Page 222 - Speedhorse February 2020

RACING NEWS
Dona Ana County Handicap
RYANSMANONTHEMOON
by Tracy Gantz
Ryan Vasquez, who passed away at just 16 in 2013, was a team roper who loved horses. His parents, Jimmy and Angie Vazquez, hon-
ored their son by naming a racehorse for him - Ryansmanonthemoon, who most recently won the $100,000 Dona Ana County Handicap at Sunland Park on Jan. 25.
With Mauro Salcedo aboard, Ryansmanonthemoon took
the lead right after the start of the 440-yard race. He never relinquished it, winning by 1 1/2-length in :20.963, which was good for a 105 speed
index. The $60,000 winner’s share of the purse boosted the gelding’s bankroll to $410,080.
Cynthia Gonzalez trains Ryansmanonthemoon for Jimmy Vazquez and his partner and cousin, Jimmy Negrete. Vazquez and Negrete bred the 4-year-old gelding.
“We didn’t get to go, but my partner was there,” said Vazquez. “We watched it live, and it was awesome. That horse is just a good horse.
“A horse started messing around beside
us, and he didn’t break, so we had a little bit of trouble,” Vazquez continued. “But this time, he broke and he was gone.”
Ryansmanonthemoon was winning his fourth stakes, following the
2019 Shue Fly Stakes-G3, NMHBA Stakes-G2, and Zia Park Championship Stakes-G1.
Vazquez and Negrete also raced Girlonthego, the dam
of Ryansmanonthemoon. She won the 2014 Zia Futurity-G1.
Girlonthego has produced two winners in three starters, including Cat Daddys Lil Girl, who recently won back-to-back stakes at Zia Park and Sunland.
Marcus Medallion (Jesse James Jr-Houstons
Medallion), owned and trained by Jaime Aldavaz Sr., finished second with Adrian Ramos in the saddle. The seven-year-old gelding won last year’s Dona Ana County Handicap as well as 2019 Zia Handicap.
Freedom Flash (First Moonflash-Mi Camila TB), bred and raced by Pierre Jean and Leslie Amestoy and Roger Beasley, ran third. Alonso Rivera rode the four-year-old gelding for trainer Jimmy Padgett. Freedom Flash won the 2019 New Mexico Classic Derby-G2.
Completing the field were Jess A Satin Flash (First Moonflash-Jess Satin), Magnifico Dragon (Zulu Dragon-Cassies Mag), Siximoons (First Moonflash-Stevie Six), Chicks Baby Suds (Jess A Chicks-Hot Babe Indy Suds), Faster Version (Winners Version-Fast Copy Miss) and Rime Chimes (Sign To Be A Runaway-Rime Has A Chick).
Sunland Park $100,000 • 440 yards :20.963 • si 105
First To Flash
First Moonflash
Nagano Moon
RYANSMANONTHEMOON,’16-g.
Man On The Move
Girlonthego
Devons Wish
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