Page 174 - August 2015

Bradford Stakes
MESA MARVEL
by John Moorehouse
Ricardo Martinez and Cristian Esqueda proved to be a winning combination on July 4 at Indiana Grand Race Course. The trainer and jockey pooled their efforts
to log three victories on the nine-race card, including a pair of stakes victories—among them the $48,160 Bradford Stakes, which saw Mesa Marvel outduel the competition to tally his second career stakes win.
Martinez also owns Mesa Marvel, a four-year-old gelding who now holds seven wins in 17 starts. He’s been to the winner’s circle three times in five outs in 2015, including the Sawgrass Stakes back in March. Since Martinez purchased Mesa Marvel last year at a claiming, the gelding has four wins in seven outs.
After breaking from the 6-gate, Mesa Marvel led
at every remaining call of the 400-yard event. The gelding opened a 1/2-length lead by the first call. The advantage narrowed to a head as he reached the stretch, but jockey Esqueda kept Mesa Marvel on track and he inched ahead to sport a 1/2-length margin of victory as he hit the line. The stakes-winning trip took :19.941, producing a 96 speed index and a $26,969 payday that increased the gelding’s career earnings to $105,086.
Edward C. Allred bred Mesa Marvel, the most accomplished starter out of Straw Flying Lady. The mare has 1 win in 14 starts. Two of her 5 foals have made starts. Mesa Marvel is the sole stakes winner.
Finche (Tres Seis-Doctor Prospector) took second place by a neck. Larry Abney is the trainer and co-owns the veteran gelding with Chris Sheehy. Shanley Jackson did the riding. Dashing Manner (Title Contender-Dot Dot And Dash) hit the board in third for owner Rene Cochran and trainer Billy Norris. Derek Bell was in the irons. Followed by Zoom N 324 (Zoomin For Bux-Miss Silk N Such), Air Born Leader (Leader Of The Class-Air Born Jazz), Foose On Fire (Foose-Prairie Fire), disqualified from 4th to 7th was Diamonds
Edge (Special Leader-Petrifying) & Snowy Vengeance (Desirio-Scarlet Snow). This Lion Roars scratched.
Indiana Grand Classic
BEACH RUNNER
by John Moorehouse
It had been about 11 months since Beach Runner entered the winner’s circle, and she picked a fine time to end the drought. The 4-year-old filly surprised
a talented field to win the $49,250 Indiana Grand Classic on July 4 at Indiana Grand Race Course.
Beach Runner posted her fourth victory in 21 lifetime starts, but her first since August 1 of last year. She went winless in the 10 subsequent outs, likely a reason why she was the biggest longshot in the field at almost 22-1 odds at post time.
None of that mattered when the gates opened. Beach Runner broke on top from the 8-hole and navigated a crowded cluster of competitors to lead by a head at the first call. She maintained that slim margin at every subsequent call in the race, finishing the 400 yards in :19.890 for a 97 speed index.
Janette Barraza owns Beach Runner, who is trained by Felix Barraza. Jockey Jose Beltran drew the riding assignment.
Beach Runner becomes the first stakes winner out of her dam, the lightly raced Flashin Dee Dee, who has five starters from six foals. Sheri Miller bred Beach Runner and owns Flashin Dee Dee. She also co-bred Beach Runner’s sire, Escondido Beach.
Fierce Runaway (Ocean Runaway-Hop Kip And Jump) secured second place for Salvador Rojas, who does double duty as owner and trainer. Rolando Pina was in the irons. WH Streakin Pie (Jumpn Chic-Roll La Jolla La), the betting favorite, came flying late to finish third for owner White Horse Ranch LLC & trainer Paul Martin. Victor Olivo was aboard. Followed by Famous Candy Cat (Red Storm Cat-Chicks Famous Candy), Sin Tachas Angel (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Sin Tacha Perry), Neytiri (Country Chicks Man-La Stat), My Girls Rock (Rock Solid Jess-Quickest Cash), Bye Bye Eagle (One Famous Eagle-Kiss This Bye Bye), RK Silver Lady (Strong Hope-Streakin Bedrosa) & Tellem Scout (Teller Cartel-A Lil Known Fact).
Northern Plains Futurity
TINYS FIRST AFFAIR
by John Moorehouse
Tinys First Affair may have come up a little short in his trial for the Northern Plains Futurity, but the young gelding was fastest when it mattered most, going wire-to-wire to win the $26,790 event on July 26 at Chippewa Downs in Belcourt, North Dakota.
Home-bred by Karen Glasser, Tinys First Affair collected his second win in five career starts.
Making his debut on May 24, the gelding already was stakes-placed, finishing third in the North Dakota QHRA Futurity.
He had no equal in the Northern Plains Futurity. Tinys First Affair broke on top from the 5-gate, charging to a 1/2-length lead by the first call. He maintained that separation entering the stretch, and then he widened the gap during the final yards to win by three-quarters.
Tinys First Affair finished second to MM Mr Doubtfire in qualifying on July 11, but still posted the second-fastest time, completing the 350 yards with a time of :18.880.
The gelding was even faster in the stakes finals, finishing in :18.480 with jockey Shaun Herman in the irons.
Tinys First Affair produced a $13,395 prize for his connections, which boosted the cumulative bankroll of the gelding to $17,292.
Jim Fleming trains Tinys First Affair.
Glasser also home-bred Little Love Affair, a multiple stakes winner and the dam of Tinys First Affair. A 2007 mare, Little Love Affair holds three victories in stakes company, all in restricted events. They were the highlights in a 9-2-1 career that encompassed 13 outs and produced almost $40,000 in prize money.
Little Love Affair has two foals, and Tinys First Affair is the only starter out of the mare to date.
Fastest qualifier MM Mr Doubtfire (Dealagame- This Discos Bootin) took second place by a solid 1 1/4-length margin for owner Ramon Salvidrez and trainer Amanda Haar. Francisco Estrada drew the riding assignment.
Jennas Easy Eagle (Such Easy Cash-Jennas Birthday), the third fastest qualifier to the event, finished third by a neck. The filly is owned by John Bubel and trained by Terry Davis. Zack Ziegler was in the irons.
The remaining order of finish was Jumpn Fool (Jumpn Chic-Sheecha Girl), Fantastic Rambler (Ima Ramblin On-Fantastic Elite) and Brindis Me (Brindis Por Cayenne-Somedaymydaywillcome). Hannah Santana scratched.
Indiana Grand Race Course • $48,160 400 yards • :19.941 • si 96
Foose MESA MARVEL, ‘11-g.
Stel Corona
Summertime Quickie
Strawfly Special
Straw Flying Lady
Beduinos Sweet Rose
Indiana Grand Race Course • $49,250 400 yards • :19.890 • si 97
Corona Cartel
Six On The Beach First To Flash
Escondido Beach BEACH RUNNER, ‘11-f.
Flashin Dee Dee
Runaway Dee Dee
Chippewa Downs • $26,790 350 yards • :18.480
Streakin La Jolla
Scoopie Fein
Rare News
Tiny First Feature
TINYS FIRST AFFAIR, ‘13-g.
Little Love Affair
Sweet Sashay TB
172 SPEEDHORSE, August 2015
RACING NEWS
Linscott Photography
Linscott Photography