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Rainbow Futurity-G1
WHISTLE STOP CAFE
by Tracy Gantz
Whistle Stop Cafe hasn’t always gotten away from the gate perfectly, and yet she remains undefeated. Thus, the possibilities are endless for the talented filly, who did get away from the gate well to win the $1,000,000 Rainbow Futurity-G1 at Ruidoso Downs on July 19.
“That was the best she’s ever broke,” said co-owner Ray Whitmire. “She doesn’t always break that great. I thought that if she broke good, she was going to be hard to outrun.”
Whitmire and his wife, Lainie, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, race Whistle Stop Cafe in the name of their Whitmire Ranch. They were able to be at Ruidoso Downs to see Whistle Stop Cafe in the Rainbow Futurity.
Ricky Ramirez had been aboard Whistle Stop Cafe in each of her three previous races. He also qualified Remember Then to the Rainbow Futurity and chose to stay on Whistle Stop Cafe.
“It’s a hard decision—it’s never easy, espe- cially with these two year olds because they just get better and better every out,” said Ramirez. “I’ve been known to pick wrong before, but I’ve also picked right.”
Ramirez definitely picked right this time. He got Whistle Stop Cafe away in third, and they quickly took the lead. From there the
filly powered home to score by 3/4-length in :19.492 for 400 yards.
“She got away good
and ran a good race,” said Whitmire. “It impressed the heck out of me.”
Blane Wood trains
Whistle Stop Cafe for the Whitmires. The trainer unveiled her at Remington Park, where she won her trial for the Heritage Place Futurity-G1 but just missed qualifying for the final. Instead, she won the Heritage Place Juvenile. Then she captured her trial for the Rainbow Futurity.
“When they broke, both horses on either side of her sort of split and gave her a perfect path,” Wood said of Whistle Stop Cafe’s Futurity final run. “She’s a fast filly and knows exactly what to do.”
Ramirez noted that Whistle Stop Cafe has impressed her connections from the start and is blossoming. He praised her competitiveness.
“I saw a horse coming
at me on the side, and right at the same time I felt my horse re-break about halfway through,” the jockey said. “She’s perfect so far. I hope we can keep her that way.”
Whitmire indicated that they would point Whistle Stop Cafe to the All
American Futurity-G1.
The Whitmire Ranch purchased Whistle
Stop Cafe for $42,000 from breeder Bobby Cox at the 2019 Heritage Place Yearling Sale.
“We liked the conformation and the breed- ing,” said Whitmire. “Blane looked at her and really liked her. So we jumped on her.
“She’s really nice to be around. She’s got a lot of sense and wants to please. I’m really proud of her.”
RACING NEWS
Ruidoso Downs $1,000,000 • 400 yards :19.492 • si 101
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Freighttrain B
Dianetogetcha
WHISTLE STOP CAFE, ‘18-f.
Mr Jess Perry
Sinuous
No Fees
Whistle Stop Cafe and jockey Ricky Ramirez win the $1,000,000 Rainbow Futurity-G1 by 3/4-length.
SPEEDHORSE August 2020 125
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse