Page 205 - September 2016

Garañones Futurity
VALENTINO MYSTERY
by Luis Prieto Zamudio, translation by Eduardo Silveyra
The Garañones Futurity is, up to now,
the race in which more individuals have participated and in which more money has been paid in the history of the Hipodromo de las Americas. For the remainder of the current season, this distinction can only be overcome by the Selecta Futurity Auction, the trials of which will be held September 3-4.
Of the 220 participants who paid dues and met the stipulated requirements for
the Garañones Futurity, 200 saw action in the 24 qualifying races held June 25-26 at
a distance of 300 yards. All are of Mexican upbringing and part of the 398 yearlings in 2015 that passed through the auction held by the Mexican Association of Breeders and Horsemen of Quarter Horse (AMCCCCM).
The 10 finalists surpassed rigorous testing to obtain the best times, a difficult task with the high quantity and quality of the partici- pants, and with adverse track conditions that were presented by excessive rain during the two days of trials. Just when it seemed that the qualifier list was defined, came the dapple gray Sea Mummsy in race 11 on Sunday to score
an impressive :15.126, positioning himself
at the top of the qualifier list and figured as “the man to beat,” as the heavy favorite in the finals, which took place on July 17.
There was great excitement at the finals among the public, who were hoping to see the winner of the 13th edition of this still young futurity. While taking positions and preparing for the start, the gray Danny Shimmer Cartel was not patient for the gates to close, got out, and was scratched from the competition. Calm returned and everyone entered a second time, maximizing the excitement of the public.
The gates opened and immediately Sea Mummsy moved inwards, interfering with Crown Imperial’s lane and impeding SF Shake A Mystery, Loncho And Danny, Shimmer Cartel, and Dancer Fishers, until he was addressed by his rider Leonardo Vidaña. Meanwhile on the inner rail, the gray Enganada By Rabbits and Valentino Mystery moved freely, leading the race and fight, where the latter crossed the finish line by a neck in front of the filly in a very respect- able :15.09 for a 102 speed index.
A formidable Valentino Mystery caught up to the black gelding, and in the odds he was the last choice for first with odds of 22 to 1. He had aboard helmsman Alberto Ceron Zamudio, a young rider who is having an excellent season and who replaced Francisco Javier Fernandez.
Bred by Alejandro Arenas Badillo, owner of the Cuadra Arenas, for which runs the new stakes winner, who was presented at the 2015 Selecta Yearling Auction where he reached a price of $150,000 pesos ($8,865 US, approxi- mately) in the ring and was repurchased by his breeder/ consignor.
After the race, Alejandro
showed his surprise and
happiness for the good result. “I personally had little hope of winning, given the times recorded by the other rivals, but the horse
did his thing and that’s a double satisfaction because he was bred at my ranch where he is trained by Jacobo Dominguez Tellez, who has been a part of our team for many years.”
A resident of Tulancingo, Hidalgo, the experienced breeder expressed optimism for Mystery Valentino to take the leading role in the next Selecta Auction Futurity, the most prestigious race for two year olds of Mexican breeding. As a note, the colt Tres Carano (Tres Ruby - Princess Carano), who won the Garañones Futurity in its 2015 version, was born in the same Hidalguense farm.
The son of Mr Queens Mystery (Shazoom) out of Valentina High (Brimmerton) thus obtained his third victory in four starts, which represented earnings of $1,512,021 pesos (approximately US $82,597), the main
part of the $3,600,050 pesos (approximately US $ 196,658) allocated to reward the final- ists. The purse collected for this futurity was $ 5,116,100 pesos (approximately US $ 279,475), of which 70% was for the finalists, 15% for owners of these; 5% for the consolation race; and 10% commission for the organizer, the AMCCCCM. This is the first time this total purse has
been reached, and therefore this futurity is, so far, “the richest race in the history of the Hipodromo de las Americas”.
Mr Queens Mystery, the sire of Valentino Mystery, is the winner of the Texas Classic Futurity-G1 and Manor Downs Derby and was a finalist in the Texas Classic Derby-G1 and the Z Wayne Griffin Director’s Stakes 2nd Division, which provided the bulk of his $599,381 in earnings. The stallion is in breed- ing service at Rancho Santa Fe, property of Hector Roldan. Valentino Mystery is his first winner in a Classic. Valentina High, the dam of Valentino Mystery, earned three victories that earned $9,861. She was a finalist in the The Prize Classic, in the Mexican Breeders Futurity-RG3, and the AQHA Juvenile Challenge of Mexico.
After the race, the stewardess disquali- fied Sea Mummsy from third to eighth for the offenses described above, leaving other
Hipodromo de las Americas $196,658 • 300 yards :15.09 • si 102
Shazoom
Mr Queens Mystery
First Place Queen
VALENTINO MYSTERY, ‘14-g.
Brimmerton
Valentina High
Valentine High
Jacobo Dominguez Téllez, Alberto Cerón Zamudio & Andrea Escalona.
SPEEDHORSE, September 2016 203
RACING NEWS
Luis Prieto Zamudio