wednes-day and Thursday will be at 6:15 pm CT. Friday’s races will include 14 trials for this year’s Louisiana Lassie Futurity and there will be a special post time of 5:15 pm. Saturday’s action will include 13 trials for the Louisiana Laddie Futurity and there will be an early post time of 5:45 pm that evening.

NEW MEXICO

Sunland Park, NMWinning Merlot takes New Mexican Spring Futurity

Winning Merlot served up a sharp upset win in the $208,965 New Mexican Spring Futurity at 300 yards on April 6. Under jockey Francisco Calderon, the precocious New Mexico-bred filly by Winner Version showed plenty of poise breaking fast from the No. 9 post position. The near 7-1 shot dueled for the early lead and built up a strong burst of momentum to defeat Dungarees Version by a half-length at the wire.

Trained by Jackie Riddle,

Dashin Gage On The Wagon

Old South Futurity qualifiers • 2 YO • 350 yards • Final May 17 Horse Time Trial Finish Jockey Trainer 1 On the Wagon 16.696 2 1st Martin Rubalcava Isidro Flores 2 Jess a Rogue 16.731 4 1st Jose Vega Trey Ellis 3 Wild On Da Whiskey 16.744 3 1st Jose Vega Trey Ellis 4 Sunny and 75 16.755 7 1st Danny Lavergne Kenneth L. Roberts, Sr. 5 Jess Eliesmischief 16.772 2 2nd Danny Lavergne Kenneth L. Roberts, Sr. 6 Jess Toast Winner 16.823 5 1st Martin Rubalcava Rodolfo Sanchez 7 Jw Come On Man 16.833 6 1st Eddie Cox Jeff Acuna 8 Coal Fired 16.845 7 2nd John Hamilton Heath Taylor 9 Mighty Corona Jr 16.850 4 2nd Jorge Linares Wiliam N. Little 10 Toast With Class 16.876 5 2nd Cesar Zuniga Billy G. Sturrock


Winning Merlot sped through the distance in a fast 15 sec-onds flat and remained un-beaten in two starts. The sorrel filly earned $99,894 for owners Debra and Joseph Meridyth Jr. of Hobbs. Winning Merlot paid a nice $15.60 to win.

Joseph Meridyth indicated that the newly crowned stakes filly will be pointed to the New Mexico-bred futurities at Ru-idoso Downs.

Dungarees Version and jockey Esgar Ramirez won a tight battle for second place. Trained by Emilio Cadena III, the runner-up held off Midevil Ar-row by a head. Dungarees Ver-sion earned $38,257 for owner Gary Thompson of Odessa, Texas. Bank Dunit followed up in fourth place.

Heavy favorite and top qualifier Quemados Version blew the start and faced an impossible task. The Winners Version colt closed fast but had to settle for 5th place after losing his path. The 4-5 favorite was beaten by about a length.

Feature Mr Who defends title in Bank of America Challenge

Feature Mr Who defended his title in $105,480 Bank of America Challenge with an-other powerful victory going

440 yards.Under jockey Alonso Rive-

ra, Feature Mr Who produced a superior performance winning by one length in a lightning-fast 20.76 seconds for the 440 yards. The timing earned a 98 speed index.

The victory was his first since winning last year’s Bank of America Challenge in 20.46 seconds. The two bravura victo-ries were separated by exactly one year. Jose Muela is the win-ning trainer.

Feature Mr Who paid $6.40 as the 2-1 favorite. The winning gelding by Feature Mr Jess roared to his 7th career win for owners Heysol Howlet and Julieta Torres of Peyton, Colo. The victory was worth $48,521 pushing his lifetime earnings to nearly $280,000. He is poised for a big year in 2014.

Jesscuzican and Testing the Ice finished in a dead-heat for second.

SunRay Park, Farmington, NMWarren’s Knockout holds on in Inaugural Handicap

Meteoric trainer Justin

Evans started out the 2014 live racing season at SunRay Park and Casino in much the same fashion with which he wrapped up the Sunland Park season.

Evans saddled two winners on the opening day program April 18 at SunRay, includ-ing a 1-2 finish in the $35,000 Inaugural Handicap as Warren’s Knockout raced gate-to-wire under jockey Alfredo Juarez Jr., holding off the stubborn late rally of Happy Toes and jockey Elvin Gonzalez.

Warren’s Knockout, sent off as the 4-to-5 favorite in the Inaugural in front of an en-thusiastic opening day crowd of more than 1,500 specta-tors, sat chilly behind dueling leaders Cockeyed Cowboy and Wiredfortwotwenty through a

moderate opening quarter-mile of 23.05 seconds.

Juarez moved Warren’s Knockout onto equal terms midway through the far turn and gradually began to inch clear as the field hit the top of the lane.

Happy Toes, content to lag a bit further off the early pace, charged up on the outside of the eventual winner in the final yards, but couldn’t get past the stubborn Warren’s Knockout, who completed the six and one-half furlongs in 1:16.39 seconds.

“I might not have had him as tight as I wanted him,” Evans said of the winner. “But (Happy Toes) always runs his race. He likes the course and so I was pleased with his effort as well.”

Winning Merlot Feature Mr Who

Warren’s Knockout



Warren’s Knockout, a 6-year-old California-bred geld-ing by Stormed returned $3.60 to his backers at the windows. Behind Happy Toes across the wire were Chasing The Heat, Wiredfortwotwenty, Cockeyed Cowboy and Whipstock. Span-ish Jazz was scratched earlier in the day.

With the win, Warren’s Knockout and owner Len Schermer earned $21,000, increasing the horse’s career earnings to over $411,000 while picking up his 10th win from 33 lifetime starts.

OKLAHOMA

Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OKRemington Park Futurity a close one

The connections of Im A Fancy PYC were ready to have a party on Remington Park Fu-turity night April 19. They came en masse in support of their colt, and he did not disappoint, winning the restricted Grade 3, $791,000 event for Oklahoma-bred 2-year-olds by a head. The first five finishers were within a neck of each other at the finish line.

Owned by Dustin Cox of Duncan, Okla., and trained by Joe Thomas Sr., jockey Randy Wilson had the ride on the undefeated colt, now per-fect through three starts this season. Cox and his family and friends attended with hopes of celebration and they were ex-tremely boisterous when Im A Fancy PYC’s number was posted first after a photo-finish.

“We had 70 of our friends come, probably more than that actually. We’re having a lot of fun. This is truly unbelievable,” Cox said after receiving the trophy for the futurity. “I’m just thrilled with the horse. It takes a lot of racing luck and we’ve had that and that’s all you can ask for. I’m not ashamed of my joy right now. That colt has brought me and my family so much happiness, he’s a special colt.”

A trainer’s objections was filed against Im A Fancy PYC when Donnie Strickland, con-ditioner of Beyond Gold Medal who started just inside of the winner, claimed foul. After review by the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission Stewards, the objection was overruled.

“My Dad, Rex Cox, we’ve been around horses a long time and we’ve seen a million races and then some. I didn’t think they would take him down.”

Wilson described the start

aboard Im A Fancy PYC and their trip over 330 yards.

“When he left there he kind of broke in a little bit and I got into him right-handed and he wanted to edge in. I went left-handed on him to get him straightened out. He came on and luckily we got there first. I’m just happy the wire came when it did.”

Im A Fancy PYC held on to win by a head after taking over the lead midway through the race, crossing the line in 16.788 seconds over a fast track. A quartet of foes were all bearing down on the winner making it a close finish with BP Down South in second and another nose back to Great Grace third. It was another nose to fourth-place runner Penthouse Sweet with Beneteau in fifth a neck behind her.

