Page 114 - July 2015

Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1
WALK THRU CRYSTAL
by Tracy Gantz
Yanet Rodriguez, trainer of Walk Thru Crystal, brought even more of her family to the June 21 Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1 at Los Alamitos than she did for the earlier Kindergarten Futurity-G2. But when the race was about to start, she was so nervous that she went upstairs in the grandstand by herself.
“I closed my eyes and started praying,” Rodriguez said.
Her prayers were answered. Walk Thru Crystal kept her record spotless, winning her fifth race in five starts. With regular rider Alejandro Luna in the saddle, Walk Thru Crystal broke alertly, though perhaps not as crisply as she did
in her earlier races. It didn’t matter because she quickly sized up the competition and vanquished them. Luna rode her confidently, and the filly powered home to win by 3/4-length in :17.562.
“She didn’t seem like she broke sharp like other times,” stated Rodriguez. “It’s hard to get a sharp break each time. But as soon as she got down the lane, she left them. It was a little bit tougher field, too. You just want a clean break.”
Enrique Gonzalez, who races Walk Thru Crystal in the name of his EG High Desert Farms, was pleased with his filly’s performance. “She’s tough,” Gonzalez said. “I was a little nervous before the race because she was going against a tough field. Any of those nine horses could have won this race. She’s a small filly, but she keeps going the longer the race. When I saw that she just kept going, I started getting happy.”
Gonzalez purchased Walk Thru Crystal for $60,000 at the 2014 Los Alamitos Equine Sale from La Presita LLC, which bred her in California in partnership with Armando Leon. She won a maiden race in her racing debut, followed that with her Kindergarten trial and final victories, and then won her Burke trial.
“We were in the 11th trial and were the last to qualify for the night,” said Rodriguez. “The track always gets a little heavier later in the night. I just kept saying, ‘Give me :17.70.’ I was a little bit worried, but she won easy.”
Walk Thru Crystal had qualified the fastest for the Kindergarten. She was the third-fastest qualifier for the Burke, winning her trial by a length in :17.708.
Rodriguez learned her trade from her father, Santiago, who was also a trainer. He retired three years ago, and Yanet took over the barn. Times were sometimes difficult with just 10 horses, but she persevered and impressed Gonzalez, who asked her to train some of his
horses a year ago. Yanet has succeeded so well that the owner asked her to become his private trainer, which she did at the beginning of 2015.
“My father was an
assistant trainer for
(Thoroughbred trainer)
Willard Proctor at Santa
Anita,” said Yanet. “He then
worked at Thoroughbred
and Quarter Horse ranches
before coming to Los
Alamitos. I practically grew up here. When I have a question, I ask my father. He’s an old- school trainer. He taught me patience.”
Jockey Alejandro Luna is also an integral part of Yanet’s training business.
“We’re a couple,” she said. “He’s going to tell me straight out how a horse is doing. We have a lot of trust in each other, and I think that’s an advantage.”
Before becoming a jockey, Luna worked as a groom for Bob Baffert when Baffert trained Quarter Horses. While Walk Thru Crystal has been dominating her compe- tition at Los Alamitos, Baffert won Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown with American Pharoah.
Walk Thru Crystal will now get a bit of a break before her next major race.
“Next for her will be the (Nov. 1) Golden State Million,” stated Gonzalez. “We’ll see if she comes back in good form. She’s already done a lot.”
Three days after the race, Rodriguez said that Walk Thru Crystal was doing well.
“She’s a quiet filly,” said the trainer. “She’s very mellow and doesn’t get washy. When she gets to the track, she knows what to do.”
Los Alamitos $980,000 • 350 yards :17.562 • si 92
First Down Dash
Walk Thru Fire
Sweet Beduino
WALK THRU CRYSTAL, ’13-f.
Corona Cartel
Corona Crystal
Swiftette
112 SPEEDHORSE, July 2015
Walk Thru Crystal & Alejandro Luna receive every call en route to a 3/4-length victory in the $980,000 Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity
RACING NEWS
Los Alamitos Photo