Page 176 - November_2023

RACING NEWS
FLYING SOPHIA
by Michael Compton
Ridden by Francisco Calderon, Flying Sophia, the fastest qualifier in the Sept. 29 trials for the final, went to the front
immediately after the start of the 400-yard fixture. She maintained a clear advantage through the lane and drew out to score by 1-length at the finish as the race favorite. In her front-running score, the sorrel filly stopped the timer in a fast :19.132 and earned a speed index of 105 while winning the initial stakes race of her career.
A homebred for Calder and Candy Ezzell, Flying Sophia is now a winner in four of six lifetime starts for trainer Michael Joiner. The $147,821 winner’s share of the purse increased her bankroll to $185,522. In addition to her stakes victory, Flying Sophia finishing third in the John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Stakes over the summer. She broke her maiden in her second lifetime start at Ruidoso Downs after finished second, beaten just a head, in her career debut.
174 SPEEDHORSE November 2023
Ridden by Francisco Calderon, Flying Sophia wins the La Fiesta Futurity-RG3 by 1-length.
La Fiesta Futurity-G3
The Downs at Albuquerque
$295,642 • 400 yards :19.132 • SI 105
FLYING SOPHIA, ‘21-f.
Bred by: Calder & Candy Ezzell
Raced to 2 $185,522 6-4(1)-1-1(1)
FLYING COWBOY 123
SI 101
Bred by: Carolyn C. Bay Raced to 3 • $965,811 13-8(2)-1-2(2)
277 f., 12 SW • $3,920,556
APOLLITICAL JESS SI 107 Bred by: Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga
Raced to 3 • $1,399,831 14-8(2)-4(2)-0
1,294 f., 131 SW • $64,739,098
HOT CASH 123 SI 87
Bred by: T Bill Stables Inc. Raced to 2 • $1,303 7-0-0-2
16 f., 3 SW • $2,600,003
SISTER SOPHIA
SI 93
Bred by: MJ Farms Raced to 5 • $141,484 14-4(1)-1-1
2 f., 1 SW • $185,522
BIG DADDY CARTEL SI 94 Bred by: Sunflower Supply Co. Raced to 2 • $121,800 5-3-0-0
771 f., 35 SW • $19,457,637
ELLA SOPHIA SI 92 Bred by: MJ Farms Raced to 4 • $39,285 6-2-0-1
13 f., 1 SW • $283,338
Coady Photography