Page 177 - November_2023

Flying Sophia’s winning connections include breeders/owners Calder and Candy Ezzell, trainer Michael Joiner and jockey Francisco Calderon.
Bred in New Mexico, Flying Sophia is produced from the Big Daddy Cartel mare Sister Sophia. Also campaigned by Calder and Candy Ezzell and trained by Joiner, Sister Sophia captured the 2019 New Mexico State Fair Derby en route to amassing earnings of $141,484 during her racing career.
Runner-up Wired 440 (Tempting Dash- Time for Jess) closed ground resolutely under jockey Sergio Becerra, Jr. to finish second. Trained by Eric Valenzuela, Wired 440 is campaigned by owner Alberto Villanueva
and was bred in Texas by Paragon Farms, LLC. The sorrel gelding broke his maiden in his career debut in May at Ruidoso Downs. gelding finished second in the Ruidoso Futurity-G1—beaten just a nose in his second career outing—and finished fourth in the Rainbow Futuruity-G1 in July. A half-brother to Rainbow Oaks winner Miss Beth Dutton, Wired 440 was a $135,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate.
Irish Seis and Twin Forks could not be separated at the finish and the pair dead-heated for third. Irish Seis (Tres Seis-Sassy Irish Lassie), piloted by jockey Luis Martinez, flashed speed to pressure the early pace and finished gamely to hold a share of third for owner CHR Racing and trainer Jesus Rondan Jr. Bollenbach Farms bred Irish Seis, who finished third in the Ruidoso Futurity-G1, in Oklahoma.
Jockey Luis Flores-Garcia guided Twin Forks (Separate Interest-Miss Kittys Bar Bet), who closed ground late to get on terms with
Irish Seis at the finish. The gray gelding is owned by Empire Racing and Pavon Racing LLC and is conditioned by Eric Valenzuela, who also saddled the runner-up. Steve Burns, DVM, bred Twin Forks in California.
Heza Fast Pilot (Mr Piloto-Fastdashing Lassie), A Political Cluster (Apollitical
Jess-Cluster of Stars TB), Tempting Barbie (Tempting Dash-Itea), No Fire Required (Walk Thru Fire-No Tools Required), Reason to Remember (Good Reason SA-Jess Racy Eyes), and Running to the Moon (First Moonflash-Apollitical Dasher) completed the order of finish.
Co-owner Calder Ezzell and jockey Francisco Calderon celebrate their victory.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE November 2023 175
Coady Photography Coady Photography