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Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse Dustin Orona Photography
“I’ll tell you what, we are so proud
of him and what he did,” said James Whitener, who started out in the business racing Paint Horses.
“It’s exciting to get our first Grade 1 win. My wife and I were standing right down there at the finish line. He usually breaks on top, goes to the front, and stays there. He had to fight three wide to get to the front this time, but he cleared them on the turn. Once he gets out on the lead, he just takes off. I knew if he got clear, I felt like he could win. I didn’t know he would win by that much. He was in against some of the best horses in the country. We were excited. We had friends there. My wife is more positive than I am. She felt like he was going to win, no problem.”
The Grand Legend is now a winner in 10 of 32 lifetime starts, and the $50,160 winner’s share of the purse increased
his earnings total to $216,878. The Grand Legend qualified to the stakes with a front-running, 6 3/4-length victory in the AQHA Lone Star Distance Challenge Stakes-G3 on Sept. 29, and the 7-year-old gelding is now a winner
in six of nine starts at the 870-yard distance. In addition to his back-to-
back graded stakes scores, The Grand Legend’s stakes ledger also includes
a victory in the 2018 Heritage Place Juvenile at Remington Park.
Bred in Texas by Mercy Hinklins Horse Farm LCC, The Grand Legend is produced from the winning Tres Seis mare Legendary Seis.
Runner-up O Donovan Rossa (Apollitical Jess-Shanachee) and jockey Bryan Candanosa could not match strides with the winner in deep stretch, but held the place spot by a head. The 5-year-old gelding is owned by Kelly Yother Equine LLC and is trained by Dee Keener. The multiple graded stakes winner and race favorite was bred in Oklahoma by J. Garvan Kelly.
Volcoms Favorite (Jess Good Candy-Volcoms Delight), with jockey Bobby Dow aboard, showed the way early from the inside and finished third for owner Nove Racing LLS and trainer James Gonzales III. Volcoms Favorite has now placed in consecutive graded stakes outings, having finished second
in the Downs at Albuquerque Distance Challenge Stakes-G2 in September. George P. Mithcell II bred the 4-year-old gelding in Oklahoma.
Dak (Dominyun-Fleet Elis), Jess Rite (One Sweet Jess-Twig), Dance The Dust Off (Coronas Blackdiamond), The Dream (FDD Dynasty-Eyesa Precious), and Stolin Train (Desirio-Stoli Girl) followed.
The Grand Legend and Noe Villatoro head to the winner’s circle.
Winning connections include owner James C Whitener LLC, trainer Adan Guzman and jockey Noe Villatoro.
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