Page 130 - July 2015

Ed Burke Juvenile Ivan Ashment Handicap
IMAFEARLESSHERO QUIRKY
Dana Point Handicap
SOLIDCONNECTION
by Tracy Gantz
Solid Connection has many a solid connection with Brazil, despite being a California-bred. Brazilian Paulo Otavio Freire MacEdo owns the 4-year-old filly, who is out of Dinastia Toll Brz, one of the best sprinters ever produced in Brazil and a top producer. Dinastia Toll Brz did all of her racing at Los Alamitos in California, as has her daughter. Solid Connection was winning her fifth race and first stakes in the June 27 Dana Point Handicap, though she has qualified for rich races in the past. When the gate opened, Solid Connection broke third, quickly taking over the lead in the 350-yard event. Jockey Carlos Huerta was able to hand-ride her confidently to the wire, winning by 1/2-length in :17.677. “She was one of my good 2 year olds
in 2013,” trainer Paul Jones said. “We gave her some time off at the end of last year, and she’s run extremely well fresh. We’ll keep looking for races where she can face fillies and mares.”
John Andreini bred Solid Connection from Dinastia Toll Brz, who won the Las Damas Handicap-G2 in 2002-03, the 2002 Z Wayne Griffin Director’s Stakes-G3, and the 2003 Charger Bar Handicap-G1. The mare has produced 15 winners in 21 starters, including Champion FDD Dynasty, now a good sire, as well as stakes winners Chaotic Cartel and Fishers Destiny and stakes-placed First Dinastia, Brazilian Dasher, and Stormy Cartel.
Tres Magicals (Tres Seis-Fishers Proud) was 2nd under Oscar Peinado for The Quarter Company LLC & trainer Jaime Gomez.
Mrs Pickens (Walk Thru Fire-Pie Maid) was third under jockey Carlos Marquez, for Jose Luis Valdez & trainer Gerardo Amezcua.
Shazumba (Shazoom-All About Ease), Shake Djibouti (TR Dasher-Jess Shakem) and Zigfield Follies (One Famous Eagle-Eye Follies) completed the order of finish.
by Tracy Gantz
Trainer Jose Flores surrounded the June 21 Ed Burke Juvenile at Los Alamitos, saddling four horses. They finished in the top four positions, with Ima Fearless Hero coming home on top, followed by Ivys Storm, The Fed X Choice, and Kickin Seis.
When the gate opened, Tempting Diva hopped in the air and veered inward, compromising a couple of runners to her inside. Fortunately for Ima Fearless Hero, she didn’t bother him. He came out perfectly straight and on top, a position he capitalized on throughout the 350 yards. Cruz Mendez rode him to a 1/2-length victory in :17.737.
Flores trains Ima Fearless Hero for owner-breeder S-Quarter K LLC, consisting of Don and Kathy Meneely and their son, Shawn. The Meneelys bred the gelding in Washington. He began racing at Los Alamitos, where he won a maiden race in his second start before finishing third in his trial for the Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1.
Ima Fearless Hero is out of Dasha Freda, who raced for S-Quarter K and won the 2005 California Derby Challenge-G3. She has produced 5 winners in 6 starters, including 2014 Ed Burke Million Futurity & Golden State Million Futurity-G1 winner Heza Dasha Fire, and Mexico stakes winner Heza Fearless Dasher.
Jose Flores trains Ivys Storm (Red Storm Cat-Whats Jody), 2nd under Carlos Huerta for owner Jorge Moya. The filly now has 3 starts/3 second place finishes. The gelding Fed X Choice (Royaltys Choice-Fed X Dash) also came into the Juvenile with 2 seconds, finishing 3rd under jockey Santiago Mendez for Erik Flores & trainer Jose Flores. Followed by Kickin Seis (Tres Seis-Kickin Escalation), Shoulda Kissed Me (FDD Dynasty-Love My Corona), Foust (Fantastic Corona Jr-Summertime Quickie), Dukes Encore (Duke Kahanamoku-Sunday Survivor), Tac Me Or Leave Me (Tac It Like A Man- Bonos Babe) & Tempting Diva (Tempting Dash-The Long Straw). Love Ya KK was scratched.
by Tracy Gantz
No one—certainly not the bettors—expected any of Quirky’s five rivals in the June 20 Ivan Ashment Handicap to give her any trouble. She went
off as a huge favorite at 3-10, and she performed as expected, winning her fourth stakes at Los Alamitos.
Quirky broke fourth of the sextet, which meant she had to make up some ground. But that didn’t pose any trouble. Jockey Carlos Huerta asked her
to play catch-up, and she answered affirmatively, grabbing the lead before the halfway point of the 400 yards. From there she practically coasted home to win by 3/4-length in :19.875.
“Quirky broke well, but Girls Can Fly just blew us away early on,” said Huerta. “I went to the whip left handed a couple of times, and when she switched leads she took off. I knew at 250, 300 yards that we had them. She’s just too strong right now.”
Jimmy Glenn trains Quirky for owner-breeder Ed Allred. The 4-year-old filly won last year’s Southern California Derby-G1 & California Breeders’ Debutante and this year has added the Charger Bar Handicap-G2. Allred bred Quirky in California from winner Dont Pass Bar, who has one other starter and winner. The 2nd dam, Ynot Bar, ran 2nd in the 2005 Governor’s Cup Futurity-RG1 and has produced Ynot Walk, win- ner of the 2015 Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1 & Les Bois Park Bonus Challenge, and the 2014 Los Alamitos Juvenile & Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge.
Allred also bred 2nd-place Bring Me Home (Stel Corona-Bring Me Joy), owned by Marta Winslow, trained by Angela Aquino & ridden by Minor Arana. The filly ran 2nd in this year’s Irvine Handicap. Allred’s homebred Girls Can Fly (Foose-Aviatrix) ran 3rd for jockey Eulices Gomez & trainer Scott Willoughby.
She won the Irvine Handicap and has placed in 2 other stakes this year. Followed by Chalalita (Walk Thru Fire-Chalala), Forgotten Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Icy Morn-TB) & Ima Foose (Foose-Sables Sixty Six).
Los Alamitos • $25,000 350 yards • :17.737 • si 87
First Down Dash
Valiant Hero
IMA FEARLESS HERO, ’13-g.
Dasha Freda
Corona Chick Mr Jess Perry Fearless Freda
Los Alamitos • $25,000 400 yards • :19.875 • si 88
Stel Corona QUIRKY, ’11-f.
Dont Pass Bar
Corona Cartel
Our Lips Are Sealed A Regal Choice Ynot Bar
Los Alamitos • $15,000 350 yards • :17.677 • si 89
Mr Jess Perry SOLID CONNECTION, ’11-f.
Streakin La Jolla Scoopie Fein
Tolltac
Dinastia Toll Brz
Phillips Filly
128 SPEEDHORSE, July 2015
RACING NEWS
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Los Alamitos Photography
Los Alamitos Photography