Away at 2-1 odds in the wagering, Im A Fancy PYC paid $6.20 to win, $7 to place and $3.40 to show. BP Down South returned $12.20 to place and $5.60 to show. Great Grace was the actual wagering favorite at 8-5 odds, paying $2.60 to show.

Im A Fancy PYC is a colt by PYC Paint Your Wagon from the Mr Jess Perry mare First Prize Fancy. He was bred in Okla-homa by Weetona Stanley and William Smith.

The winning share of the Remington Park Futu-

rity, $316,400, now gives him $318,178 overall. It was the first Remington Park Futurity win for all of the connections of Im A Fancy PYC.

$298,000 Remington Park Derby

The 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred stakes event went to This Candys Awesome as she rallied from a slight deficit to win the 400-yard Remington Park Derby, also a restricted Grade 3.

Owned and bred by Carl Pevehouse of Ratliff City, Okla., and trained by Clint Crawford, This Candys Awesome over-came an early deficit under jockey G.R. Carter.

“The horse right on the inside of me with Jimmy Brooks (Shades Of Blues Girl) just left the gates just getting it on,” Carter noted. “It gave this mare a target to kind of run to and she just gained up and pinned her ears and ran by her. She put in a really gutty performance tonight.”

This Candys Awesome covered the 400 yards in 19.416 seconds, finishing a head in front of BP Southern Dynasty while Shades Of Blues Girl, part of a coupled wagering entry with VH Won that went off as the 3-5 favorites, held on for third.

A slight underdog at 6-1 odds, This Candys Awesome

Im A Fancy PYC This Candys Awesome


paid $15.60 to win, $8 to place and $3.80 to show. BP Southern Dy-nasty paid $9.80 to place and $4.80 to show. Shades Of Blues Girl paid $2.20 to show.

The win is the fourth from seven career starts for This Candys Awesome, a filly by PYC Paint Your Wagon from the Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Send Candy. The first-place check of $119,200 moves her total bankroll to $170,819. She has now won three races at Remington Park.

The win was the fourth in the Remington Park Derby for GR Carter and the first for the other connections.

$50,990 Bob Moore Memorial Stakes

Rock You left the gate at 6-1 odds in the wagering and immediately was bumped hard by the 6-5 betting favorite One Valiant Hero, in what resulted in a thrilling renewal of the Grade 2 Bob Moore Memorial Stakes.

Despite the early disadvan-tage, Rock You rushed back into contention and at the end of the 300-yard contest prevailed by a neck in a fast winning time of 15.062 seconds. He earned $30,000 for his owners Reliance Ranches of Llano, Texas and is trained by Eddie Williswhile rid-den by Omar Reyes.

Rock You paid $15.40 to win, $4.60 to place and $3.40 to show. One Valiant Hero gamely finished second a neck behind the winner, paying $3.40 to place and $2.40 to show. Joker On Jack finished third to pay $4.

A 3-year-old gelded son of

Foose from the Strawfly Special mare Babe On The Fly, Rock You was bred in California by Steve Burns. The Bob Moore was his fourth career win from eight starts and his second in a row this season at Remington Park. He now boasts $171,072 in earnings.

The race is named in honor of the late Bob Moore who based his prominent breed-ing and racing operation out of Norman, Okla., where Bob Moore Farms still exists today. Moore was a major part of the movement to legalize pari-mutuel racing in Oklahoma in the early 1980s.

$74,750 Laico Bird Stakes

PYB Place Your Bet out-classed her competition with a convincing win in the Laico Bird Stakes for 2-year-old Oklaho-ma-breds at 330 yards, winning by three-quarters of a length.

After having recently finished second in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Futurity at Rem-

ington Park in March, the 3-5 wagering favorite covered the 330 yards in a final time of 16.643 seconds.

Owned by Georgina Cha-vira and Rita Sosa of Purcell, Okla., and trained by Luz Cha-vira, PYB Place Your Bet was rid-den by Ivan Carnero. She took over midway through the race, finishing in front of Pymp Your Wagon with Awesome Ashley another neck back in third.

PYB Place Your Bet paid $3.40 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Pymp Your Wagon paid $4.60 to place and $3.20 to show. Awesome Ashley returned $4.40 to show.

Bred in Oklahoma by Con-nie Nobles, the 2-year-old filly by PYC Paint Your Wagon is from the Runaway Winner mare Fashion Dashin. The win is her second in three attempts over-all, all this season at Remington Park. She made $44,634 to run her total money to $113,508.

The Laico Bird Stakes is named in honor of the winner of the 1967 All American Futuri-ty and American Quarter Horse Association World Champion who was an Oklahoma-bred.

Painted Laico Bird wins Mr Master Bug

Painted Laico Bird is quickly rising through the ranks this season as she racked up her

third straight win of 2014 by taking the Mr Master Bug. Owned by the Noble, Okla., partnership of Charles Hainline and Jimmy Jones, Painted Laico Bird is trained by Luz Chavira. JockeyIvan Carnero was up for the victory as the Painted Laico Bird defeated heavy 1-2 wager-ing favorite Coronado Cartel to win by a neck. BP Wagon Train was another half-length back for third.

Painted Laico Bird handled the 350 yards of the Mr Master Bug in 17.363 seconds over a fast track at odds of 9-2. She paid $11.60 to win, $3.40 to place and $3 to show. Coronado Cartel paid $2.60 to place and $2.20 to show. BP Wagon Train returned $3.20 to show.

The win was the fourth from nine career starts for Paint-ed Laico Bird with all of the wins taking place at Remington Park. She is by PYC Paint Your Wagon from the Call Me Together mare Laico Bird Chic and was bred in Oklahoma by Jimmy Jones. The first-place check of $43,800 in the Mr Master Bug boosts her career bankroll to $90,460.

The Mr Master Bug is named after the 1982 All Ameri-can Futurity winner. He was a multiple American Quarter Horse Association Champion, racing for Marvin and Lela Barnes of Ada, Okla.

PYB Place Your Bet

Rock You



Count it: Count De Monet wins Juvenile

April 20 at Remington Park featured a pair of Oklahoma-bred stakes events as 3-year-olds went to the gate in the $73,000 Mr Master Bug Stakes while 2-year-olds battled in the $100,000 Remington Park Juvenile.

A field of 10 Oklahoma-bred 2-year-olds that competed in trials for the Remington Park Futurity but did not make that final, had their chance on Easter in the Juvenile Stakes at 330 yards. Count De Monet used a sharp start and fighting effort to fend off rivals to capture the win by a neck.

Owned by Bobby Cox of Fort Worth, Texas, and trained by John Buchanan, Count De Monet was ridden by Russel Hadley. The gelding crossed the finish in 16.887 seconds and picked up his first career victory from two attempts.

Dismissed at 13-1 odds in the wagering, Count De Monet paid $29 to win, $9 to place and $6 to show. Days Gone Down was up for second, returning $8.80 to place and $6 to show. A Dashing Valentine was a head behind the runner-up for third and paid $3.60 to show. BP Mariahs Valentine was fourth and was coupled in the wa-gering with BP First Class. The

entry was the betting favorite at 3-5 odds.

Count De Monet is by Brimmerton from the Chicks Beduino mare Royal Delphias Chick and was bred by Vaughn and Jill Cook. The Juvenile win earned him $40,000.

