Page 38 - 8 June 2012

John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge-G3
RCHADTOBEMYDAY
by Stacy Pigott
RC Had To Be My Day had a perfect day
on May 19, winning his first stakes race in the $72,901 John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile
Challenge-G3 to qualify for the Bank Of America Challenge Championships, to be held on Oct. 27 at Prairie Meadows.
Trained by Alex Villarreal, RC Had To Be My Day ran more like an experienced veteran than a 2-year-old making only his fourth career start. Ridden by Luis
Vivanco, RC Had To Be
My Day got off to a great
start from post position two
and quickly took the lead.
Opening a one-length advan-
tage midway through the
350-yard race, the colt stayed
strong to win the stakes by
three-quarters of a length.
Owned by Jesus Longoria, RC Had To be My Day earned $33,534 to increase his lifetime total to $53,735.
He was also eighth in the Sam Houston Futurity-G2 in April, and had posted the second-fastest qualifying time to this race dur- ing the May 3 trials, when he finished second to fastest qualifier Jody Pops Zoomer.
Longoria purchased the colt out of the 2011 TQHA Yearling Sale for $3,900 from Todd Antonuk, agent for breeders RC Running
of Potts, Powers, Smith and Stanfield owns runner-up Rightamountofwrong (Fly Jess Fly-Aftertheloveisgone), who won her previous two starts including the Sam Houston Juvenile Stakes. Cindi Keeton trains the filly, who was ridden by Jorge Roman.
Iknow Heknows Iknow (Tres Seis-Dashing Patriot) checked into third under jockey Luis Ramirez. Guy Hopkins trains the gelding for T.I. Cattle Company.
Following the top three across the wire were Bobcat Moon (Boknaai-Countessa Run), Jody Pops Zoomer (Zoomin For Bux-Jody Pops Little Sis), Leading Version (Latest Version-Divas Image), Austinista (Dashin Bye-Austiana), Catcha Corona (Corona
For Me-Catcha Special Chic), Bottichelli (Shazoom-La Jolla Suspect), and Dashing Alibi V (Woodbridge-Hempen Chics Alibi).
Horses. Sired by
Hadtobenuts, RC Had To
Be My Day is out of Make It My Day, a winning daughter of Jodys Glory. Make It My Day has 11 starters from 13 foals including stakes win- ner Days Win, by Runaway Winner. RC Had To Be My Day’s second dam, Hanks Manhandler, is a half-sister to stakes winner Chou Chou, dam of stakes winner Jet Force, and stakes-placed Hank’s Page.
A four-man partnership

Strike The Cash
Hadtobenuts
Shes Bad
RC HAD TO BE MY DAY, ’10-c.
Jodys Glory
Make It My Day
Hanks Manhandler
RACING NEWS
Adequan Sam Houston Derby Challenge
A GAME DAME
by Stacy Pigott
AGame Dame scored her second stakes win and earned a trip to the AQHA Challenge Championships on Oct. 27 at Prairie Meadows with an impressive three-quarter-length win
in the $54,450 Adequan Sam Houston Derby Challenge on May 19.
A Game Dame drew off to handily win the Sam Houston Derby Challenge, an effort that was even more impressive considering the filly’s poor start. Breaking
from post position nine, A
Game Dame stumbled out
of the gates, costing herself
precious time and ground.
Jockey Luis Ramirez quickly
picked the filly up and by the
first call, had her on the lead.
Holding off a challenge from
Making Deals on the inside
rail, A Game Dame crossed
the wire first in a 400-yard
time of :19.884 for a speed
index of 97.
Trained by Guy Hopkins, A Game Dame earned $25,047 of the total purse for the win. She has now banked $81,557 with six wins from eight career starts. Last year, A Game Dame won the TQHA Sires Cup Futurity-RG2 in her only stakes appearance.
A Game Dame’s owners, T.I. Cattle Company, paid $5,000 for the filly at the 2010
Vivanco. Yasmine Fierro trains the colt, who was bred by Jerry Windham. Making Deals was fifth in the Sam Houston Derby-G3 earlier this year, and third in last year’s TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity-RG2.
Ebelyn Rojas’ Oak Tree Corona (Oak Tree Special-First Down Corona) was third with Santos Carrizales in the saddle for trainer Isidro Flores.
The top three were followed across the wire by Strawberry Kool (First N Kool-Strawberry Cartel), Streakin The Edge (Streakin La Jolla- Power Edge), My Classic Zoomer (Zoomin For Bux-My Classy Moon), Charmin Chief Corona (Chief Corona-Charming Illusions), Fierce Runaway (Ocean Runaway-Hop Kip And Jump), Gravity Defined (Ivory James- Vertical Horizon) and Giga Man (Ivory James- Salado Sis).
TQHA Yearling
Sale, where she was consinged by Todd Antonuk, agent for Bob and Jerry Gaston. The Gastons, of Seguin, Texas, bred A Game Dame out of the Game Patriot mare Miss Game Tee, a half-sister to stakes winners Burrs Warrior, Warrior Lee, and Carry On Dash. A Game Dame is her first foal and only starter.
Luis Delacerda’s Making Deals (Streakin Sixes- Excellent Deal) settled for second under jockey Luis

First Down Dash
First N Kool
Kool Kue Baby
A GAME DAME, ’09-f.
Game Patriot
Miss Game Tee
Carry On Tee
36 SPEEDHORSE, June 8, 2012
Sandra Beck: Coady Photography Ethel Castaneda: Coady Photography