Page 149 - March 2016
P. 149
Elan Again Handicap
BLABBER
by John Moorehouse
Blabber gave her connections something to talk about, going wire-to-wire to win the $15,000 Elan Again Handicap at Los Alamitos on Feb. 28. Blabber logged the first victory of her four-year-
old season and her second career triumph in stakes company, prevailing at odds of nearly 8-1 against a field of aged mares that included four competitors sired by former World Champion Apollitical Jess.
Edward C. Allred owns and bred Blabber, who now holds five wins in 13 career starts. The filly improved her lifetime bankroll to $53,075 with the $8,250 payoff from this event.
Blabber controlled first place in this race from start to finish, breaking on top and opening a 1-length lead by the time she entered the stretch, then coasting to the wire by 3/4-length.
Scott Willoughby trains Blabber, who finished
the 350 yards in :17.657 and posted a 90 speed index. Rodrigo Aceves was aboard Blabber, and the jockey notched his first stakes win since returning to the saddle earlier this year after recovering from shoulder surgery.
Blabber, who also won last year’s running of the California Breeders Debutante Stakes, is the only starter thus far out of her dam, Thinking Out Loud, a 2008 mare whom Allred also home-bred.
Apollitical Chic (Apollitical Jess-This Dashing Chic) beat pre-race favorite Political Chick by a head to snatch second place for owner Oscar Andrade and trainer Elena Andrade. Cruz Mendez was aboard Apollitical Chic. Political Chick (Apollitical Jess-Fearless Chick), who finished third, is owned by Jon Lane Henderson and trained by Justin Clark. Gary Boag did the riding.
The remaining order of finish was Lavish Ivory (Ivory James-Special Phoebe), Valiant Energy (Valiant Hero-Terrific Energy), Apolitical Pac (Apollitical Jess-Kpax), Apolitical Zoom (Apollitical Jess-KD Zoom) & Morethanmeetstheeye (Corona Cartel-A Tiny Bit More).
Costa Mesa Handicap
ZOOMIN FOR SPUDS
by Tracy Gantz
Being an Idaho-bred, Zoomin For Spuds is per- fectly named. His home state honored him as the 2015 Idaho Horse of the Year, not for his name, but
for his impressive racing ability. It was on display at Los Alamitos when the gelding won the Costa Mesa Handicap on Feb. 12.
The 350-yard race developed into a battle between Zoomin For Spuds on the outside and Coach Carter on the rail. Approaching the wire, however, Zoomin For Spuds and jockey Cesar DeAlba pulled away to win by 1-length in :17.755. Zoomin For Spuds earned the $8,250 winners share of the $15,000 purse, making his total current bankroll $64,312.
Bret Vickery, who is based in Utah, trains Zoomin For Spuds for owner-breeder Jim Walker. Zoomin For Spuds began his career at Les Bois Park, made three starts at Ruidoso Downs, and has since performed well at Los Alamitos. He won last year’s Wild West Futurity there.
Walker bred Zoomin For Spuds from winner
A Perfect Cocktail. The mare has produced three starters, all of them stakes winners. Bux For Cocktail won the 2011 Intermountain Futurity and 2012
Les Bois Derby Challenge, and Jesses Perfect One captured the 2013 Dutch Masters III Futurity and Knight Transportation Futurity.
Double Bar S Ranch LLC’s homebred Coach Carter (Carters Cartel-Wortherweightingold) ran second for jockey Oscar Peinado and trainer Angela Aquino.
Roberto Hernandez piloted Trixsey Sue (FDD Dynasty-Gotta Corona Habit) to third. Charles Treece trains the 3-year-old filly for owner Stanley Watkins.
Completing the field were Boylike (Walk Thru Fire-Feminista), Leave Town (TR Dasher- Departing), Blowinsmoke (Fantastic Corona Jr-Millirad), & For Pee Jay (Foose-Chickafirst).
Denim N Diamonds Handicap
FOO WHO
by Tracy Gantz
The sire Stel Corona had a Trifecta of sorts in the Denim N Diamonds Handicap at Los Alamitos on Feb 20. His son Foose sired winner Foo Who and third-place Skinny Jeans, while Stel Corona sired second-place Bring Me Home.
Foo Who broke on top, but slightly outward in the 350-yard Denim N Diamonds Handicap, jockey Eduardo Nicasio quickly straightening her. Foo Who battled with Skinny Jeans to her inside, never letting that one past, and held off outside closer Bring Me Home to win by a neck in :17.742. Foo Who earned the $13,750 winners share of the $25,000 purse, making her total current bankroll $45,494.
Juan Aleman trains Foo Who for owner Michael Zynda. Foo Who finished third in the 2014 Autumn Handicap and second in the 2015 Tustin Handicap. She was a graduate of the 2013 Los Alamitos Equine Sale, selling to Tom Zynda for $17,000.
Kim and Lila Kessinger bred Foo Who in California from the stakes-placed mare Env. Foo
Who is the mare’s second starter and first winner. Foo Who’s third dam is graded stakes-placed Kicken West.
Alejandro Luna piloted Marta Winslow’s Bring Me Home (Stel Corona-Bring Me Joy) to second for trainer Angela Aquino. The 5-year-old mare’s most recent previous stakes-placing came in the Dec. 6 Stanton Handicap.
Skinny Jeans (Foose-Sables Sixty Six) ran third for owner Nancy Scane, whose husband, Fred, bred the 4-year-old filly. Skinny Jeans won the 2015 Luva Secret Handicap. Oscar Peinado rode her for trainer Patricia Visscher.
Completing the field were Blabber (Kiddy Up-Thinking Out Loud), The Perfect Love (Hawkish-Red Hot First Love), Mrs Pickens (Walk Thru Fire-Pie Maid), A Goddess Thru Fire (Walk Thru Fire-A Royal Goddess), and Chowchilla Dreamin (Stel Corona-Million Dreams).
Los Alamitos $15,000 350 yards :17.657 si 90
Kiddy Up BLABBER, ‘12-f.
Corona Cartel
Miss Racy Vike
Check Him Out
Thinking Out Loud
Just Think
Los Alamitos $15,000 350 yards :17.755 si 87
Shazoom
Oh No Its Uh Oh
Corona Cocktail
Zoomin For Bux
ZOOMIN FOR SPUDS, ’13-g.
A Perfect Cocktail
A Perfect Strawberry
Los Alamitos $25,000 350 yards :17.742 si 87
Foose FOO WHO, ’12-f.
Env
Stel Corona Summertime Quickie First Down Dash Love Ya Miss Jess
SPEEDHORSE, March 2016 147
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