Texas Silk rolls in American Paint Classic

The Leggett family of Muskogee, Okla., enjoyed April 26 at Remington Park winning first the Grade 1 American Paint Derby then the Grade 1 Ameri-can Paint Classic Futurity. In the latter, Texas Silk was nearly perfect as he won the event by a half-length.

Texas Silk won the Grade 1, $103,400 American Paint Classic Futurity for owner Charles Leggett after earlier in the night, his son Wade Leggett had a big score when his Situation scored the Grade 1, $35,100 American Paint Derby.

Perfection was not the case for Texas Silk in his qualifying trial for the American Paint Classic Futurity. Although he won the trial, he had to over-come a poor start that put him behind traffic, then he altered course before splitting rivals to win the heat. Jockey Berk-ley Packer had no such chal-lenge in the final, crossing the 350-yard finish line in 17.910

seconds over a fast track.“He left there tonight. I

figure if he left he was the best horse in the race,” Packer noted from the winner’s circle. “He ran lights out tonight. He didn’t leave last time (in trial) and came flying to win.”

Owner Charles Leggett was pleased that some extra morning training for Texas Silk paid off with a smooth run in the final. “I think he was ready to go. He’s been schooling in the gates and he did a good job tonight.”

Texas Silk was 5-1 in the wagering and paid $12.60 to win, $5.60 to place and $4.60 to show. Fabulous Dos was away well to challenge Texas Silk throughout the futurity but could never get by, settling for second while paying $34 to place and $14.20 to show. Dashin JJ rallied for third and paid $4.60 to show.

High On Mary Jane and The Punk were coupled in the wa-gering as a same owner entry for the Paint Horse Queens of Coweta, Okla. They went off as the betting favorite at 6-5 odds and finished seventh and ninth respectively.

Dee Keener is the trainer of Texas Silk. His athletes were prominent in the futurity as he saddled four of the 10 runners in the race. He also started High

On Mary Jane, The Punk and Cocked An Loaded (10th).

Texas Silk has won two of four career starts, all this season at Remington Park. Bred in Oklahoma by H.T. and Kay Churchwell, 2-year-old Texas Silk is by Texas Six from the Judys Lineage mare Judys Silk. He earned $39,292 for the American Paint Classic Futurity to boost his overall bankroll to $43,287.

American Paint DerbySituation completed an

American Paint Futurity/Derby Double, winning the derby by a half-length. He won the fu-turity in 2013 by a neck. Jockey Jesus Salazar was up for both victories.

Situation easily ran down early leader and even-money wagering favorite Imflashin-thechicks, taking the lead late in the 400-yard race before winning in 20.222 seconds. Purty Porunos rallied for second while Turbulence was third.

Situation was 5-1 in the wagering and paid $13.40 to win, $4 to place and $3.40 to show. Purty Porunos paid $10.40 to place and $5 to show. Turbulence returned $3.60 to show. Imflashinthechicks finished fourth as the beaten favorite.

“We won the derby in the

Texas SilkPainted Laico Bird


third race and dad’s horse won the futurity. It’s an awesome night,” said Situation’s owner and breeder Wade Leggett of the family success Saturday. The winner’s share of the Amer-ican Paint Derby was $15,795 and boosted his total money to $128,877.

Situation is a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred gelding by SF Royal Quick Flash from the Co-rona Cartel mare Corona Lace. Trained by Cody McCart, Situa-tion has now won three career races from 10 attempts with all of the wins at Remington Park.

A series of trials was held Saturday to determine final-ists in four different American Quarter Horse Association Challenge stakes races to be contested on May 11.

Red Cell Distance Challenge

Distance horses qualified for the Red Cell Remington Park Distance Challenge at 870 yards. A field of eight was de-termined with Mixed Fantasy (45.887 seconds.) the top quali-fier in the second of two trials. Mixed Fantasy is owned by J K Running Horses of Neosho Falls, Kan., and trained by Kenny Laymon, G.R. Carter was up for the trial win.

Joining Mixed Fantasy in the Red Cell Remington Park

Distance Challenge will be My Bandera Beauty, the winner of the first trial, 45.933; SRD Bob-wirebob, 45.945; Call Her Hero, 46.205; Cashin The Wagon, 46.296; Smooth As Iyce, 46.686 and De Passem Okey, 46.686.

Merial Distaff ChallengeThe Merial Remington

Park Distaff Challenge field of 10 was set as Entrap posted the top time of two trials at 400 yards in 20.026 seconds. Owned the Guthrie, Texas, partnership of Johnny Trotter and Burnett Ranches, Entrap is trained by Trey Wood and was ridden by Ricky Ramirez.

Joining Entrap in the Me-rial Remington Park Distaff Challenge: Shanachee, 20.104; Saving Shirley, 20.141; Fate Cant Weight, 20.144; Ianna, 20.152; A Priceless Gal, 20.365; Coronas Ice Maiden, 20.384; Sooner Country Babe, 20.417; Flyin High Secret, 20.440 and Jaylo Caliente, 20.469.

Bank of America Challenge

At 440-yards, the Bank of America Oklahoma Challenge Championship is conducted at the classic Quarter Horse distance. River Wind posted the top time from two trials in the second heat, crossing the finish in 21.815 seconds. Owned by

Joe Williams of Broken Arrow, Okla., and trained by Michelle Hurdle, River Wind was ridden by Benito Baca.

The remainder of the field for the Bank of America Oklaho-ma Challenge Championship is BF Farm Boy, winner of the first trial, 21.848; The Magic Dash, 22.073; El Duero, 22.092; SM Chicksastreakin, 22.115; Jess A Runner, 22.134; Really A Fantasy, 22.170; Separate Cartel, 22.235; ALS Big Hit, 22.237 and All Out Arrogant, 22.278.

Zoetis Allowance Challenge

The low-level claiming horses competed in a pair of trials for the Zoetis Remington Park Starter Allowance Chal-lenge with Prime Country put-ting up the top 350-yard time in trial one, 18.053 seconds. Owned by Oscar Padilla of Kingfisher, Okla., and trained by Clement Hurtado, Prime Coun-try was ridden by Juan Vazquez.

Also in the Zoetis Starter Allowance Challenge at Rem-ington Park will be Plan An Atac, 18.132; Rock Zar, 18.192; Im Beau Brown, 18.194; SLP American Soldier, 18.224; Sheza Runaway Chick, 18.256; Dames Mr James, 18.334; Royal Darius, 18.341; Papa Jack Coleman, 18.598 and Bennington, also at 18.598.

TEXAS

Sam Houston Race Park, Houston, TXKiss My Hocks sensational in Sam Houston Futurity

The finals of the rich-est race of the 2014 Quarter Horse Meeting, the $563,950 Sam Houston Futurity (Grade 2) took place at Sam Houston Race Park, and it’s safe to say, that another star has emerged.

Kiss My Hocks drew con-siderable attention when he ran in trials here on March 29. Not only did the son of Tempt-ing Dash win his 330-yard trial in a time of 16.433, he broke a track record of 16:514 seconds set on July 5, 2002 by Pies Power Play.

Trainer Toby Keeton had all the faith in the world in his colt, reporting that he came out of the trial in peak condition and would run an equally good race in the final.

“Never fear when Toby is near,” quipped the popular conditioner.

However, Keeton was not near this evening. He was at

Mixed FantasySituation



Remington Park overseeing the Oklahoma contingent, includ-ing Jody Pops Zoomerin the Bob Moore Memorial Stakes. His capable wife, Cindi saddled Kiss My Hocks and Keeton was right; there was nothing to fear.

