Page 141 - March 2016

Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1
FIRE AT WILL
by Tracy Gantz
Elation turned to despair a few seconds after Fire At Will won the Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1 on Feb. 13. The gallant gelding gave
a brilliant performance in winning the race, but he injured his left knee after the wire and had to be euthanized.
Jockey Eduardo Nicasio quickly pulled up Fire At Will in the turn and jumped off.
“He broke great and he was excellent
throughout the race,” said the jockey. “Then after crossing the finish line, I could feel that he had injured his knee. I tried to keep him up as much as I could. You just try to help the horse as much as possible.”
The start of the Winter Derby was delayed slightly after Luv On The Run broke through the starting gate and galloped down the track. The stewards scratched the colt, and the horses were reloaded.
Senor Gianni broke on top, but Fire At Will was right next to him in second. The two battled throughout most of the 400 yards, with Fire At Will pulling away in the final stages. He won by 1/2-length in :19.739. Fire At Will earned the $90,405 winners share of the $215,250 purse making his current bank- roll $76,322.
Chris O’Dell trained Fire At Will for Robert and Connie Rosenthal, who raced
the gelding in the name
of Rosenthal Ranch LLC. Immediately after the race, O’Dell jumped on the horse ambulance to go see his stricken runner.
“Nicasio did the best
thing he could—he stopped
him and got off of him,”
said O’Dell. “I love this
little horse. The Rosenthals
are great people. This is
the probably the best horse they’ve ever had. It’s very tough.”
The Rosenthals didn’t attend the race, O’Dell said, because one of their mares was due to
foal. They own a 40-acre ranch in Winchester, California, have about 30 horses, and breed a couple of mares a year. They bought Fire At
Will at the 2014 Los Alamitos Equine Sale for $22,000. He won 5 of 11 races, finished 2nd in the Los Alamitos $2 Million Juvenile, and earned $166,727. Fire At Will qualified to the Governor’s Cup Futurity, PCQHRA Breeders Futurity-G2, and Golden State Million Futurity-G1. He was scratched out of the Golden State Million after getting fractious in the starting gate.
Dr. Ed Allred bred Fire At Will in California from the mare What Fire, a daughter of
Champion and 2002 All American Futurity-G1 winner AB What A Runner. What Fire has produced one other starter and winner, What Goes.
Favored Jess Good Reason (Good Reason SA-Jess Call
Me Tieing) was 2nd by a head under Roberto Hernandez for trainer Paul Jones and owners Cina & John Sperry. Jess Good Reason won her first 3 races, including the 2015 Holiday
Handicap, and was the 2nd-fastest qualifier with a 2nd to fastest-qualifier Rite Regal in her Winter Derby trial. Jones also trains 3rd-place Senor Gianni (Good Reason SA-Shescheckinumout) and owns & bred him with Thompson Racing Inc. Oscar Peinado rode the gelding, who has won 4 races and qualified for last year’s Los Alamitos $2 Million Futurity-G1. Completing the field were by Uno Corona Mas (One Sweet Jess-Corona Mas Fina), El Compa JV (Mr
Jess Perry-My Lady First), Rite Regal (Favorite Cartel-A Regal Classic), Jess A Pollitician (Apollitical Jess-Royal Motions), Dynasty Energy (FDD Dynasty-Terrific Energy), and Chicks Fayvorite (Favorite Cartel-Chicks Tell), with Luv On The Run scratched.
Los Alamitos $215,250 • 400 yards :19.739 • si 92
Favorite Trick-TB
Favorite Cartel
Shenoshercorona
FIRE AT WILL, ’13-g.
Walk Thru Fire
What Fire
AB What A Runner
Fire At Will and Eduardo Nicasio win the $215,250 Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1 by 1/2-length
SPEEDHORSE, March 2016 139
RACING NEWS
Los Alamitos