Page 173 - July_2023

Vinton Stakes
KONNAN CARTEL
Kby Michael Compton
onnan Cartel left little doubt who was best in the
$40,000 Vinton Stakes at Delta Downs on May 27, racing to the lead early and never looking back en route to recording the first stakes score of his career.
Ridden by Nestor Duran, Konnan Cartel
broke alertly from post position four and assumed command at the break of the 400-yard event. He cleared his rivals in the lane and maintained a comfortable lead all the way to the wire, scoring by 3/4-lengths over Wild Train Fortune. In winning his first stakes race, Konnan Cartel stopped the timer in :19.915 and earned a 91 speed index.
Owned by Dania Castellanos and trained by Josue Ponce, Konnan Cartel improved his record
to 10-4-2-1 and the $24,000 winner’s share of the purse hiked his bankroll to $166,727. In addition to this stakes victory, Konnan Cartel finished third in last year’s Lee Berwick Futurity-G1 and was fourth in the Laddie Futurity-G2. Bred in Louisiana
by Luis Armand Castellanos, Konnan Cartel is produced from the winning Jet Black Patriot mare Jet Black Chiraq.
Stakes winner Wild Train Fortune (Freighttrain B-Cartels Fortune), with jockey Benito Baca in the irons, chased the winner throughout and finished a clear second for owners Riley Blanchet and Rodney Verret. Trained by Kenneth Roberts Sr., Wild Train Fortune won the Mardi Gras Oaks on April 1.
One Dashing Dove (One Dashing Eagle-First Little Magic) finished third, 1 3/4-lengths behind the runner-up. Ridden by Rolando Cabrera, One Dashing Dove is owned by Cuadra Herradura LLC and is conditioned by Gerardo Rodriguez.
Toast To Blue (Jess Louisiana Blue-Sante Mon Amie), Five Bar Jess Cartel (Five Bar Cartel-Jess Tempting to Fly), and Blue Storm Comin (Jess Louisiana Blue-W Project) followed. Rogue From The South scratched.
Virgil Bond Stakes
SARAHS PATRIOT
Fby John Moorehouse
or Sarahs Patriot, winning the Virgil Bond Stakes
proved to be twice as nice. The five-year-old mare triumphed in the 870-yard stakes at Delta Downs for the second consecutive year, winning the $35,000 event on June 10.
Trained by Phillip Calais Jr., Sarahs Patriot outdueled Louie B Quick for the win in this one. The mare broke on top from the 5-gate and was running a close second at the first call and going into the stretch. She got to the front during the final yards, hitting the wire first by a neck.
Benito Baca rode Sarahs Patriot to victory, covering the 870 yards in :47.145 for an 82 speed index. The win produced a $21,000 payday that improved the mare’s total earnings to $132,223.
Gilbert Matthews owns Sarahs Patriot, who notched her fifth victory in 20 lifetime starts. The two Virgil Bond wins represent her only victories
in stakes company, although she also holds a pair of runner-up finishes in last year’s versions of the Live Oak Stakes at Delta Downs and the Races and Aces Stakes at Evangeline Downs.
Perform Stables Inc. bred Sarahs Patriot out of Sarahsintomischief TB, a 2010 mare.
Louie B Quick (Brimmerton-Louisiana Lace TB), the post-time favorite, finished second by three- quarters for owner/trainer Paul Rigdon. Gilbert Ortiz was in the irons. Freakin Patriot Dash (Game Patriot-Freakin Dash) and Jess Louisiana Boo (Jess Louisiana Blue-La Boo Con) finished in a dead heat for third. Areli Gutierrez owns Freakin Patriot Dash, a Joel Huitron trainee who had Arnulfo Gutierrez aboard. Also trained by Calais, Jess Louisiana Boo
is owned by Paul Daigle and had Arturo Alvarez in the irons. Followed by Masons Jet Black (Jet Black Patriot-Ruston Kitty TB), GBH Run Toni (Sir Runaway Dash-Streakin for Toni), and Sweater TLC (The Louisiana Cartel-Lil Miss Hatch).
Colors of Houston P&A F.-G2
OP LIL BECCA
Oby Michael Cusortelli
p Lil Becca, a daughter of the PYC Paint Your
Wagon stallion Lil Kool Wagon and the third- fastest qualifier, broke sharply from post 4 and earned her first career stakes victory in the 300-yard Colors of Houston Futurity-G2 for 2-year-old Paints and Appaloosas at Sam Houston Race Park on June 10.
Trained by Gilberto Gonzalez for owner Guerras Racing Stables, Op Lil Becca defeated SW Ares by a neck in :15.784. Ali Rivera rode the filly, who earned the $24,502 winner’s share of a $64,480 purse.
Op Lil Becca was coming off of a second-place finish in one of three trials on May 25. Raced in two states, including Oklahoma, the filly has won two of six starts and has banked $33,455.
Op Lil Becca was bred in Texas by Sam Bybee.
The filly is out of Op Rebecca, an unplaced homebred 13-year-old daughter of the Special Lineage stallion Judys Lineage. She traces back to her fifth dam, Miss Cash Credit, a winning and multiple stakes placed daughter of two-time AQHA World Champion Dash For Cash.
SW Ares was disqualified from second and placed eighth in the 10-horse field for lugging in and shutting off VP Rocket Ryon. As a result, Frenchy APHA (CRM Livewire-CRP Coco) was placed second for his owners Lindsey M. Pruett and Scott Pruett. Luciano Duenez rode the gelding for trainer Arnold Lewis. WL Trapwire APHA (MHM Hotwire-CL Trap Queen) was placed third. Froylan Ramirez rode the brown filly for owner Zackery N. Rios and trainer Noe Rios.
Grippin N Grinnin APHA (The Marfa Lights QH-Pistol Grippin Gal), Kas Pecosa APHA (Kas Tempting QH-La Pecosa), Fancy A Miracle APHA (Rock Solid Jess QH-Tres Miracles), VP Rocket Ryon APHA (Dos Poruno-Call Her Awesome), SW Ares APHA (Awesome Chrome-Snowbound Lady Bug), Artesian APHA (Osage Spirit-Rdustys Valiant Hero QH), and Jess So ApHC (Hes Relentless QH-Jess Cuz) completed the official order of finish.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE July 2023 171
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Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Sam Houston • $64,480
300 yards • :15.784 • SI 89
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Lil Kool Wagon QH
OP LIL BECCA APHA, ‘21-f. OP Rebbecca
Little Kool Barbie Judys Lineage
OP Royal Style
Delta Downs • $40,000
400 yards • :19.915 • SI 91
Corona Cartel
Five Bar Cartel
KONNAN CARTEL, ‘20-g. Jet Black Chiraq
Five Bar Molly Jet Black Patriot
Shawne Bay
Delta Downs • $35,000
870 yards • :47.145 • SI 82
Chicks Beduino
Fire And Nice
Into Mischief
Game Patriot
SARAHS PATRIOT, ‘18-m.
Sarahsintomischief TB
Ma Guerre