Page 143 - June 2016

West Texas Futurity-G2
EYEMA BLUE WAGON
by Tracy Gantz
The cross of PYC Paint Your Wagon on a
Mr Eye Opener mare has already resulted
in some excellent racehorses, not the least of which is Freighttrain B, a graded stakes winner of $421,761. The cross worked again with Eyema Blue Wagon, winner of the West Texas Futurity-G2 at Sunland Park on April 30.
Eyema Blue Wagon has only started twice, but has already impressed onlookers. Roy Sanchez’s Regal Racing Stables, LLC races
the colt, and Albert Franco trains him. They unveiled him in the April 15 West Texas Futurity trials, where Eyema Blue Wagon won by an easy 1-length to qualify the fastest.
In the final, Eyema Blue Wagon went off
as the 6-5 favorite under jockey Sergio Becerra Jr., who also rode him in his trial. The colt zipped to the lead from post five right as the gate opened. Jess Prize Me on the outside chal- lenged him, but Eyema Blue Wagon held off that filly to win by a neck in :15.180 for the 300 yards. The $102,414 winner’s share of the purse boosted the colt’s earnings to $107,769.
Sanchez noted that he had liked Eyema Blue Wagon’s breeding as well as his conforma- tion. The colt went through the 2015 Heritage Place Yearling Sale and was purchased in the name of Resan Racing Stables for $29,000.
Following this futurity win, Sanchez indicated that they would next take Eyema Blue Wagon to Ruidoso Downs.
Dee and Betty Raper’s
Belle Mere Farm, Ltd. con-
signed Eyema Blue Wagon to
the yearling sale. The Rapers
bred the colt in Oklahoma.
Mr Eye Opener stood at Belle
Mere in Norman, Oklahoma,
and his success was a major
reason the Rapers bought
Eyema Blues Girl, the dam of Eyema Blue Wagon, privately.
“I loved her,” said Dee Raper. “Mr Eye Opener mares are good property, and her half- sister made over $2 million.”
That half-sister, Blues Girl Too, was also named the World Champion, Champion
2 Year Old, Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, Champion 3 Year Old, and Champion 3-Year- Old Filly. She won the 2006 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity-G1 and 2007 Golden State Derby-G1, and set Los Alamitos track records in capturing the 2007 Champion
of Champions-G1 and Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap-G1.
Raper said that Eyema Blue Wagon was “a nice indi- vidual” as a youngster. The colt is one of four winners in six starters for the mare.
Eyema Blues Girl’s family runs even deeper than Blues Girl Too. Her dam, stakes- placed Run The Dash, was
the 2007 Broodmare of the Year and also produced stakes winners Blues Man Too, Eyell Fool Ya, and The Blues Girl, as
well as several stakes-placed runners.
Jesse Levario piloted Jess Prize Me (Mr Jess
Perry-Fast Prize Zoom) to second for trainer Chris Zamora and owner LMG Racing, Inc. Groupie James (Ivory James-Groupie) ran
third for jockey Esgar Ramirez, trainer Jose Ramirez Sr., and owner Carlos Trujillo Jr.
Completing the field were Valorus (Valiant Hero-Jess A Lil Bit More), Imperial Eagle (One Famous Eagle-Jenuine Joy), Gamey Tee Cos (Tee Cos-Gamey Girl), Willie Be Fired (Walk Thru Fire-Willie Swings), Lord Fa (Valiant Hero-Lady Bellaqua), Mojo Perry (Mr Jess Perry-Jump Down First) and Stella Lou (One Famous Eagle-Better Be Diamonds).
Sunland Park $217,904 • 300 yards :15.180 • si 88
Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Dashin Follies
EYEMA BLUE WAGON, ’14-c.
Mr Eye Opener
Eyema Blues Girl
Run The Dash
Eyema Blue Wagon & Sergio Becerra Jr. receive every call for a victory in the $217,904 Grade 2 West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park
SPEEDHORSE, June 2016 141
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