The sorrel colt broke from the rail under rider Luis Vivanco and benefi tted when Jettin Cosmos and Sixes Down bore out, leaving a clear path on the inside of the track. Vivanco kept his charge to task, cross-ing the wire in 16.719 seconds, earning a speed index of 99.

It was a proud moment for owners Conda Maze and Tyler Graham, who bred the son of Tempting Dash out of the Tres Seis mare Romancing Mary, with John Mayers.

“I’ve always told everybody that this horse has not disap-pointed me a day since I raised him,” said Graham. “We have a good team and he knows he’s a superstar.”

“We thank Toby, Cindi and all the boys on the backside,” added Maze. “He’s a special ath-lete; I come out every morning and love this horse.”

This was the fi rst Sam Houston Futurity for Keeton, who will celebrate his 50th birthday on June 6.

“I was never worried about the draw,” said Keeton via tele-phone from Remington Park.

“The good horses can carry their speed from anywhere.”

Glimpse of Dash owned by R. Jaime Flores, ran second with jockey Saul Ramirez Jr. in the irons.

“He was running well at the end, but we could not catch the winner,” said Ramirez Jr., who has won the Sam Hous-ton Futurity twice. ”That horse is something special.”

Second fastest qualifi er, Quic Carter ran third, followed by Cosmo Traffi c, Tres Air, Sixes Down, A Cartel Legend, Smile Big Time, String Bet and Jettin Cosmos.

Kiss My Hocks returned $5.80 for the win and picked up a winner’s check in the amount of $225,580. Maze said Kiss My Hocks will make his next start at Ruidoso Downs.

Mister Big breaks maiden in Sam Houston Derby

Six trials were run on Fri-day, March 28 for the $167,300 Sam Houston Derby (Grade 3). The third-fastest qualifi er, Mis-ter Big ran the race of his life to break his maiden and win a graded stake.

Bred and owned by Jerry Windham, the 3-year-old son of Shazoom broke like a rocket from the rail under Jose Alva-rez. He held off a late charge from Daytona B, posting a fi nal

time of :17.576 for the 350-yard fi nal.

“The horse has changed since we gelded him,” said Kearl. “Since last fall, he trained like a big horse and not a stud colt.”

Windham showed patience with his homebred, who ran in trials for the Rainbow Futurity at Ruidoso and qualifi ed for the Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star, but never found the win-ner’s circle.

“He showed enough tal-ent that if we gelded him and started over that he would do OK and he sure did,” said Wind-ham. “He got out good and I thought they would catch him, but he ran a really great race.”

Mister Big was overlooked by the betting public, but rewarded his backers with a win payout of $29. He earned $66,920 during the evening.

Cartel Arrangement heads into the fi nal with a record of three wins from fi ve starts.

Big Dashing Perry, winner of the 2013 Firecracker Futu-rity at Delta Downs, ran third and SS Paydirt completed the superfecta.

Lethal Perry much the best in Sam Houston Juvenile

The $50,000 Sam Hous-ton Juvenile Stakes kicked off the stakes action on Saturday evening. The stakes featured American Quarter Horses that competed in trials for the Sam Houston Futurity on March 29, but missed the cut-off time of 16.753 seconds.

Lethal Perry, owned by JJ Cool L LLC and trained by Trey Wood, ran fourth to fastest qualifi er Kiss My Hocks and was

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Kiss My Hocks Mister Big


clocked at 16.433. The daugh-ter of Mr Jess Perry showed her talent this evening, closed gamely under jockey Esgar Ramirez. Her winning time this evening was 16.896.

“All the Wood horses are professional,” said Esgar. “She didn’t break that well, but really finished well.”

Blane Wood saddled the filly for his son, Trey. She earned a speed index of 94 and paid $5.60 as the favorite in the six-horse field.

“She had the first race jit-ters in her trial,” said Wood. “But Esgar figured it out. She didn’t break that well, but got going in the end.”

Lovethewayyoulie, owned by Kiss My Hocks owners, Graham and Maze, was second by a neck and Bigtime Connois-seur ran third.

Im A Feature Girl flawless in Merial Texas Distaff Challenge

Jorge Haddad’s 5-year-old mare Im a Feature Girl is no stranger to the Merial Distaff Challenge Championship. The talented mare ran third in the 2012 final at Prairie Meadows and fourth last year at Los Alamitos.

April 26 at Sam Houston Race Park she punched her ticket for a return visit to Prairie

Meadows with an exceptional effort in the $29,160 Merial Distaff Texas Challenge.

With Ricardo Aguirre in the irons, the daughter of Feature Mr Jess broke swiftly to out-perform her eight rivals, most notably, the very accomplished Shez Jess Toxic. Im a Feature Girl led gate-to-wire, hold-ing off the late charge of Stoli Angel, to win by a neck.

This was the 24th start for the Louisiana-bred mare, and her third win at Sam Houston Race Park. She crossed the wire of the 400-yard stakes in 20.126 seconds.

Jorge Haddad Jr. saddled for his father and could not have been more pleased with her effort.

“She’s had trouble in some of her starts, but today she pulled through,” said Haddad. “Shez Jess Toxic is a great mare. We’ve run against her four times, and last time got beat by a neck. I guess tonight was our turn.”

Very few racehorses have hit the board in each of their career races, but fans at Sam Houston Race Park got a chance to see the rare accom-plishment when Shez Jess Toxic ran a solid third this evening. The 5-year-old daughter of Take Off Jess is bred, owned and trained by Dean Frey and

gave a leg up to Sam Houston Race Park’s leading rider, Luis Vivanco.

“She broke fine,” said Viv-anco. “No problems out there.”

Im A Feature Girl was sent off at odds of 5-1 and paid $12 for the win. Haddad was unsure of her next start, but said she would definitely represent Texas in the $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Champion-ship (Grade 1) at Prairie Mead-ows on Oct. 18.

Cash N FDD Dynasty wins Zoetis Texas Starter Allowance Challenge

The $20,790 Zoetis Texas Starter Allowance Challenge was also contested April 26. The 350-yard race is for Bank of America Racing Challenge-en-rolled horses that have started for a claiming price of $5,000 or less within 12 months prior to the sustaining/late payment deadline.

It was another stakes vic-tory for trainer Toby Keeton, who won the richest race of the 2014 Sam Houston Quarter Horse season last Saturday, when Kiss My Hocks captured the $563, 950 Sam Houston Futurity.

Once again, Keeton left the saddling duties to his wife, Cindi, and Cash N Fdd Dynasty was a convincing winner under

Luis Vivanco. The 4-year-old gelded son of Fdd Dynasty left from the far outside post, and flew to the wire in a final time of 17.819 seconds. This was his first win in five starts at Sam Houston Race Park.

Kevin Hogan and Bob Mc-Clure co-own the gelding, who was bred in Texas by Mercy Hinklin.

“Toby and Cindi found this horse for us last year and he has run first or second for us every time,” said Hogan.

“He’s a game runner and one of the most beautiful hors-es in the barn,” added Keeton.

Cash N Fdd Dynasty was the lone stakes favorite of the evening, paying $3.20 for the win. Call of Duty closed well under Francisco Calderon as the runner-up and Agoutis Smoking Jet ran third.

Hogan said that they look forward to competing in the $75,000 Zoetis Starter Allow-ance Challenge Championship at Prairie Meadows on Oct. 18.

