Page 42 - 8 June 2012

Jack Brooks Stakes-RG3
CRUZIN THE WAGON
by John Moorehouse
Legendary trainer Jack Brooks was on hand at Remington Park on May 20 to present the trophy for the race named in his honor, watch-
ing as Cruzin The Wagon set a track record in the 350-yard event.
Cruzin The Wagon surpassed the standing 350-yard mark at Remington during an impres- sive run to victory in the $50,000 Jack Brooks Stakes-RG3. The 3-year-old filly covered the distance in :17.060, bettering
the :17.199 logged by Fishin
CR on May 31, 2010. In the
process, she brought home a
$26,250 payday for owners
Terry and Mary Louise Pursel
to increase her lifetime earn-
ings to $284,832.
Cruzin The Wagon has been nearly unbeatable dur- ing her racing career, making nine visits to the winner’s circle in 11 total outs. She’s only finished out of the
money once. Four of her nine victories have come in stakes company.
In the Jack Brooks, Cruzin The Wagon made a strong break out of the inside starting position in the nine-horse field and just ran away from the competition. She enjoyed a solid lead for the entirety of the 350-yard trip, and pulled away in the final yards to win by one length. In the process, Cruzin The Wagon
posted a career-high 106 speed index.
“She got away just like she’s supposed to and then I went to the stick one time and she opened up,” jockey Stormy Smith said.
Michael Pohl bred Cruzin The Wagon out of Penelope Cruzin, a 2004 homebred mare. Penelope Cruzin posted three victories in 10 outs, one of those the 2006 Governor’s Stakes at Hoosier Park. As a
broodmare, Penelope Cruzin has produced two starters from six foals. Cruzin The Wagon is the only one to have a racing career of significance.
Katillac Man (Country Chicks Man-Kitty Kat Dash) took runner-up honors by a head for owner Gregory Cullum. Frank Cooper is the trainer and Tony Bennett did the riding. BV Valentine Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Eyesa First) closed fast to finish third. Gregory Cullum is the owner and Eddie D. Willis the trainer. Kenny Muntz was aboard.
The remaining order of finish was PYC Cash (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Wallstreet Darlin), Judge James (Ivory James-JD Me Too), Specials Gold (Voghts Gold-Special Anywhere), Easydoesitcindy (Scrutinizer-Cindys First CD), Valjean (Valiant Hero-Thanks Jens) and DM Strait Up (Ivory James-Sashay N Six). Sumokin was scratched.

Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Dashin Follies
CRUZIN THE WAGON, ’09-f.
Okey Dokey Dale
Penelope Cruzin
Cairina
RACING NEWS
FL Lady Bug Stakes
SS CALENDAR GIRL
by John Moorehouse
SS Calendar Girl’s racing career is off to
a fantastic start. Hipolito Pina’s filly has posted two wins in as many starts, prevailing in a three-way photo finish for first place in the $35,000 FL Lady Bug Stakes on May 20 at Remington Park.
A Bonifacio Almanza trainee, SS Calendar Girl broke her maiden in a 220-yard claim- ing on April 20 at Remington Park. She returned to the track exactly
one month later, and broke from the No. 8 gate in the middle of the pack. The field remained tightly-packed for the entirety of the 330-yard race, but SS Calendar Girl held the lead going into the final strides and reached the wire with BP Painted Lady and Madresita. A review indicated SS Calendar Girl crossed the line first by
a head, bringing home a
$20,550 prize for Pino that improved the filly’s total earnings to $30,484.
SS Calendar Girl also provided a nice payoff for those who picked her at the bet- ting window. She went off at 9-1 odds in her first-ever stakes race. Jesus Salazar was in the irons for the stakes-winning trip, completed in :16.571 for a 97 speed index.
Bred by Lloyd Scherwinski and William Smith, SS Calendar Girl
becomes the first stakes winner for her sire, Finding Nemo. A Grade 1 winner on the track, Finding Nemo was a Top 10 sophomore sire in 2011. SS Calendar Girl is also the first stakes winner for her dam, the Grade 1 winner First Prize Robin, a full sister to stakes winners First Carolina, First Prize Leesa, and many others. SS Calendar Girl’s sec- ond dam is 2006 Broodmare
of the Year First Prize Dash.
BP Painted Lady (PYC Paint Your Wagon-
Ladys Is First) finished second by a head. Movin On owns the filly, trained by Amber Blair and ridden by Cody Smith. Madresita (Pappasito-Mongoose Jet Eye), the pre-race favorite, took third place for owner Rodney Verret and trainer Eddie D. Willis. Jockey Jimmy Brooks was aboard.
Rounding out the order of finish, Zoomin Airess (Shazoom-Special Debonairess) reached the wire fourth, followed by Jessta Lil Spitfire (Spit Curl Jess-Ima Disco Dancer), Baby Dolls Precious (Jonathan Perry-Baby Doll Time), BV Eyesazoom (Azoom-Eyesa First), Lala Teeda (Volcom-Bugs Magic Rocket), Eyes Of Corona (Mr Eye Opener-Crazy About Corona) and Scouts Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Streaking Bunny).

Fishers Dash
Finding Nemo
Shahayla
SS CALENDAR GIRL, ’10-f.
Mr Jess Perry
First Prize Robin
First Prize Dash
40 SPEEDHORSE, June 8, 2012
Dustin Orona Photography Dustin Orona Photography