Page 153 - August 2015

Rainbow Futurity-G1
TRES FRIENDS
by Tracy Gantz
Terry Stennett knows how difficult it is to win a big race.
His Torts On Fire succeeded in the 2014 Texas Classic Futurity-G1, but Stennett still was in awe when his Tres Friends upset favored First Valiant Sign in the July 19 Rainbow Futurity-G1 at Ruidoso Downs.
“I thought it was breathtaking, and the win is very humbling,” said Stennett.
Not that Stennett lacked confidence in his horse. He just knows the difficulty in getting a two year old through training and overcoming the long process of the many trial races to even get to a final such as the Rainbow Futurity.
Stennett also has confidence in his trainer, Blane Wood, and Wood’s son, Trey.
“They are hands-on type of people and hard-working,” Stennett said.
“They work just as hard as their employ- ees,” he continued.
Tres Friends and First Valiant Sign drew into post positions three and four for the Rainbow final.
When the gate opened, they bumped slightly, with First Valiant Sign getting bumped from the other side as well.
Tres Friends, ridden by Ricky Ramirez, recovered brilliantly and vied with My Royal Wagon on the rail.
Tres Friends passed that rival and then had to hold off the favorite, winning the race by a neck in :19.744.
“He brushed at the start and was in the lead in the second jump,” said Ramirez. “He really ran a good race.”
Wood and Stennett selected Tres Friends out of last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, paying $60,000.
“We work closely together,” Stennett said. “We liked the breeding of this horse, especially on the mare side, and his conformation.”
Blane Wood said that Tres Friends topped their list of possible purchases at the sale.
“We were going to buy that horse,” Wood said. “I really liked Lotta Love For Robyn (dam of Tres Friends).”
They gelded the colt—“we were looking for a racehorse,” said Stennett—and the Woods broke him and taught him his early lessons.
They debuted him in the trials for the Ruidoso Futurity-G1, where he finished in fourth place.
“He was green in his first out,” said Stennett. “He ran green, but he was strong on the end. He’s smart, and he figured it out.”
Blane Wood called that first out “terrible” and said that Trey spent plenty of time schooling Tres Friends in the gate.
Tres Friends’ intellect and Trey Wood’s hard work paid off.
Tres Friends won his Rainbow trial by 1/2-length in :19.556. It was not only the fastest trial of the first day, but also the fastest of both days.
After the Rainbow final victory, Blane Wood and Stennett hoped to point Tres Friends for the All American Futurity-G1. But they both said they would wait and see how the gelding thrived in the weeks following this Rainbow Futurity victory.
“There is so much money in derbies that we won’t run in the All American trials unless he’s ready,” said Wood.
Lila Kessinger, Brad Williams, and Wayne Barton bred Tres Friends in California, and the youngster was raised at Burns Ranch in Menifee, California.
Lila Kessinger’s husband, Kim, died the year Tres Friends was conceived. Kim cam- paigned many top racehorses, including World Champion Whosleavingwho in partnership with Jim Geiler.
Kessinger and Geiler bred Lotta Love
For Robyn, and Barton raced the mare.
She finished second in the 2013 Cypress Handicap, third in the 2011 Rainbow Juvenile
Invitational, and fourth in the 2011 All American Futurity-G1.
Tres Friends is the first starter for Lotta Love For Robyn, who has a full sister
to Tres Friends selling in this year’s Ruidoso sale, both being by Tres Seis.
First Valiant Sign (Valiant Hero-First Painted Sign) was trying to keep his hopes alive for the All American Triple
Crown, but had to settle for second under jockey G.R. Carter Jr. The gelding, trained
by Michael Joiner, had won the Ruidoso Futurity-G1 earlier in the meeting. Scott Bryant, Joe Dee Brooks, Lee Lewis, and Derrol Hubbard own First Valiant Sign.
My Royal Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Lynettes Knockout), the second-fastest quali- fier, finished another neck back in third. Joe Badilla Jr. rode the colt for trainer Brian Muse and owner Brian Gunder. My Royal Wagon had won three races and finished second in his four previous starts.
Sky Bo Dash (Bodacious Dash-Sky Chicks), Roman Soldier CD (Apollitical Jess-Famous Phoebe), A Tres Of Paint
(Tres Seis-First Painted Sign), Fine Oak Corona (Coronas Prospect-Like A Fine Oak), Desperate Daisy (Carters Cartel-She Travels), Like A Gift (First Down Dash- American Purse) and Mr PYC To You (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Stylish Sign) completed the order of finish.
Ruidoso Downs $1,000,000 • 400 yards :19.744 • si 91
Sixarun
Tres Seis
Our Third Delight
TRES FRIENDS, ’13-g.
First Down Dash
Lotta Love For Robyn
Lova Ya Miss Jess
Tres Friends & Ricky Ramirez are never headed en route to winning the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity
SPEEDHORSE, August 2015 151
RACING NEWS
Ruidoso Downs