Texas TwisterThe $15,000 Texas Twister,

at 110 yards, returned for its sixth renewal at Sam Houston Race Park. Last year’s Texas Twister runner-up, SS Poker Face Dream, won the lightning fast sprint, surging to the wire in 6.954.

Im A Feature GirlLethal Perry



The 4-year-old son of Primetime Dream is trained by Daniel G. Luna and was ridden this evening by Manuel Lara. This was the fifth win from 16 starts for the Texas-bred, owned by Juan Carlos Perez.

“He broke super tonight,” said Luna. “This was his best effort. He needed a clean break and that was it. We know he’s fast. Manuel has ridden well for us.”

Royally Painted out nod-ded Lets Get Silk for second and morning-line favorite, Bubba Carver, was fourth. The field of 10 speedsters included 2012 Texas Twister champion, The Hot List, who holds the track record of 6.736 seconds. The 6-year-old son of Streakin La Jolla finished eighth this evening.

SS Poker Face Dream ($14) earned $9,000 for the stakes victory.

Bank of America Sam Houston Challenge

Eye Agree ran a career best on April 24 evening in trials for the Bank of America Sam Hous-ton Challenge at Sam Houston Race Park.

Ridden by Santos Car-rizales, the Mr Eye Opener filly crossed the wire in 17.904 seconds, to set the fastest time of 25 starters.

L.R. “Tooter” Jordan trains for Mark E. Rigby, DVM, and gave his owner plenty of credit for his patience.

“She’s a great filly; just a bit of a late bloomer,” said Jordan. “Her mama was a 3-year-old champion. Dr. Rigby is a gem to train for. He told me to run her where I wanted, and she showed her talent Thursday night.”

Michael Amburn’s Pyc Paint Your Wagon geld-ing, Paintedinoil posted the second-fastest qualifying time under Jose Alvarez. Trained by Guy Hopkins, the 3-year-old was clocked in 17.978.

The complete list of Bank of America Sam Houston Chal-lenge finalists can be viewed at stallionesearch.com.

Emilianos Wagon still the fastest

After turning in the fast-est time in qualifying for the $77,100 Sam Houston Maiden Classic, Emilianos Wagon showed he still had plenty of speed in the final April 4, pow-ering to his first stakes score.

The 3-year-old son of Pyc Paint Your Wagon is bred, owned and trained byJorge Haddad of Seguin, Texas. With Saul Ramirez Jr. in the irons, the bay gelding closed gamely from the center of the track, covering 350 yards in 17.748 seconds.

This was just the sixth start for Haddad’s homebred, who has matured significantly in the last year.

“We were really confident about tonight,” said Haddad. “He

has been a really great horse. He always gives his best and tries hard. He showed it tonight.”

Haddad has bred several prominent Quarter Horses including Ragazzo, El Duero and Giorgino. He took a minute after the trophy presentation to talk about the potential of Emilianos Wagon.

“He’s a half-brother to El Duero,” said Haddad. “I feel that he can be one of our best.”

Emilianos Wagon is named after Haddad’s second son, Emiliano. Older brother Jorge Jr. and sister, Giuliana joined Haddad and his wife, Kitty in the winner’s circle.

Mito Fire, ridden by Mario Trujillo,outran his odds of 24-1 in completing the exacta. Owned by Gilberto Flores and trained by Bobby Touchet, the Walk Thru Fire gelding won his trial recording the eighth fast-est time. He began his career last summer at Ruidoso Downs in trials for both the Rainbow and All American Futurities.

Mike Amburn’s Pyc Paint Your Wagon gelding, Paintedi-noil under jockey Luis Ramirez, ran third.

The final purse of $77,100 surpassed the 2013 purse of $53,400. Haddad has several options for Emilianos Wagon, including the Sam Houston Classic and Firecracker Derby at Delta Downs.Emilianos Wagon

SS Poker Face Dream Eye Agree


ARKANSAS

Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, ARDanza comes through with Arkansas Derby win

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Danza came in as the lesser heralded stablemate, but is leaving Oaklawn as the 78th winner of the $1 million Arkansas Derby (Grade 1) and with a ticket to the Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs after earn-ing 100 points. The winner, sent off as the second highest odds on the board by the crowd of 63,186, returned $84.60, $28.40 and $11 at odds of 40-1.

Taking advantage of his rail position under jockey Joe Bravo, Danza settled into third place early as 3-5 favorite Bayern led the field through fractions of :23 3/5 and :47 3/5 for the first half mile. The winner slipped through on the rail as the field en-tered the stretch, engaged the early leader and then proceeded to draw off convinc-ingly by 4¾ lengths in just his fourth career start. Ride On Curlin, who had been third in both the Southwest and Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, was bumped at the start and

raced near the back of the field before rallying late to finish second. Bayern held third.

Southwest Stakes winner and Rebel Stakes runner-up Tapiture was fourth and was followed by Conquest Titan, Commis-sioner, Thundergram and Strong Mandate.

“That was a pretty great effort,” Bravo said. “Todd (Pletcher, trainer) was pretty high on the horse and he told me this morning that he was going to be fresh so don’ take anything away from him. Try to save as much as you can and let him run his race. It was textbook, just textbook. Everything unfolded like a dream. That was pretty cool down the lane. It’s really fun to have a special horse like that and have him run like that. I’m not a fortune teller, but hopefully, in a couple of weeks we can do that again. I’m crossing my fingers he’s my Derby horse.”

“We were searching for the right race and the right option and it seemed like the Arkansas Derby was the race for us to step out and take our shot,” said Pletcher, who was winning his second straight and re-cord fourth overall Arkansas Derby. “We’re certainly very excited that we did and very proud of the way the horse ran today.”

Pletcher won the 2013 edition with Overanalyze. His other two runners were Balto Star (2001) and Graeme Hall (2000).

Danza, a Street Boss colt, improved his record to two wins in four starts and the $600,000 first prize increased his

bankroll to $666,428.

Will Take Charge wins Oaklawn HandicapBy Sports Network

Eclipse Award winner Will Take Charge came from off the pace to claim his first win as a 4-year-old in Saturday’s $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, the 2013 champion 3-year-old colt was racing fifth in the six-horse field through much of the 1 1/8-mile stakes. Right to Vote was setting the pace as the 2-5 favorite and Revolutionary trailed.

With Luis Saez in the saddle, Will Take Charge mounted his rally four wide on the turn for home as Revolutionary also began to move. Revolutionary found some tight quarters coming into the stretch while the favorite surged down the middle of the track to the lead.

Will Take Charge did just that by posting a three-quarters length win over Revolutionary followed by Carve, Prayer for Relief, Golden Lad and Right to Vote. Moreno was scratched.

The time for the Oaklawn Handicap was 1:49.55 on a fast track.

Owned by Willis Horton, Will Take Charge snapped a two-race losing streak with the win. The 4-year-old picked up his seventh career victory in 18 starts. The $360,000 puts his bankroll at $3,665,148.

Last year’s champion 3-year-old be-

Danza


R A C E R E C A P S - T H O R O U G H B R E D

Will Take Charge Raider Red

Miss BRH

gan the year with consecutive seconds in the Donn and Santa Anita Handicaps. He suffered a nose loss to Mucho Macho Man in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Will Take Charge won the Pennsylvania Derby and Trav-ers heading into the Breeders’ Cup and was second in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. He closed out his 3-year-old sea-son with a win over Game On Dude in the Clark Handicap.

