Page 62 - Speedhorse, February 2019

HOTSTEPPER si 98, $1,254,409
Champion 3 Year Old, Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding
Mr Jess Perry
One Famous Eagle
Streakin La Jolla
Scoopie Fein
Chicks Beduino
Streakin Six Bottom’s Up Sinn Fein Legs La Scoop Beduino TB
A Classy Chick Dash For Cash Pfeffernusse
Streakin Six Chickarun Reb’s Policy TB Tiny’s Delight Special Effort Fly In The Pie Victory Dash Bedawee
Easy Six
Miss Assured
Raise Your Glass TB La Jolla
Three Oh’s Vansarita Too Scooper Chick
La Ferne
Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat
Chick’s Deck Mayshego TB Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Tiny’s Gay
Chick’s Fantacia
Easy Six
Miss Assured Chick’s Deck
Ida Run
New Policy
Yenoh Reb
Tiny Watch
Gay’s Delight
Raise Your Glass TB Go Effortlessly
Pie In The Sky Flying Rockette Dash For Cash Southern Streaker Beduino TB
Ought To Go
Easy Jet
Peggy Toro
Little Request TB Assured
Raise A Native Champagne Woman
St Bar
Top Pretty TB
Three Chicks OhMyOh
Vandy Garrettsmisspawhuska Triple Chick
Scoop Bam Quicksilver King
Nikita
Grey Sovereign Romany Belle Rejected
Quick Eye
Three Chicks
Decketta
Mayhego
Aegean Goddess Rocket Bar TB
Go Galla Go
To Market
Hide And Seek
Tiny Watch
Gay’s Delight
Three Chicks
Fantacia
Easy Jet
Peggy Toro
Little Request TB Assured
Three Chicks Decketta
Top Conference TB Peppy Clabber Khaled
Feu Follet
Berseem
Honey Did
Anchor Watch TB Clabber Tiny Rocket Bar TB Miss Ginger Gay Raise A Native Champagne Woman Double Devil
Hijo Beauty TB Easy Jet
Miss Jelly Roll Rocket Bar TB
Fly Straw
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Some Kidna Man Southern Pride Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat
Go Man Go
Do Good Bam
One Famous Lady
One Slick Cookie HOTSTEPPER, ’15-G.
Tres Seis
Pandorum
Sixarun
Our Third Deight
Strawfly Special
Daring Difference
Daring Diversion
Breeder: Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches LP Owners: Rafter W Stables, Johnny Cope, R.D. Hubbard and Henry Southway Trainer: C. “Sleepy” Dwayne Gilbreath Jockeys: Cody Jensen & Jose Alvarez
2018 Record: 8-3(2)-1-3(1), $769,313, All American D.-G1, Tx. Cl. D.-G1, 3rd Mr Jess Perry D., 4th Rainbow D.-G1
Ray Willis, in accepting Hotstepper’s Championship trophies, talked of how much more fun racing is with partners.
“I’d advise all you people who really want to run horses, get you some partners and enjoy it with a lot of other people,” he told the audience.
Hotstepper gave Willis and his partners plenty to enjoy during 2018. Willis owns the gelding
in the name of his Rafter W Stables, along
with Johnny Cope, R.D. Hubbard, and Henry Southway. Sleepy Gilbreath trained Hotstepper, and Cody Jensen rode him for most of the year.
Tom Goncharoff, who manages Crystal Springs Farm in New Mexico for Hubbard, also spoke at the awards ceremony and had some fun ribbing the veteran Jensen.
“All the credit goes to Sleepy and his team and this rider, who’s just starting to figure some things out,” Goncharoff said. “They worked so hard getting this horse to settle in the gates, and that was his issue.”
Goncharoff also paid tribute to the owners, breeder Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches, and Antonio Ruiz, Hotstepper’s groom.
Hotstepper’s gate issues may have contributed to the first part of his season, when he finished third twice, second once, and fourth in the Rainbow Derby-G1. But from then on, he did everything required of him.
Goncharoff said that Gilbreath noted how much happier Hotstepper was leading up to the All American Derby-G1.
“He’s more settled at the barn, a little more content, actually had gained some weight,
and showed more focus in the starting gate,” Goncharoff said.
That resulted in Hotstepper winning his All American Derby trial to become the second-fastest qualifier. The gelding got away in excellent fashion in the final and won by a neck. Goncharoff praised Jensen, and Jensen credited the starting gate crew.
Hotstepper next qualified for the Texas Classic Derby-G1. Breaking last from the rail in the final, Hotstepper passed horses quickly and won by a head as the 8-5 favorite.’
“He might not be the fastest,” said Jensen after the race. “But he always gives you a chance to win and make a little money. He’s been a lot more mature mentally this year.”
Hotstepper wins the All American Derby-G1.
58 SPEEDHORSE, February 2019
(c)Linda Earley Photography