Page 41 - Summer 2020

Mountain Top Juvenile Stakes (R)
Cody Cobb’s Vine Master scored his first stakes victory in the June 13, 350-yard Mountain Top Juvenile Stakes (R) for New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds at Ruidoso Downs.
Ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr., Vine Master defeated Fly On Down by a half of a length in :17.991. James Gonzales II prepped the sorrel Jesse James Jr gelding, who earned $30,000 from his second win in as many outs.
Vine Master made his debut with a neck victory as the 7-5 favorite in a Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) trial on May 29.
“This horse had an issue leaving the gates in his trial, or he would have made the final,” said Gonzales. “He has all the talent you need, and I think he’ll be a factor in the state-bred races all summer.”
A $34,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale, Vine Master was bred
by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico. The gelding’s sire, the Mr Jess Perry stallion Jesse James Jr, has sired the earners of more than $18.8 million from 10 crops, including
champion Astica and multiple graded stakes win- ners Princess Jesse and Cinco Menudos.
Vine Master is out of Tangled Vines, a winning homebred 17-year-old daughter of the First Down Dash stallion Dash Ta Fame. The gelding is a full brother to Rex Hill, the winner of the 2012 New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity (RG3) at SunRay Park.
Vine Master’s second dam, the homebred Streakin Dash mare Dashin Sandy, won
the ’92 Diamond Classic Futurity (RG1) at Casper, Wyoming, and was a finalist in that season’s Grade 1 Golden State Futurity at Los Alamitos. His third dam, the Zevi (TB) mare Synchrocept, was a multiple stakes winner in Utah and Wyoming in 1980.
Vine Master’s Mountain Top Juvenile victory pushed his bankroll to $32,400.
Kellys First Moon ran third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Vine Master, and was followed by Tres Of Daddy, Bigg Dee, Winner Takes It All, Star Bridge, Riverside Moonbeam, Affinity Eagle, and Roxxie.
A gray son of the One Famous Eagle stallion One Handsome Man, Fly On Down has earned $12,400 from two races for his owner, Dalia F. Aranda. The colt was a $7,000 yearling purchase at last year’s New Mexico-Bred Sale.
Kellys First Moon is a daughter of champion First Moonflash campaigned by Gonzalez Racing LLC. The filly has banked $5,800 from two outs.
by Michael Cusortelli, photos by Jake Rogers/Ruidoso Downs
RUIDOSO DOWNS
Jesse James Jr
Mr Jess Perry
Loose Lips
Tangled Vines
Dash Ta Fame
Dashin Sandy
VINE MASTER
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