Will Take Charge paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10. Revolu-tionary returned $4 and $3.20, and Carve paid $4.20 to show.

NEW MEXICO

Sunland Park, NMRaider Red takes Copper Top, Miss BRH wins fillies division

Raider Red pulled clear by 3½ lengths under a vir-tuoso performance from jockey Alfredo Juarez Jr. to win the $77,052 Copper Top Futurity for colts and geldings April 12 at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. The victory was the first part of a Juarez sweep of the

Copper Top Futurities.Under a thoughtful ride

from Juarez, Raider Red em-ployed a three-wide stalking style in the four and one-half furlong feature as a winning strategy. Raider Red responded boldly on the far turn and swept from third to first and went on for an impressive score. Racing as the 5-2 second favorite, the 2-year-old gelding by Diabolical left no doubts and won with speed in reserve in a time of 52.75 second through some very windy conditions. Raider paid $7.80 to win.

Trainer Todd Fincher won his fifth Copper Top title with the precocious gelding. Raider Red earned $38,526 and re-mains unbeaten in two starts.

He is owned by Brad King and Dale Taylor.

Uncle Fudge closed with interest for trainer Dallas Bar-ton to gain second. The runner-up finished a head in front of Maries H and H. The pace setting Scootin for Gold wound up fourth. The odds-on favor-ite Roll On Red Raider fizzled in the stretch and finished seventh.

Juarez won his second Copper Top Futurity of the day with 29-1 long shot Miss B R H in the $77,953 Copper Top Futurity for fillies.

Legendary trainer Fred Danley had an ace up his sleeve and saddled the two-year-old New Mexico-bred daughter of Squall to a re-sounding upset win. Miss B R H

took the lead away from Storm-ing Who down the back stretch and would never relinquish control through the spring. Juarez guided the improving filly through the stretch and she opened up at will to score by 3¾ lengths. She paid $60.20 to win and earned $38,976 for longtime Southwest race horse owners Tom Williams and W.T. Stradley.

Despite a seven-wide journey, Diabolical Dame served notice to her talent by finishing a fast closing second. The runner-up closed with energy under jockey Dusty Shepherd and finished 1¼ lengths in front stable mate Storming Who and jockey Ruby Gonzalez. The $1 trifecta paid a strong $596.30.

One Lethal Blaze remained sharp and won the $85,000 Sunburst Stakes by a neck over 21-1 long shot Sparkling Heart. Under jockey Sergio Becerra Jr., One Lethal Blaze finished boldly to take first prize mon-ies of $51,000. Red hot trainer Gene Burden conditioned the winner for owner David Valdez. The winner is a 3-year-old New Mexico-bred daughter of Chicks A Blazin. She was fourth in the Shue Fly Stakes last January.

Becerra and Burden also combined forces to win the $50,000 West Texas Juvenile Stakes with Redneck Baptism.


Tricky R

Isn’t He Clever crushes rivals in $75k Sunland Handicap

Isn’t He Clever enjoyed a dominant win in the $75,000 Sunland Park Handicap for local owners Kirk and Judy Robison April 13. Enrique Portillo Gomez rode the impressive winner for trainer Henry Dominguez. The Sunland Park lover ex-ploded past the eighth pole and crushed his opponents by nearly 10 lengths in a flawless performance.

The 5-year-old gelded son of Smarty Jones rocketed through the 1 and 1/8 miles in near track record time of 1:47.95, just missing Gove-nor Charlie’s Sunland Derby stakes and track record time of 1:47.54. Dry Summer picked up momentum with a wide run to gain second place, three parts of a length in front of Ol Wine-

drinker Who.Isn’t He Clever carries an

impressive career bankroll over of over $617,000 from nine career wins. Dominguez said in the winner’s circle, “He loved the slow pace. He relaxed nicely, especially after coming off such a fast sprint last time out. Enrique said he was on cue today. He ran an awesome race. He seems to love the racetracks in New Mexico.”

SunRay Park, Farmington, NMTricky R runs away with victory

On April 19 at SunRay Park and Casino, there was little

doubt that the girl power was full in force.

In addition to jockey Nancy Summers and trainer Camie Telford picking up their sec-ond stakes win in less than a month, they did it once again with Tricky R, arguably the most impressive filly or mare currently racing in the state of New Mexico and the winner of the $45,000 Russell and Helen Foutz Distaff Handicap.

A winner in each of her last five starts and 12 of 24 in her career, the 7-year-old mare by Favorite Trick raced alone on the lead throughout her six and one-half furlong journey through a moderate opening half-mile of 46.32 seconds, then had enough left in the tank to prevail by just under a length over post time favorite Fun-nyoushouldask in the Foutz, restricted to New Mexico bred fillies and mares.

Sent off as the 2-1 second choice in the wagering in front of a crowd of nearly 1,400 fans, Tricky R benefited from an inside post and no significant early pace competition from her 6 rivals in the Foutz.

“I expected (Funnyoush-ouldask) to be closer, but being on the outside like she was, it’s hard to clear and get over,” Summers said after the race. “I liked the post we got because I

could just go straight.”Tricky R also took advan-

tage of a course she likes. Her victory in the Foutz was her third from eight starts at SunRay.

“Sharp turns and a short run down the lane definitely helps a lot,” Summers said.

A winner last month at Sunland Park in the La Coneja Stakes, also over Funnyoush-ouldask, Tricky R completed the distance in a final time of 1:17.37 seconds.

Tricky R, owned by Ruth Summers and bred in New Mexico by Tony Pickard, earned $27,000 for the win, increasing her lifetime bankroll to just over $287,000 while returning $6.40 to her backers.

The 8-to-5 post time favorite Funnyoushouldask closed well to pick up the place, nearly four lengths clear of the rest of the field, headed by Soaring Dea, Applelina, Gossip Dome, CC Manor and Western Way. Swedish Goddess was scratched from the Foutz earlier in the day.

Summers and Telford earlier scored as a rider/trainer tandem in the fourth race when Ominous Sky rallied to beat Eveleth in a claiming sprint.

On the day, trainer Todd Fincher also picked up a pair of wins, saddling Roll Out The Band to win the seventh race,

Isn’t He Clever



That’s Who Design Tobe A Winner

and Lady Riesling, who broke her maiden in the final race of the nine-race card.

That’s Who wins Jack Cole Handicap

That’s Who had the win-ning response and won the $45,000 Jack Cole Handicap at SunRay Park and Casino.

The proven multiple stakes winner ended a four-race losing streak by winning his fourth race from five starts over SunRay Park soil. Toss in some 40-mile per hour winds and rapidly dropping temperatures and you had all the makings for a big win by That’s Who in Sat-urday’s feature for older New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds going one mile.

Braving a stiff headwind that played havoc for horses, jockeys and a crowd of over 750 fans all day long, Alfredo Juarez Jr., used a perfect stalk-and-pounce trip aboard the Joel Marr-trained son of Quinton’s Gold to wrestle the lead away from longshot Anziger on the far turn, then held off favored Mr. Wizard in deep stretch to win the Jack Cole by just under a length.

That’s Who covered the one mile in 1 minute, 36.84 seconds and ended a losing streak that had gone on for nearly six months.

On a racing day that start-ed out with temperatures in the 60s, the afternoon quickly grew colder, with intermittent show-ers and a stiff headwind that rarely relented.

“When you come onto the backstretch, the winds really affect you,” Juarez said after the race. “The dust gets in your face and the cold wind really bites you.”

