Page 167 - August 2015

Zia Derby-RG2
ASTICA
by Michael Cusortelli
Astica continued her dominance of this year’s New Mexico-bred sophomore class with
a win in the 400-yard July 25 Zia Derby-RG2
at Ruidoso Downs. Bred & owned by Mac & Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, NM, Astica defeated Major Moonflash by 1 1/2-lengths in :19.515 under Adrian Ramos for trainer Wes Giles.
Astica has won all 3 of her outs this year & earned $106,614. In her first
3-year-old out, she broke
Albuquerque 400-yard track
record & earned a career high 110 speed index in the Pelican S.
Ironically, Astica might be racing under different silks if fate hadn’t intervened. “We put the horses we breed in the sales, but usually there will be 2or3welikeandwe’llputa number on them,” Mac said. “If we don’t get that amount, we keep them. We didn’t put a reserve on Astica because I
don’t like to put them on our yearlings, but we placed a figure of $50,000 on her. If she doesn’t reach that, then we keep her. I had the last bid of $50,000 & we got her back. If the bidding had reached $55,000, somebody else would own her.”
Astica flashed early talent at two. Sent to trainer Matt Fales, she ran 3rd in a Desert Classic F. trial & won the consolation by 2 1/4-lengths.
She ran 3rd in the Mountain Top Futurity-RG3 trials & in the $340,699 finals. She won her Zia Futurity-RG1 trial, but was put on the shelf after an x-ray revealed a knee chip.
“I think she chipped her knee in the Mountain Top final,” Murray said. “She was in front & was going to shift gears, but 2 horses went right by her. We didn’t find the chip until after she won her Zia Futurity trial. We sent her back to Matt this year & he swam
her for 30 days & started ponying her. Matt gets a lot of credit for bringing her back the way he did.”
Astica is out of Champion Alice K White, dam of 5 winners. Astica has won 5 of 8 starts & has earned $148,274. Murray said the filly
is pointed to the First Moonflash D.-RG3, but the All American Derby-G1 is also a possibility.
Giles trains Major Moonflash (First Moonflash- Prima LD), 2nd under Ricky Ramirez for Pierre & Leslie Amestoy. Quemados Version (Winners Version-A Royal Lead) was 3rd under Salvador Martinez for Juan Daguer & trainer Paul Jones. Followed by First Governor (First Moonflash-Fresh Approach), Mr Mo Runaway (Sign To Be A Runaway-Miss Gettin Cash), Hit With Force (Hard Hitting-Forced To Win), Fire The Queen (Fighter On Fire-Quintessential Queen), Memoryflash (First Moonflash-Memory Cartel), Winning Merlot (Winners Version-Marilyn Merlot) & JM Blu Moonflash (First Moonflash-The Blues Girl).
Ruidoso Downs $162,412 • 400 yards :19.515 • si 97
Mr Jess Perry
Jesse James Jr
Loose Lips
ASTICA, ’12-f.
First Down Dash
Alice K White
Champagne Lane
RACING NEWS
Bitterroot Futurity
PAPPAS IN THE HOUSE
by John Moorehouse
Pappas In The House charged into black type on July 4 at Les Bois Park, leading at every call of the $171,985 Bitterroot Futurity. The victory by the 2-year-old gelding was part
of a big day for James Hanson. He trains both Pappas In The House and runner-up Coronas Fast Game. Hanson co-owns the futurity win- ner with Rob Evans and the other members of Hanson Racing LLC, his sons Ryan and Mark.
“Being the wife of Jim and mother of Ryan and Mark, the sum of all three working together is greater than the individuals,” Susan Hanson stated. “All three have trained individually very successfully, but together they each bring a special skill set and focus that clicks. They pay attention to detail and the horses and owners benefit. Hardest working guys you will ever meet.”
Pappas In The House staved off a shaky start in his run for victory. He drifted out after emerging from the inside gate, but jockey Eddie Aceves kept the gelding on course. He led by a neck both at the first call and as he entered the stretch, and out-nodded his stablemate at the wire. The 350-yard trip took :17.595, registering a 94 speed index and producing a $68,794 payday that increased
his bankroll to $75,946. Mackie Racing LLC bred
Pappas In The House, who now has 3 wins in 4 starts,
and holds a 3rd-place finish
in the Knight Transportation Futurity held in June at Les Bois. He also becomes the 2nd stakes winner out of Mongoose Jet Eye, joining his full-sister Madresita in that company.
Mongoose Jet Eye was quite the competitor herself. The mare tallied half of her 10
wins in stakes company, and set a 400-yard New World Record at Sunland Park as part of a career that produced nearly $450,000 in earnings.
Coronas Fast Game (Coronas Fast Dash- Game Snowlady), who is owned by Ben McKinney & RTM Stables, LLC, secured 2nd with Tony Guymon aboard. Daddys Dollars (Carters Cartel-Better Tobe Separate) took
3rd under Jesus Canales for Donald & Karen Vickery. Donald Vickery is also the trainer. Followed by Pay The Price (Walk Thru Fire-Oh La Hawk), STS Moven Spitfire (Saint Shackleton-Finders Dream Maker), Klas Of Reason (Good Reason Sa-This Snow Shows Klas), Timeless Hope (Masters Call-Dash For Time), Make My Daze (Tac It Like A Man- Daze Of Summer), Is There More (Carters Cartel-A Tiny Bit More) & First Prize Luke (Carters Cartel-First Prize Joy).
Les Bois Park $171,985 • 350 yards :17.595 • si 94
Corona Cartel
Pappasito
Strawberry Silk
PAPPAS IN THE HOUSE, ‘13-g.
Mr Eye Opener
Mongoose Jet Eye
Mongoose Effort
SPEEDHORSE, August 2015 165
Gene Wilson & Associates Photography Ruidoso Downs