Page 180 - November_2023

RACING NEWS
EMPRESSUM
by Tracy Gantz
Empressum turned the tables on Apollitical Pence in the Oct. 7 Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship-G1. In
the 2022 edition of the race, Apollitical Pence defeated Empressum. But this time Empressum emerged victorious.
Both horses broke well, though Apollitical Pence got the initial jump on Empressum. Empressum does his best running late, and he surged forward in the latter stages of the 440- yard race for jockey Rodrigo Vallejo to score by 3/4-length in :21.257, while
posting a 106 speed index. The 2022 reigning World Champion, Empressum races for his breeders Jeff Jones and
Steve Holt. Heath Taylor trains the 5-year-old gelding, who has won 10 stakes, including the 2022 Champion of Champions-G1.
“He’s just very consistent,” Holt said. “The year was set up to get him eligible for the Champion of Champions.
Then we just kind of let him be a horse this summer, and now Heath is pointing him for the Champion of Champions. He looked really sharp—it looked to me probably as the best race he’s run all year.”
Holt said that Taylor made a small adjustment to Empressum’s blinkers to allow him to see more, which the owner said may also have helped.
“You’re not ever going to leave with Pence—that’s where he wins his race,” Holt said. “He’s probably one of
the greatest gate horses of all time. If Empressum can see that horse, he’s going to run him down if there is any way possible. Hats off to Heath.”
Jones and Holt bred Empressum in Oklahoma from winner Crazy Down Corona. The mare has produced five winners in eight starters, including Champion and 2022 All American Futurity-G1 winner Hes
Judgeandjury and stakes-placed Cartel Envy and Lotas First.
Apollitical Pence (Apollitical Jess-Send City), owned by co-breeder Dunn Ranch, finished second with Armando Cervantes aboard. Monty Arrossa trains the 7-year-old gelding, who has won 12 stakes, including the 2020 and 2021 Champion of Champions.
Bomb Cyclone (Favorite Cartel-Remember Me Rose), ridden by Eduardo Nicasio, trained
by Christopher O’Dell, and owned by Rosenthal Ranch, finished third. The 4-year-old gelding won the 2021 Los Alamitos $2 Million Futurity-G1, 2022 Los Alamitos Super Derby-G1, and 2023 Mr Jet Moore Handicap-G2.
Completing the field were London Toby (Favorite Cartel-London Laura), Hooked N Gone (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Pretty Girl Kate), and Stuck In Probate (Favorite Cartel-Fyrefly Jo).
KONNAN CARTEL
by Michael Cusortelli
Dania Castellanos’ Konnan Cartel earned his first stakes win against open company in the $176,000 Dash For Cash Derby-G2 for
3-year-olds at Lone Star Park on Oct. 7.
The ninth-fastest qualifier from five trials
run on Sept. 15, Konnan Cartel covered 440 yards in :21.643, and his margin of victory was a short nose from Market Analysis, who clocked in :21.651. Victor Urieta Jr. rode the brown gelding for trainer Juan Diaz Jr.
Konnan Cartel was bred in Louisiana by Luis Armando Castellanos,
and he was coming off of a
second-place finish in his
Dash For Cash Derby trial, a race which marked his first start outside Louisiana.
“We liked the way he came out of his trial, and we thought we had a good shot with him tonight,” said Diaz.
Konnan Cartel is out of winner Jet Black Chiraq, purchased by Castellanos for $14,200 at the 2015
Louisiana QHBA Yearling Sale. She has produced two winners from four starters. Konnan Cartel is her first stakes winner. The gelding’s second dam is winner Shawne Bay, who placed third in the Miss Roxie Little Futurity and Jaguar Rocket Stakes.
Konnan Cartel traces back to his third dam, Lucks Got It, who won the 2000 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity-RG3 at Hoosier Park.
All told, the gelding has won seven of 14 races, including the 400-
yard, $145,000 Delta Downs Derby-RG3 for Louisiana- breds on July 15, and the $70,400 winner’s share of this purse from his third lifetime stakes score bumped his bankroll to $318,920.
Market Analysis (Favorite Cartel-Bartiromo) earned the $29,920 runner-up share of the purse for his owner MRB Racing LLC. A $128,000 buy at the
2021 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, the sorrel colt was ridden by Esgar Ramirez for trainer Manuel Rodolfo Rodriguez.
Everythingyouneed (Jet Black Patriot-Rogue To Riches) finished third, 1/2-length behind Konnan Cartel, while banking $17,600 for his owners Absolute Refrigeration and Tony Sedillo, who also prepped the sorrel gelding. Francisco Giles rode Everythingyouneed.
RGs Gold Wagon (Prized Wagon-JA Gols Debutante), Trepador (Apollitical Jess-Shesa First Ratify), Town Peak Senator (Louisiana Senator-Eyes A Shazoom), AB Kiss N Run (Apollitical Blood-Kiss N Toll), Special Train Lelo (Freighttrain B-Special Dashing Girl), and Blues Girl (A Revenant- Blues Girl Too) completed the order of finish. Otts Boy was scratched.
178 SPEEDHORSE
November 2023
Robert L Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship-G1
Myriam Maynard, Speedhorse Amber Mendez, Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos
$125,000 • 440 yards :21.257 • SI 106
Mr Jess Perry
Apollitical Jes
Apollitical Time
EMPRESSUM, ‘18-g.
First Down Dash
Crazy Down Corona
Crazy About Corona
Dash For Cash Derby-G2
Lone Star Park
$176,000 • 440 yards :21.643 • SI 91
Corona C––artel
Five Bar Cartel
Five Bar Molly
KONNAN CARTEL, ‘20-g. Jet Black Patriot
Jet Black Chiraq
Shawne Bay