Page 165 - July 2019

Ivan Ashment Handicap
TOUGH TO FIGURE
by Tract Gantz
Dr. Ed Allred has long been a major Quarter Horse breeder, and the $35,000 Ivan Ashment Handicap at Los Alamitos on June 22 demonstrates
why. The three horses he bred finished one-two- three. His homebred Tough To Figure won, with Herminia Gutierrez’s Newport Coaster second and Allred’s homebred Time To Leave third.
No one really threatened Tough To Figure in the 400-yard race. Ridden by Vinnie Bednar, she scooted to the front and never relinquished the lead. She won wire-to-wire by 1/2-length in :19.819, post- ing a 91 speed index.
Tough To Figure captured her first stakes late last year in the Stablewood Farm Stakes at Los Alamitos, and she finished third in the 2018 Ivan Ashment. She has also finished second in the 2017 La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3, 2017 California Breeders’ Debutante, and 2016 Holiday Handicap, and third in the 2018 Miss Princess Handicap-G3 and 2017 Seal Beach Handicap.
Scott Willoughby trains Tough To Figure, and Allred bred her out of Big Jan, who was a finalist in the 1995 Kindergarten Futurity-G2. She produced nine winners from 17 starters, including stakes- placed Yacht Clubber. Tough To Figure is her first stakes winner.
Erasmo Gasca rode Newport Coaster (TR Dasher-Wave Babe) to second for owner Herminia Gutierrez and trainer Justin Clark.
Willoughby also trains third-place Time To Leave (Walk Thru Fire-Departing), who was ridden by Ruben Castro.
Completing the field were La Rusa (Walk Thru Fire-Corona Fria), Strawfinders Jessee (One Sweet Jess-Strawfinder), Madam Of Fire MV (Walk Thru Fire-Solid Connection), Just Walk By (Walk Thru Fire-Babe On The Fly), and Jacque On Fire (Walk Thru Fire-Jacque Seis).
Ed Burke Juvenile
NOMADIC
by Tracy Gantz
Nomadic scored his first stakes victory in the $30,000 Ed Burke Juvenile at Los Alamitos on June 23.
Nomadic broke his maiden in his first start, also at Los Alamitos, and then finished second in his trial for the Ed Burke Futurity. He went off as the 8-5 second choice in the 350-yard Juvenile with jockey Vinnie Bednar in the irons. Nomadic broke on
top and kept increasing his advantage, winning by 3/4-length in :17.607 and posting a 94 speed index.
Scott Willoughby trains Nomadic for owner Dr. Ed Allred, who bred the gelding in California. Allred entered Nomadic in the 2018 Los Alamitos Equine Sale and repurchased him for $35,000.
Nomadic is out of the multiple stakes-winning Corona Cartel mare Moonlight Corona. The mare has produced 13 winners in 16 starters, including stakes-placed Stroller, who set a 350-yard New Track Record at Remington Park. Moonlight Corona is a half-sister to Champion Your First Moon (dam of multiple Champion Moonist), Grade 1 winner Not A Full Moon, and two additional stakes runners.
Favorite Mongoose (Favorite Cartel-Mongoose On Fire) finished second under jockey Jose Nicasio for owner Steve Wright and trainer Monty Arrossa. The gelding had finished second twice in three prior starts.
Cody Jensen piloted Budderlicous (Corona Cartel-Budder Think Twice) to third for owners Paul Blanchard, Scott Bryant, Shaun Hubbard and Lee Lewis and trainer Christopher O’Dell. Budderlicous won both of his previous starts.
Max My Bullets (Corona Czech-Gimme Back Mybullets) finished in fourth place and was fol- lowed by Jack Be Qwik (Apollitical Jess-Royally Sandra), Unrelentless One (Hes Relentless-Royally Sandra), and Furyofthehuracan (Turbulent Times- Shelbys Surprise).
Vandys Flash Handicap
BAIL CZECH
by Tracy Gantz
Enrique Gonzalez of EG High Desert Farms didn’t expect Bail Czech to win the $25,000 Vandys Flash Handicap at Los Alamitos on June 30. The
owner said he just wanted to see the gelding “com- pete against some good horses.” Not only did Bail Czech compete, he won.
With Cesar Franco riding, Bail Czech broke on top. Though he drifted in some from the six-post,
he remained in front throughout the contest. At the wire, Bail Czech prevailed by 3/4-length, completing the 400 yards in :19.776.
Jesus Nunez trains Bail Czech for EG High Desert Farms. Bail Czech was winning his first stakes, but he ran third in last year’s Holiday Handicap.
EG High Desert Farms bred Bail Czech out
of California Breeders’ Debutante Stakes winner Letty Bail Regis Out. She has produced two winners from three starters. Her first foal, a full brother to Bail Czech named Diamonds Blue Eye, won the 2018 Jens L. List Jr. Memorial California Breeders’ Stakes and was a finalist in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby-G3.
Parsons Family Limited Partnership’s homebred Terrific First Down (FDD Dynasty-Terrific Energy) ran second under Eduardo Nicasio rode the filly for trainer Christopher O’Dell. Terrific First Down won the 2019 La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3 and finished third in the 2018 Los Alamitos $2 Million Juvenile Stakes and the 2019 Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1.
KR Hi Five (Five Bar Cartel-I Bee Phia) finished third under Jose Nicasio for owners Sally and Dave Kidd. Jaime Gomez trains the gelding, who has won three prior stakes, including the John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship-G2.
Completing the field were Delayed Steal (Stel Corona-Hot To Hit), Cavuto (Foose-Sizzling PJ), Transcend (Walk Thru Fire-In Another World) and Unrestrained (Kiddy Up-Thinking Out Loud).
Los Alamitos • $35,000 400 yards • :19.819 • si 91
First Down Dash
Sweet Beduino Raise A Secret Making Ways
Walk Thru Fire
TOUGH TO FIGURE, ‘14-m. Big Jan
Los Alamitos • $30,000 350 yards • :17.607 • si 94
Favorite Trick TB
Favorite Cartel
NOMADIC, ‘17-g.
Corona Cartel
Moonlight Corona
Shenoshercorona
Moon Arisen
Los Alamitos • $25,000 400 yards • :19.776 • si 92
First Down Dash
Corona Chick
Bail Me Out Baby
Corona Czech
BAIL CZECH, ‘16-g.
Letty Bail Regis Out
Artesias Merridoc
SPEEDHORSE, July 2019 163
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