Juarez, who sat close to the pace throughout aboard That’s Who, took advantage of moder-ate fractions set by Anziger on the lead, who ran the first half-mile in 47.08 seconds. Sent off as the second choice in the wagering at odds of 8-5, That’s Who raced alongside the leader on the far turn and began to inch clear at the top of the lane.

Sent off as the 11-to-10 post time favorite, Mr. Wiz-ard may have been left with too much to do under jockey Dusty Shepherd and consider-ing the conditions. The son of Premeditation, who raced midpack early, rallied to pick up the place and was well clear of Anziger across the wire.

“I could hear him (Mr. Wizard) coming after me in the stretch,” Juarez said. “I was lucky we still had something left.”

Owned by Sam and Latane Stevens, That’s Who earned his 13th career win from 24 lifetime starts, padding his lifetime

earnings to over $548,000. A winner of last year’s Land Of Enchantment Stakes at Ruidoso Downs last July, That’s Who also got bragging rights over Mr. Wizard, who had gotten the better of him in each of their last three meetings.

That’s Who returned $5.40 to each of his backers at the windows. Following Anziger across the wire were E Bar Way, Mist Ter Noble, Spinning Touch and Gotta Move. Playin Tough was scratched earlier in the day.

The victory aboard That’s Who was one of three on the day for Juarez, who also won the fifth race aboard Mag-nificent Day for trainer Dick Cappelucci, then came back and won the sixth race aboard Golden Emblazon for trainer Brent Elston.

Design Tobe A Winner speeds in Animas Stakes

Design Tobe A Winner overcame a troubled start to prove an impressive upset winner of Sunday’s $35,000 Animas Quarter Horse Stakes at SunRay Park and Casino.

The 3-year-old filly by Winners Version broke in a bit of a tangle alongside Winter Haven, but recovered quickly to assume the lead just a few jumps after the start of the 400-yard event. Jockey Larry

Gamez held off the late rally of Jess Sandy Jr to prevail by a diminishing neck.

Design Tobe A Winner, sent off as the second longest shot on the board at odds of nearly 10-1, picked up her first stakes win and third victory from nine lifetime starts. Bred in Colorado by Russell Vic-chrilli, Design Tobe A Winner is owned by James Lynn and trained by Wes Giles. Her vic-tory was worth $21,000 to the winning connections, which increases her lifetime earnings to nearly $41,000.

Prior to her win Sunday in the Animas, Design Tobe A Winner was ninth in a field of 10 runners last month in the West Texas Derby at Sunland Park. Her last win came against claiming company at Sunland Park on Feb. 21.

“She didn’t get away all that well, but once she found her stride, she went right to the front,” Gamez said. “Thank-fully, she had just enough left to get there.”

Design Tobe A Winner ran the 400 yards in a fast final time of 19.35 seconds, just one-fifth of a second off the course record. Her winning backers among the crowd of over 800 spectators were re-warded with a return of $21.60 for their $2 investment.


Lasting Bubbles

Jess Sandy Jr, sent off as 2-to-1 favorite under jockey Manuel Gutierrez, was more than a length clear of the field when finishing second. Behind that one across the wire were This Lady Is On Fire, Frans Hero, Famous Edge Of Glory, WR Golden Eagle and Win-ter Haven. Blazin Lonzo was scratched earlier in the day.

On Sunday, jockey Elvin Gonzalez made a bit of his-tory at SunRay Park and Ca-sino, winning on all five of his mounts, including four races in successive order.

Gonzalez scored aboard Runawayrick in Sunday’s fourth race for trainer Domi-nic Duree, then came back to win aboard the Justin Evans-trained Contend in the fifth race.

Evans and Gonzalez teamed up twice more on the day, with wins for Mucho Ma-cho Uno in the sixth race and Major Affair in the nightcap.

In between those wins, Gonzalez also won the seventh race on the card, scoring with 29.80-to-1 longshot Spring Melody in the seventh race for trainer Kathleen Tohill.

Gonzalez has clearly as-sumed the role of leading rider after the first three days of the live season. He has seven wins from 13 mounts, with five of

those wins coming from Evans’ barn, currently the leading trainer after the first weekend.

TEXAS

Lone Star Park, Grand Prairie, TXGrand Contender lives up to name in Texas Mile

Grand Contender, trained by Tom Amoss, dug in and won the duel he fought with Taptowne down the stretch, prevailing by a half-length in the April 26 18th running of the Grade 3 Texas Mile at Lone Star Park.

The 6-year-old gelding by Strong Contender, hooked up with rival Taptowne, ridden by Hall of Famer Calvin Borel, in the stretch and gamely prevailed under strong urging by winning local rider, Richard Eramia.

“I saw a lot of speed in the race,” said Eramia. “I think my horse can be a little more close, but I saw these two horses [Smack Ridge and Proud Strike] going a little quick, so I took him back and put him clear outside, I saw Mr.

Borel [Taptowne] he stared let-ting go of his horse, I tried to go together ’cause you know, this is the horse I gotta beat.”

And that he did. The win-ning margin was a half-length at the wire. Fractions for the race were 23.53, 46.52 and 1:10.43. The final time for the mile was 1:36.68.

Claimed for $20,000 by owner Maggi Moss at Saratoga in August 2012, Grand Con-tender competed in the claim-ing ranks the rest of that year. In 2013, he moved up to the allowance company, winning a pair before moving up to the stakes ranks in November of 2013. He won the Delta Mile Stakes at Delta Downs in his first attempt at the class jump. His next out was a fourth place finish at Fair Grounds in the Tenacious Handicap in December 2013. From there he placed in the Louisiana Handicap last January, placed again in the Grade 3 Mine-shaft Handicap in February also at Fairgrounds. Before his win here tonight, he won the Borgata at Delta Downs on March 15.

With the win, Grand Contender improved his race record to 7-3-4 from 21 starts. And with the $113,000 share of the purse increased his ca-reer earnings to $418,860.

Grand Contender paid

$9, $4.80, $3.40, runner-up Taptowne returned $3.20 and $2.60. Favorite, Bourbon Cour-age paid 2.60 to show. Stachys, Smack Ridge, Proud Strike, For-est Mouse, Texas Air and Skip the Pinot completed the order of finish.

Lasting Bubbles takes home Wayne Hanks Stakes trophy

Judy Peek’s Lasting Bubbles showed her class, taking the prize for her second consecutive win in the 18th $50,000 Wayne Hanks Memo-rial Stakes. The striking six-year-old gray mare by Pulling Punches loves Lone Star Park. This was her fourth win from seven starts at the Grand Prai-rie track and her eighth career win from 21 lifetime starts.

Trained by Kevin Peek and ridden by Chris Rosier, Last-ing Bubbles raced just off the leader, was inside on the turn, shifted three wide near the quarter pole and took the lead at the top of the stretch to draw off by four and one-quar-ter lengths for the victory.

“I knew the pace was a little quick for her, so I stepped to the outside and gave her clear running room,” said jockey Chris Rosier. “It was all the horse. I just had to hang on.”

Grand Contender


Belt


Mike Man’s Gold

Final time for the six-and-one-half-furlongs was 1:18.52 over a fast track with fractions of :22.59 and :45.69. Second went to Joyful Hannah trained by Jimmy Dodwell and Nurse Goodnight ran third for trainer Allen Milligan.

