Page 143 - July 2019

Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1
FLOKIE
by Tracy Gantz • photos by Los Alamitos
J. Francisco Diaz is having quite a year with a couple of two-year-old geldings at Los Alamitos Race Course.
First, Chayito Cartel, trained by Diaz’s son, Lindolfo, won the May 19 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity-G2.
Then Flokie, co-owned with Diaz’s good friend, trainer Jose Flores, and trained by Flores, captured the June 23 Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1.
“It’s a proud moment,” said Diaz. “I’m filled with joy. This looks like our year. Jose and I have always beetrn good friends. If he ever needs anything, he knows I’m there, and the same way if I need his help.”
When the gate opened in the 350-yard Ed Burke Million Futurity finals, Dreams Divine broke on top and powered to the front in the early stages of the contest.
Then, Flokie, with jockey Jairo Rangel aboard, raced in second and then surged forward at the wire.
It took a photo to barely separate the two,
with Flokie the winner by the smallest of noses in :17.547. Dreams Divine’s time was listed as :17.548.
Rangel, winner of the 2016 Val Tonks Award from the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association as the year’s top young rider, was capturing his first graded stakes.
“You don’t win a race like that every day,” said Rangel. “This one is for my family, my wife, and young son.”
Rangel first piloted Flokie in their Ed Burke Million Futurity trial on June 9. It was Flokie’s second start after running fifth in a maiden event.
Flokie won his Ed Burke Million Futurity trial by a full length, although he lugged out badly. Flokie and Rangel qualified with the second fastest time behind Dreams Divine.
“On the night of the trials, we had a little bit of trouble,” said Rangel. “He fought me
a little bit. We worked with him and made improvements. He’s a good horse. He behaved
well, broke with the leaders, and ran like I expected that he would.”
Flores noted that Flokie had some bad luck before the trials.
“He got a few scrapes and bumps, but nothing serious,” said the trainer/co-owner. “After he qualified to the Ed Burke finals, J. Francisco Diaz sent me a bunch of mats, so we matted all of his stall and bubble- wrapped him. He’s a character. He’ll get in trouble otherwise.”
Flores selected Flokie as a short yearling out of the 2018 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale, getting him for $10,700, the purchase listed in Diaz’s name. Lazy E Ranch LLC consigned Flokie to the sale as agent for breeder Lazy Creek Ranch.
Diaz explained that he and Flores have owned horses before and that he trusts the trainer to select good stock.
“I had never met the horse in person until today when he walked by me before the race,” said Diaz after the Ed Burke
Flokie (#5) and Jairo Rangel score the victory in the $1,030,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1
SPEEDHORSE, July 2019 141
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