Page 163 - April 2017
P. 163
Mardi Gras Derby
ZOOBOO
by Dillon Hamilton
Zooboo made his first stakes win a hearty payday in the $93,898 Mardi Gras Derby for accredited Louisiana-bred three year olds on March 18.
The brown gelding started the year off right by becoming a stakes winner after finishing second and missing his first shot at a stakes title in the Louisiana Juvenile Stakes as a freshman last July.
He posted the fifth fastest time in the Feb. 26 Mardi Gras Derby trials, leaving him in the middle of the odds, but not out of contention by any means. In the finals, Zooboo and rider Cipriano Vidana broke in second place from the three-hole. The pair was with the rest of the field early, but found their stride in the stretch where they dueled and were up at the line. They won by a neck on the fast track with a time of :19.593, earning a career best speed index of 105. Zooboo’s $42,225 winner’s share of the purse more than doubled his previous earnings for owner Rosalio Espinosa to a grand total of $63,095. Martin Trejo is the trainer.
Breeders M. & S. Zingelmann and C. Crenwelge bred Zooboo out of 5-time stakes winner/Ntr setter Zoobilee. She has produced 100% money earn-
ers from five starters, including winner Gamelee. Zooboo is her first stakes winner and top earner.
JRS Coronas Shadow (Coronas Leaving You- Shadow Of Colors) was 2nd under Donald Watson for owner Gary W. Hartstack & trainer Kenneth Roberts, Sr. Fabulously Fast Game (Game Patriot- Fabulously Fast) was 3rd under Everardo Rodriguez for owner/trainer Martin Trejo. Followed by TF Eyesa Firefighter (Fighter On Fire-Eyes R Special), Coronaoro (Coronas Leaving You-Orotoast), Shatto Stoli (Stoli-Scoopie Coochie), No Politics Here (Jess Louisiana Blue-In His Dreams), Ivys Best Game (Best Advice-Ferdies One Eyed), La Mos Corona (Coronas Leaving You-La Mos Chingono) & Tee Mata (Tee Cos-Head Trauma).
Streakin La Jolla Stakes
JESS BEIN THE HERO
by John Moorehouse
So far, 2017 has been a very good year for Jess Bein The Hero. The four-year-old colt has now made two starts, and logged a pair of stakes wins, after dashing to victory in the $15,000 Streakin La Jolla Stakes at Louisiana Downs on March 18.
Miguel Rodriguez trains Jess Bein The Hero, an overwhelming 2-5 post-time favorite who led wire- to-wire after breaking on top from the outside gate in the five-horse field. The colt led by a 1/2-length at the first call, then withstood a challenge from A Kool Secret to reach the wire first by a neck.
Santiago Mendez was in the irons for the stakes- winning 400-yard run that was completed in :19.499 while earning a career best 107 speed index. The $9,000 winner’s share of the purse pushed the colt’s cumulative earnings to $51,553.
Owned by Juan F. Martinez-Labastida, Jess Bein The Hero now has four wins in five career starts. The colt placed second in last season’s Evangeline Downs Derby and scored his first stakes victory in the Swift Stakes at this same track earlier this year.
Curtis Crenwelge bred Jess Bein The Hero and owns his dam, multiple stakes-placed winner Jess Braggin. She has produced 100% money earners from eight starters, including top earner/graded stakes placed Braggin Bout My Zoom. Jess Bein The Hero is her first stakes winner.
A Kool Secret (No Secrets Here-A Kool Zoom) finished second by a huge margin of 4 1/2-lengths under Lucas Constantin for owners Norma L. Guerrero and Cynthia Cruz and trainer Santiago Riojas, Jr. Apollitical Wave (Apollitical Jess-Wave Running) hit the board in third for owner/trainer M. Scott Hamilton. Rene Gutierrez was aboard.
Louisiana Legends (Jet Black Patriot-Sheza Cash Dasher) and Rebas Tres Seis (Tres Seis- Reba Macintyler) completed the field. TM Dees Prize scratched.
Piggin String Stakes
JFR MOONSHINE
by John Moorehouse
JFR Moonshine set a 300-yard New Track Record at Rillito Park during his victorious run in the $20,000 Piggin String Stakes on March 18.
JFR Moonshine finished 4th in his March 4 trial heat for this race to qualify 7th, but responded in a
big way in the stakes final. Drawing the outside gate in an 8-horse field, the 4-year-old gelding moved into the front by a head as he reached the stretch, then out- nodded Mr JB Perry at the wire to win by a nose. Trained by owner/breeder Francisco E. Rodriguez and ridden by Michael Ybarra, JFR Moonshine finished the race in :14.997, logging a career best 114 speed index. The standing 300-yard record of :15.031 barely had time for the ink to dry as Jess Ta Fied tallied that milestone in the March 4 trials for the Piggin String as the fastest qualifier.
A 23-1 longshot, JFR Moonshine brought home an $11,000 payday that boosted his total earnings to $12,177 for Rodriguez, who celebrated the gelding’s second career win in four starts. JFR Moonshine made just one start as a two year old and did not compete at all last year. His trial for the Piggin String ended a layoff of almost 15 months.
JFR Moonshine was bred in Arizona out of win- ner Totally A Looker, whom Rodriguez also owns. The mare has produced 100% winners from four starters. JFR Moonshine is her first stakes winner.
Armando Castellanos owns and trains runner-up Mr JB Perry (Mr Jess Perry-Jumpn Beduino), who had Larry Gamez aboard. Jess Wilson (Feature
Mr Jess-Chicksdashn) was 3rd under Luis Yescas
for owner Francisco Rivera-Martinez and trainer Charles Acosta. Followed by Jess Ta Fied (One Sweet Jess-The Cheetah) Closing Time (TR Dasher-Singles Scene), Frontera Special (Genuine Strawfly-Jumanji), Beer Thirty (Chickspecialmongoose-Santiam Secret) & Hezaregal Charmer (A Regal Choice-Sheza Heart Charmer).
Louisiana Downs $93,898 400 yards :19.593 si 105
Corona Cartel
Coronas Leaving You
ZOOBOO, ’14-g. Zoobilee
Lil Bit Rusty
Dashin Bye
Our Precious Secret
Louisiana Downs $15,000 400 yards :19.499 si 107
First Down Dash
Valiant Hero JESS BEIN THE HERO, ‘13-c.
Jess Braggin
Corona Chick
Mr Jess Perry
Love At First Glance
Rillito Park $20,000 300 yards :14.997 si 114 Ntr
First To Flash
Nagano Moon Totally Done Gone Easy Little Flo Jo
First Moonflash
JFR MOONSHINE, ‘13-g. Totally A Looker
SPEEDHORSE, April 2017 161
RACING NEWS
Hodges Photography
Hodges Photography
Coady Photography