Page 141 - June 2016

LQHBA Louisiana Bred Laddie Futurity-RG2
DRAGON N PANTHER
by Michael Cusortelli
Afast start from post 2 helped Dragon N Panther gain his first stakes victory in the $281,007 LQHBA Louisiana Bred Laddie Futurity-RG2 for state-bred colts and geldings at Delta Downs on May 21.
Racing for Ricardo Javier Rodriguez Cantu of Arlington, Texas, Dragon N Panther defeated Bankin On Bux by 1/2-length in :16.701 for 330 yards.
J.R. Ramirez rode the sorrel son of Dragon Wings for his older brother, trainer Saul Ramirez Jr.
Saul is now a trainer after he retired from a successful career as a jockey in December.
Dragon N Panther was bred by R.L. Richard’s Venture Farm at Iowa, Louisiana.
Dragon N Panther is the first starter foaled by Mountain Woman, a winning 10-year-old daughter of 2003 Champion Aged Stallion Panther Mountain.
The seventh-fastest qualifier from the April 30 trials, Dragon N Panther was coming off of a 1/2-length win in the 12th of 14 trials. The gelding won his heat in wire-to-wire fashion.
Dragon N Panther was sent to post at odds of 12-1 odds for the finals, and he returned a
$27.20 win mutuel. Bankin On Bux, an 8-1 longshot and the third-fastest qualifier, completed a $2 exacta divi- dend of $314.80.
In addition to rewarding his backers at the mutuel win- dows handsomely, Dragon N Panther banked the $140,504 winner’s share to increase his earnings to $149,504.
The gelding posted a
lifetime-best 92 speed index
from his first stakes win in this race, and he is now undefeated from his two outs.
Second-place finisher Bankin On Bux (Zoomin For Bux-Shine On Morgan)
races for David Eatman and hails from the barn of trainer Vann Haywood. Damian Martinez rode the chestnut gelding, who earned $47,771 for this race. Bankin On Bux was the third-fastest qualifier after finishing second in his trial by just a neck to the fastest qualifier.
Blue Courage (Jess Louisiana Blue-Faith And Courage), who won his trial for the
second-fastest qualify-
ing time, finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Dragon N Panther in the finals. A $20,000 buy at last year’s Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders’ Association Yearling Sale, the bay gelding banked $28,101 for his owner, Maxxiprime Enterprises LLC. Donell Blake rode Blue Courage for trainer
Kenneth Roberts Sr.
Bbang (First N Kool-Bang Bang Bang)
finished fourth, followed by fastest qualifier and 13-10 favorite Royal Quick Patriot (Jet Black Patriot-Holy Buckets), Lovin That Sizzle (Sizzlin Cartel-Jess Love), Geaux Dashin Bye (Dashin Bye-Geaux Mary),
trial winner Dash To Intrigue (Dashin Bye-Very Intriguing), and trial winner First Prize Bourban (Coronas Leaving You-First Prize Pearl). Trial winner and fourth-fastest qualifier Fire On Ease was listed as a veteri- narian scratch.
Delta Downs $281,007 • 330 yards :16.701 • si 92
Corona Cartel
Dragon Wings
Dreamaway Doll
DRAGON N PANTHER, ’14 g.
Panther Mountain
Mountain Woman
Lika Natural Woman
Dragon N Panther & J. R. Ramirez receive every call winning the $281,007 Louisiana Bred Laddie Futurity-RG2 by 1/2-length
SPEEDHORSE, June 2016 139
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Nicole Cormier/Coady Photography