Page 48 - NMHBA Spring 2020

ZIA PARK
Story by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Coady Photography
Zia Park QH Championship (G1)
First Moonflash
First To Flash
Nagano Moon
Girlonthego
Man On The Move
Devons Wish
RYANSMANONTHEMOON
Ryansmanonthemoon earned his first graded stakes win against open company in the December 1, 440-yard Zia Park Championship (G1) at Zia Park.
Trained by Cynthia Gonzalez for own- ers Jimmy Negrete and Jimmy Vasquez, Ryansmanonthemoon made his quarter-mile trip in :21.409. Mauro Salcedo rode the homebred 3-year-old son of Champion First Moonflash, who recorded a 104 speed index while banking the $115,200 winner’s share of a $200,000 purse.
Ryansmanonthemoon was making his first official start since August 18, when the bay gelding scored a neck victory in a 440-yard All American Derby (G1) trial at Ruidoso Downs. His sire, First Moonflash, was the sport’s champion aged stallion in 2009.
Racing from 2007-09, First Moonflash won 14 of 25 starts and earned $969,828, and his 10 graded stakes wins included the 2008 and 2009 Championship at Sunland Park (G1). The stallion has sired the earners of more than $18.6 million from eight crops, including champions Flash And Roll, Foxy Moonflash, and Handsome Jack Flash, and graded stakes winners Too Flash For You, No Mires A La Luna, and A Passion For Flashn.
First Moonflash died after a battle with laminitis on May 29, 2019. He was 14.
Ryansmanonthemoon is a half-brother
to Cat Daddys Lil Girl, a multiple graded stakes winning daughter of Big Daddy Cartel. His dam, Girlonthego, is a 7-year-old Man On The Move mare who won the 2014 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Ryansmanonthemoon traces back to his third dam, Kiptys Wish, a winning and multiple stakes placed daughter of Kiptys Charger.
Raced exclusively in New Mexico, Ryansmanonthemoon has won eight of 18 starts, including four stakes, and he has banked $350,081, of which $308,181 was pocketed during his sophomore campaign. His stakes resume includes victories in
last year’s Shue Fly Stakes (RG3) and New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association Stakes (RG2), both at Sunland Park.
Valiant Tiberias ran second, three-quarters of a length behind Ryansmanonthemoon. Danjer, Political Attraction, Tools In The Sky, Tough To Bee, Eagle Coast, Hes Limitless, Jess Move You, and Stone Cold Leader completed the order of finish.
Valiant Tiberias is an Oklahoma-bred 3-year-old Valiant Hero gelding owned by Sergio Holguin, Cliften Nielsen, and Felix Rodriguez. Valiant Tiberias has won five
of 11 starts and has earned $238,644, and he was stretching out in distance off of a victory in the 400-yard, $150,000 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G1) at Albuquerque Downs on October 27.
An Oklahoma-bred 3-year-old son of champion FDD Dynasty, Danjer races for Dean R. Frey, Downtime Enterprises LLC, and Billy G. Smith. The brown gelding has banked $456,711 from 12 outs, and his two stakes wins include the 2018 All American Juvenile Stakes at Ruidoso Downs.
46 New Mexico Horse Breeder