Page 164 - June 2022

RACING NEWS
Desert Classic Juvenile
PERFECT GRAND SHOT
Pby John Moorehouse
erfect Grand Shot scored his first stakes win and
broke his maiden in one run, capturing the $28,000 Desert Classic Juvenile held April 28 at Turf Paradise.
J Lazy Six Racing owns Perfect Grand Shot, a two-year-old gelding who was making his second career start. This race was held for horses that failed to qualify for the Desert Classic Futurity.
Trained by Leonel Gonzalez, Perfect Grand Shot was the strong favorite at almost even-money odds. A $12,000 graduate of the Heritage Place Yearling Sale, Perfect Grand Shot already has surpassed that sum; the $16,666 payday from this event increased his total earnings to $17,901.
Perfect Grand Shot bumped coming out of the No. 5 gate but jockey Kevin Carbajal kept the gelding on course and he was in front by 1 1/2-lengths by the time he entered the stretch. The 300-yard trip took :16.010, registering an 81 speed index. That surpassed the :16.283 time Perfect Grand Shot logged traveling this same distance in his Desert Classic Futurity trial, a race in which he finished third.
Mercy Hinklins Horse Farm LLC bred Perfect Grand Shot out of lightly raced JP Straight Shot
Bellybutton Icon (Texas Icon-Strawflying Dina) snared second place for owner Patsy Martinez. The Gilberto Canales-Lopez trainee had Jorge Ayon- Quevedo in the irons. Daddys Velvet Cartel (Big Daddy Cartel-Blaze N James) finished third for Augusto Echerivel and Jose Cardenas. Armando Castellanos is the trainer and Emilio Tapia was
up. Followed by Sassanach (Seperate Interest- Chickafire), Tippa The Iceberg (Texas Icon-Cozie Fire), Profit The Prophet (Apollitical Spirit- Himaintenancegal), Jinxx (Texas Icon-Cant Buy Love), DQ’d from 5th to 8th JZ My Eagles Alibi (One Dashing Eagle-Ima Lady Of Thesouth), and First Down Icon (Texas Icon-First Down Sass). Reahzoom scratched.
Gov. Cup Marathon
THE KINGS HORSE
Tby John Moorehouse
he Kings Horse made a second consecutive trip
to the winner’s circle. Bullard Farms’ home-bred six-year-old gelding charged to the fifth win of his career and his first victory in stakes company in the $53,750 Governors’ Cup Marathon Stakes, held May 20 at Sam Houston Race Park.
Coming off a 7-length win in a May 6 allowance in Houston that marked his 2022 debut, The Kings Horse was even more dominant in this race, sporting an 8 3/4-length margin of victory. The gelding broke well from the inside starting gate, led by a head at the first call and then drew clear of any aspiring challengers. Jockey Claudio Aguilar had The Kings Horse out in front by 5-lengths going into the stretch and he continued to widen the gap with each stride in an impressive run.
Lewis “Tooter” Jordan trains The Kings Horse, who made the 870-yard trip in :46.267, posting a 92 speed index. The $32,250 winner’s share of the purse pushed the gelding’s total bankroll into six figures at $114,496. Although this was his first stakes victory, The Kings Horse is no stranger to stakes races. He posted three in-the-money finishes in 2021 stakes on the Texas Quarter Horse circuit.
The Kings Horse is out of Fleeta Dif TB, who tallied six wins and brought in almost $170,000 in prize money in her own racing career.
Im Jess Dashing (Dash Master Jess-Im Not Hillary) finished second for owner Darrell Hooper and trainer Toby Keeton. Luis Vivanco had the riding assignment. One Mighty Eagle (One Famous Eagle-Kates Dynasty) secured third place for Shirley Richardson. The James Padgett II trainee had Noe Villatoro in the irons.
Holy Storm (Red Storm Cat-Holy White Socks TB), Eye Am Tuff (Carters Cartel-Loves Easter Bunny), El Bee Dee (A Dashing Valentine-El Bee Bluegrassms TB) and Flyin Charlie (Flyin Color- Bokaroni). SLP Mighty High was scratched.
Harris County Stakes
STONE COLD LEADER
Mby John Moorehouse
ake it nine stakes victories for Stone Cold
Leader. The seven-year-old gelding ran away with the $53,500 Harris County Stakes on May 20 at Sam Houston Race Park, winning the 550-yard race by a commanding margin.
A driving finish propelled Stone Cold Leader to this latest triumph. Breaking from the No. 6 gate, the gelding ran fifth at the first call then seized the lead by a head as he entered the stretch. Stone Cold Leader pulled away in the final yards, sporting 2 3/4-lengths as he hit the wire.
Charles Shults trains Stone Cold Leader, who finished the race in :28.200 for an 87 speed index while he ran into a 15 mph headwind. Bryan Candanosa did the riding.
Patrick Richardson owns Stone Cold Leader, who made it to the winner’s circle for the second time in as many outs this year and logged his 17th overall victory in 35 starts. His career bankroll improved to $638,527 with the $32,100 payday from this event.
Stone Cold Leader has been a proven commodity in stakes company since his rookie campaign winning seven other stakes events.
Mark Michel bred Stone Cold Leader, who was foaled in Indiana out of Shea Classy Leader, a 2006 mare whom Michel home-bred.
Dak (Dominyun-Fleet Elis) placed second for Blue Star Racing. The Toby Keeton trainee had
Luis Vivanco in the irons. Honky Tonks Memories (Honky Tonk Bama-Pops Quick Cash) was third for owner Jaime Brown and trainer Bobby Joe Nixon. Camilo Castillo was aboard.
The remaining order of finish was Ghost Bear (Phantom Menace-Loose Play TB) and Love Ta Zoom (Azoom-Loves Easter Bunny), followed by a dead
heat between TLC Cowboy (The Louisiana Cartel- Pampered Silk) and Jess Paint Me Quick (PYC Paint Your Wagon-My Girl Jessie) for sixth.
Turf Paradise • $28,000
300 yards • :16.010 • si 81
FDD Dynasty
FDD Going Grand
Cash Cartel
PERFECT GRAND SHOT, ‘20-c.
Mr Jess Perry
JP Straight Shot
Meddlin Mischief
Sam Houston • $53,750
870 yards • :46.267 • si 92
Class King THE KINGS HORSE, ‘16-g.
Truly First Class Meters Off
Hadif
Fleeta Dif TB
Social Betty Ann
Sam Houston • $53,500
550 yards • :28.200 • si 87
First Down Dash
Brookstone Bay
Le Ritz
STONE COLD LEADER, ‘15-g.
Leader Of The Class
Sheza Classy Leader
Mystery Stride
162 SPEEDHORSE June 2022
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Coady Photography
Coady Photography