Page 177 - August 2016
P. 177
Louisiana Classic-RG2
OPEN ME A CORONA
by Tracy Gantz
Open Me A Corona has found his way into the heart of co-owner Dr. Tommy Hays. “He’s a cool horse with a really good attitude,”
said Hays. “He’s become part of the family.” So after Open Me A Corona was named
Champion Aged Stallion of 2015 and was supposed to go to stud, Hays and co-owner Charles Forbes Jr. changed their minds.
“He’s sound and has never had surgery,” said Hays. “That was a big reason we decided to run him again.”
Hays, Forbes, and trainer Bobby Martinez have no reason to regret that decision. This year Open Me A Corona has already won two stakes, including the $100,000 July 9 Louisiana Classic Stakes-RG2 at Delta Downs.
Open Me A Corona and Heza Louisiana Dash have established quite a rivalry,
Rocky Mountain Futurity
and they met again in the Louisiana Classic. Heza Louisiana Dash had just narrowly defeated Open Me A Corona in a June 11 allowance race while giving the Champion five pounds.
This time at equal weights, the two battled yet again. Ridden by David Alvarez, Open Me A Corona fought to stay in front
throughout the 440 yards, edging Heza Louisiana Dash by a head in :21.317.
Open Me A Corona was winning his 11th stakes
and pushed his earnings
to $849,002. Dr. Natalie Montgomery bred Open Me A Corona in Louisiana from In The Open. The mare has produced five winners from eight starters, including three stakes-placed runners.
Heza Louisiana Dash (Heza Fast
Dash-Eyejesslovelouisiana), who ran second to Open Me A Corona in the April 22 Juan Alleman Memorial Stakes, had 3 1/2 lengths on the third-place finisher. Gilbert Ortiz rode Heza Louisiana Dash for trainer Kenneth Roberts and owner T M Ranch.
Roberts also trains Icanonlyemagine (Swingin Jess-Real Or Imagined), owned by Bobby Cox and ridden by Donald Watson. The 4-year-old gelding ran third to the same two horses in the recent allowance race and won the 2015 Vinton Stakes.
Completing the field were MDA Game (Game Patriot-Mary Roll), Louisiana Legends (Jet Black Patriot-Sheza Cash Dasher), and JLS Dashn And Zoomn (Sir Runaway Dash-Shaken Thru Zoom). First Kiss Jitter, Strong Guns, and WW Showtime were scratched.
Delta Downs $100,000 440 yards :21.317 si 104
Corona Cartel
Coronas Leaving You
Lil Bit Rusty
OPEN ME A CORONA, ’10-h.
Mr Eye Opener
In The Open
Ocean Memories
BOUT TREE FIDDY
by John Moorehouse
Tomey Swan liked the chances of Bout Tree Fiddy heading into the Rocky Mountain Futurity. That confidence was validated, as the two-year-old gelding made a wire-to-wire run to victory in the $117,780 stakes held at Arapahoe Park on July 10.
“I told everybody before the race that I thought we had the best horse in the race, but it also takes luck,” said Swan, who trains the geld- ing. “All he needed was an
opportunity to get out clean
and have a shot. And he did.
We’re very grateful to have
a horse of this caliber, and I
look for a lot more from him.”
Patrick Swan and Rusty Allred home-bred Bout Tree Fiddy, and they banked a $47,112 payday that more than tripled his career earn- ings to $68,496.
After winning his debut out by a length, a 300-yard
maiden at Remington Park, Bout Tree Fiddy finished third in the Laico Bird Stakes. That was followed by a 7th-place effort in the FL Lady Bug Stakes and then a 2nd in his June 24 Rocky Mountain trial to fastest qualifier Mini Mink for the 2nd- fastest qualifying spot.
In the finals, Bout Tree Fiddy broke on top from the inside gate, held a comfortable 1 1/2-length lead as he reached
the first call and he never looked back, winning by 1-length. Ridden by Russell Vicchrilli, Bout Tree Fiddy finished in :17.387, register- ing a new career-high 102 speed index. That was a solid upgrade over the :17.626 he posted in the trials.
Patrick Swan also owns Hollie Jollie, the dam of Bout Tree Fiddy. She is a multiple stakes-placed mare who has 3
offspring, 2 of whom have made starts. Bout Tree Fiddy becomes her first stakes winner.
John Hammes trains the other two horses who hit the board. In Kuh Hoots (One Dashing Eagle-Forever Bradgelina) finished second for Lisa Beauprez, Thomas Bradbury and Thomas Bradbury, Jr. Alfredo Triana,
Jr. did the riding. Thomas Bradbury, Sr. and Hammes also own Who You Know (One Famous Eagle-Shazooms Doll), who took third with Stormy Smith aboard. Followed by Crazy At The Top (Prospect To The Top-Stel Crazy), Mini Mink (Carters Cartel-A Runaway Jess), Got Moves (Favorite Cartel-Fancys First Affair), First Domain (Dominyun-Tiny First Down), Bruce Allmty (Ivory James-BR Regal Gal), Go Streak Lightning (Shurnuf Streakin- Seis Star Glitter) and First Math (First Moonflash-Madam Math).
Arapahoe Park $117,780 350 yards :17.387 si 102
Corona Cartel
Ivory James
Dashin Follies
BOUT TREE FIDDY, ‘14-g.
Fredricksburg
Hollie Jollie
Judinell Jo
SPEEDHORSE, August 2016 175
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography Coady Photography
