Page 56 - 8 August 2012

Fairmount Park Invitational Stakes
DELTA DANCE
by Tracy Gantz
The past 12 months have been by far the best of Delta Dance’s career. The 4-year-old filly has improved to the point that in six starts since last August she has won five and finished second once. In her most recent race, Delta Dance became a stakes winner when she cap- tured the July 20 Fairmount Park Invitational Stakes in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Delta Dance left no doubt she was best. Under regular rider Michael
James, she jumped out to
the lead as soon as the gate
opened. No one could stay with her, and she pulled away to win by 1 1/2 lengths in :20.192 for the 400 yards. Several vied for second to make it close for the next several placings, but nobody threatened Delta Dance.
Kelly Lehn trains and co-owns Delta Dance with Richard Lehn. The filly
began her racing career in Oklahoma, but didn’t reach the winner’s circle until she
moved to Fairmount Park last year. She
won her initial race there in May 2011 and
ran fifth in last year’s Invitational, elevated
to fourth upon a disqualification. She began 2012 with a second in the Tom Tucker Memorial Stakes and added an allowance vic- tory before winning her Invitational trial as the
third-fastest qualifier. The J. Strandridge
Revocable Living Trust bred Delta Dance in Oklahoma from winner Olenes Gamble. The mare has produced six winners from nine start-
ers, including stakes-placed Sting Baby Sting and Ms Casholene. Delta Dance
sold for $10,000 at the 2009 Heritage Place yearling sale to Gregg Sanders as agent.
Fastest-qualifier Mr
Comando (Feature Mr Jess-Unloved) finished second under Juan Delgado. Raul Gonzalez trains the gelding, who won a recent allowance race at Indiana Downs, for owner Juan Cano.
Manny Silva’s homebred T Gold J (Gold Medal Jess-Turns To Cash), the second-fastest qualifier and the favorite, ran third under Manuel Gutierrez. Rhonda Thurman trains the colt, who won the 2011 Adequan Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge-G3.
Completing the field were Fast N Furrious (Country Chicks Man-The Cheetah), MDT Streetfighter (Toast To Dash-Thru Rebas Eyes), Lord Azoom (Azoom-Lady Tenaya), RK Lady Prospect (Coronas Prospect-Fastest Flying Nanny), Chivato Blues (Dash To Chivato-Missy Mit Go), and Blood Red Cadillac (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Hanna B Jazzin). The Star Alert was scratched.

Chicks Beduino
Country Chicks Man
Country Zevi
DELTA DANCE, ’08-f.
Raise the Gamble
Olenes Gamble
Lady Olene
RACING NEWS
TQHA Futurity
SPIT CURL JESSE
by John Moorehouse
In his maiden out, as part of the TQHA Futurity trials, Spit Curl Jesse finished third and qualified in the middle of the pack for the
stakes event. Perhaps the 2-year-old gelding was merely saving himself for the big-money race. With jockey Thomas Ramirez aboard, Spit Curl Jesse exploded late to win the $37,300 futurity held on July 21 at the Gillespie County Fair.
In the TQHA Futurity, Spit Curl Jesse finished in :17.617—a
vast improvement over his
:17.836 time in the trials.
The gelding broke from the No. 9 gate with no trouble and was running a solid third behind top qualifier Perry Ellis Jr and My Cold Corona before making his big move. Spit Curl Jesse charged to the front during the final 100 yards, beating Perry Ellis Jr to the finish line by only a neck.
A Michael Chavez trainee, Spit Curl
Jesse posted a 94 speed index that stands as a new career high. The gelding’s owner, Reyes Vasquez, collected a $13,055 payday that pushes the lifetime earnings of Spit Curl Jesse to $13,225.
Juan Escalante bred Spit Curl Jesse out of the 2001 mare Linda Laveaux, who he also owns. Spit Curl Jesse is the mare’s first starter.
Linda Laveaux was a futurity qualifier as a 2-year-old
and won three races and $24,137 during her racing career before retiring as a broodmare.
Perry Ellis Jr (Jesse James Jr-Elle Of A Girl), who also was the pre-race wagering favorite, finished second
by a head. Owner Mario Rodriguez Jr. does double duty as the trainer. Damian Martinez drew the riding
assignment. The colt was the fastest quali- fier when winning his debut in the TQHA Futurity trials.
Third-fastest qualifier My Cold Corona (Behold A Corona-My Favorite Show) finished one length clear in third for owner Jose Oviedo and trainer Angel Sanchez. Jockey Ricardo Aguirre was in the irons.
Rounding out the order of finish in the TQHA Futurity, Christmas Clause (Dashin Bye-Deceptively) reached the wire fourth, followed by Mighty Grizzly Water (Mighty Invictus-Corona Cash Rose), Legend Effort (Mr Moving Effort-Classy Cahaba), Volcom Clearance (Volcom-Close Clearance TB), Bring Bac Silver (Silver Ease-Bac Traffic), CC Wants It All (Chief Corona-Toast To The Champ) and Her Sisters Keeper (Executive Menace-Six Streakin Fortune).

Mr Jess Perry
Spit Curl Jess
Lil Spit Curl
SPIT CURL JESSE, ’10-g.
First Down Laveaux
Linda Laveaux
Fannie Oakley
56 SPEEDHORSE, August 3, 2012
M. Zara: White Oak Studio Jim Ansley: Fairmount Park