Lasting Bubbles earned $30,000 for the win increas-ing her lifetime earnings to $260,081. Mutuel payoffs were $3.60, $2.60 and $2.20. Run-ner-up Joyful Hannah returned $4.60 and $3.80. Nurse Good-night paid $4.80 to show. My Golden Belle, Molly’s Honour, Flashy Pearl, Expect Royalty and Wimbledon Star complet-ed the order of finish.

WASHINGTON

Emerald Downs, Auburn, WABelt collars Follow My Tracks

Belt rallied past Follow My Tracks and notched a 2¾-length victory April 19 in the $14,375 Rhodes & Associ-ates Purse for 3-year-olds and up at rainy Emerald Downs.

With Rocco Bowen up for

his meet-leading seventh win, Belt ran 5½ furlongs in 1:03.50 on a sloppy track and paid $4.20, $2.20 and $2.10. Tom Wenzel is the trainer for owner Ron Crockett Inc.

Belt stalked the three leaders through four furlongs in :44.84, rallied wide into the lane, collared Follow My Tracks past mid-stretch and drew clear late.

A 4-year-old Washington-bred by Cahill Road-La Mariah, Belt is 2-3-0 in seven lifetime starts, earning $33,052.

Follow My Tracks dueled for the lead between horses, edged to the lead on the turn, but was overtaken by Belt in the stretch. Ridden by Juan Gutierrez, Follow My Tracks paid $2.60 and $2.20.

Dogleft Left rallied to fin-ish third, paid $3.80 to show, and was followed by Bound to Win and Direct Cost.

Mike Man’s Gold outduels I Keep Saying in Emerald Downs feature

A stakes winner at ages 2 and 3, Mike Man’s Gold already is showing his class vs. older horses.

Saturday, Mike Man’s Gold out-finished I Keep Saying in a driving finish for a half-length victory in the $17,950 Swager-ty & Gardner Financial Group

Purse at Emerald Downs.Ridden by Javier Ma-

tias, Mike Man’s Gold ran six furlongs in a brisk 1:08.01 and paid $9, $4.40 and $6. It was his sixth win in 14 starts for the son of Liberty Gold-Che-doodle, the $9,873 winner’s share pushing his earnings to $128,799. David Martinez is the trainer.

Afterward, Keith Swagerty, co-owner of Mike Man’s Gold with William Gallo, said that Chedoodle had given birth earlier Saturday to a full broth-er to Mike Man’s Gold. All told, offspring of Chedoodle have won seven stakes at Emerald Downs – No Flies On Doodle with four and Mike Man’s Gold three.

I Keep Saying, the early leader ridden by Juan Guti-errez, finished second and paid $3.60 and $6.40. A triple winner here last year, I Keep Saying led through fractions of :22.36, :44.32 and :55.89, and resisted gamely when headed by Mike Man’s Gold

It was three lengths back to Fist Full of Green, ridden by Eliska Kubinova, and a $6 show payoff.

Polish Dollar and Some-where With You completed the order of finish. King of the Sky and Why Not Be Perfect were scratched earlier in the day.

Polish Dollar, the 6-to-5

betting favorite, including $3,805 of $5,705 wagered to show, broke a step slow and raced wide on the turn before finishing fourth.

Scat Daddybaby sharp in 2014 debut

Based on his sparkling sea-son debut at Emerald Downs April 20, Scat Daddybaby could be destined for stardom this season at Emerald Downs.

With Gallyn Mitchell aboard, the 4-year-old gelding rocketed to a 2¼- length victo-ry over a star-studded field of older allowance horses in the $21,000 Travelodge Auburn Purse. Running six furlongs in a meet-fastest 1:08.20, Scat Daddybaby paid $19.40, $6.80 and $5.40.

Bred and owned by Mike and Amy Feuerborn, Scat Dad-dybaby has won four straight races dating to last August, and is 5-2-0 in 11 starts overall with earnings of $57,487. Rob-bie Baze is the trainer.

Sunday, Scat Daddybaby simply ran the competition into the ground, opening a two-length lead while set-ting fractions of :21.82 for the quarter-mile and :44.09 for the half. Scat Daddybaby straightened into the lane with a 1½-length lead and had enough in reserve to hold off


Mr. Bowling for the victory.The 5-to-2 betting favorite

ridden by Isaias Enriquez, Mr. Bowling closed strongly to fi nish second and paid $4.60 and $3.80.

It was an encouraging season debut for the graded stakes winner, whose last out-ing was an 11th in the 2013 Longacres Mile.

Speaking of the Longacres Mile, Mike Feurborn said the Grade 3 race could be a target for Scat Daddybaby, a Kentucky-bred by Scat Daddy-Bianconi Baby who was 2-for-2 at one mile last year.

“(Today’s race) was about as good as you could have hoped,” he said. “But it’s just one step.”

The Feuerborns ranks No. 2 all-time with 25 stakes wins at Emerald Downs, and in 2012 their brilliant 4-year-old Class Included became only the second fi lly or mare to be voted Horse of the Meeting. However, they have never won

the Longacres Mile.Finallygotabentley, ridden

by Leslie Mawing, was two lengths back in third place and paid $9.40 to show. Jebrica, Winning Machine, Mike Man’s Gold, Country Rules, Rocky’s Quest, Running Tap and Some-where With You completed the order of fi nish.

For Mitchell, it was his fi rst win of the season and upped his track record total to 1,349 wins. He is the only jockey to ride a winner all 19 seasons at Emerald Downs.

Mawing reached a mile-stone a race later, becoming the seventh jockey to win 500 races at Emerald Downs, when he guided Claudia’s Cahill to a one-length victory in the nightcap.

Mawing, 40, has 2,122 career wins.

“Milestones are nice, of course, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of the owners and trainers,” Maw-ing said.

Strawberry Dawn carries Felipe Valdez back to winner’s circle

The classy 3-year-old fi lly Strawberry Dawn rallied for an impressive 8½-length vic-tory April 13 in the featured $18,900 Muckleshoot Tribal Purse at Emerald Downs.

Ridden by Emerald Downs’ newcomer Felipe Valdez at 118 pounds, Strawberry Dawn ran 5½ furlongs in 1:03.08 and paid $5.40, $2.20 and $2.20. Dan Markle is the trainer for owners/breeders Sue & Tim Spooner of Olympia, Wash.

For Valdez, a 35-year-old native of Mexico City, the vic-tory was his fi rst since suff ering a fractured vertebra December 19, 2010, at Hollywood Park.

“I want to thank Dan Markle, the Spooners, and everybody else who made this possible,” Valdez said. “It means a lot to be able to come back and win a nice race on a good fi lly like (Strawberry Dawn).”

One of the track’s top

2-year-old fi llies last year while placing in two stakes races, Strawberry Dawn appears des-tined to write headlines again in 2014. A Washington-bred by Tribal Rule-Ruby Dawn, Straw-berry Dawn rallied boldly in Sunday’s race, going from last to fi rst around the turn before drawing clear late for the easy victory. Her overall record is 2-2-0 in fi ve starts with earn-ings of $39,113.

The Spooners perennially rank near the top of the track’s owners’ standings. In fact, they have four straight top-10 fi nish-es and rank No. 2 all-time with 157 wins at Emerald Downs.

Charismata, the 7-to-10 wagering favorite ridden by Isaias Enriquez at 118 pounds, held second place and paid $2.20 and $2.20.

K K’s Wonderman, rid-den by Juan Gutierrez at 119 pounds, fi nished third and paid $4.60. See My Tail Lites and Simba’s Sis completed the order of fi nish.

Strawberry DawnScat Daddy

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