Page 130 - May 2016

Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge-G2
JRC CALLAS FIRST
by Tracy Gantz
JRC Callas First performed like the World Champion he is when he captured the Grade 2 Bank of America Sam Houston Challenge Championship on April 16. He earned his World Championship in 2014, and he also performed exceptionally well in 2015. The quality of the race was such that JRC Callas First went off as the 27-10 third choice. The gelding won his March
25 trial for the 4th fastest qualifying position. Ridden by Jerry Lee Yoakum in the finals, JRC Callas First broke spectacularly and on top from the outside post. He capitalized on that quick start to scoot away, at one point leading by 2-1/2 lengths. Favored Jessies First Down closed some ground, but JRC Callas First received every call and won the contest
by an easy 1-1/4 lengths in :21.453 for a 106 speed index.
Sam Houston Derby-G3
TLC DALE
by Michael Cusortelli
Third-fastest qualifier TLC Dale remained undefeated this season with a wire-to- wire victory in the $191,000 Sam Houston Derby-G3 on April 23.
Ridden by Manuel Gutierrez, TLC Dale went 350 yards in :17.405 while posting
his third consecutive win and first lifetime stakes score. Adrian Huitron prepped the homebred for owner Rogelio Garza Guajardo of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon,
Mexico.
TLC Dale had a solid
2-year-old campaign, but the colt never had his picture taken in three outs.
He did, however, post
a second-place finish, 1/2-length behind winner Satcha Wagoneer, in the 400-yard $49,835 Dash For Cash Juvenile Invitational at Lone Star Park in just his second race.
128 SPEEDHORSE, May 2016
“This horse is not difficult to ride at all,” said Yoakum. “I really didn’t do anything but hold on. He left there like a rocket and got even faster down the racetrack.”
Brian Stroud trains JRC Callas First and owns him with his wife, Dana. “He looked like he did a couple of years ago,” said Brian. “The team did a great job. Jerry Lee did a tremendous
job, stepping on a horse he had never galloped in the morning, much less rode (in a race).”
JRC Callas First has
now won 11 stakes, includ- ing the 2014 Refrigerator Handicap-G1 and Zia Park Championship-G1. Brian has trained the gelding from the beginning, and the couple bought him privately for $8,300 in late 2013.
J.R. Cass bred JRC Callas First in Texas from unraced Calla Missy Jane. The gelding is the mare’s only starter.
“He’s shown us that he is a runner since his first start, and we were fortunate that he got into the Dash For Cash Juvenile,” said Huitron. “We shipped him to Evangeline but didn’t have any luck there, so we brought him back to prep him for this race.
“He’s showed us he’s a good horse,” added the trainer. “Hopefully, he can keep his momentum going and keep on running.”
All told, TLC Dale has won three of six starts, and the $76,400 winner’s share
of the Sam Houston Derby purse pushed his bankroll to $92,917 of which $81,500
has been earned this season. TLC Dale is the first starter produced by Halies Dale, a winning 9-year-old daugh- ter of Champion Okey Dokey Dale. The colt’s second dam, Bubba Suz, is also stakes-placed.
Ted Abrams’ homebred Jessies First Down (FDD Dynasty-Jess A Classy Lassy), the fastest qualifier, finished 2nd for jockey Rodrigo Vallejo & trainer Judd Kearl. The 5-year-old gelding won 3 of 4 races at Hialeah this past winter, including the Miami-Dade County Stakes.
Stimulus (Mr Jess Perry-Veva Jean) ran 3rd as the second choice. Manuel Gutierrez rode the 6-year-old gelding for owner Jose Hernandez & trainer Bobby Martinez. Away from the races for all of 2015, Stimulus is a multiple stakes winner.
Completing the field were Poker Chip 831 (Fantastic Corona Jr-Takeoff Royally), RC
Me Leaving You (Coronas Leaving You-Sixy Bottom), Ojo De Rey (Mr Eye Opener- Joyalty), Ipolito (Apollo-TB-Seychelle), J Bar (Jess Zoomin-The Jubilee Diamond), and Eyes Your Date (Eyesa Special-Elimidate). Exquisite Stride was scratched.
Real Solid Oak (Oak Tree Special-Real Or Imagined) finished second, a neck behind TLC Dale, for owner Julio Cesar Rodriguez. Esgar Ramirez rode the brown gelding for trainer Esteban Rubio.
Rosa Aguado’s GYR Jammer (Apollitical Jess-Confession Session) ran third. Daniel Luna prepped the sorrel gelding, who was rid- den by Raul Ramirez Jr.
My Moment Of Fame (Jumpn Chic- Moment Of Epiphany), fastest qualifier
and 8-5 favorite Ivan James (Ivory James- First Dashin Bye), Jess Blue Intriguing
(Jess Louisiana Blue-Call Me Intriguing), Telleritstime (Teller Cartel-Rolex Time), Sissy Cartel (The Louisiana Cartel-Hot Regrets) and Dash Dont Cheat (Down N Dash-Special Cheat) completed the order of finish. Swifter Deal scratched.
Sam Houston Race Park $107,730 • 440 yards :21.453 • si 106
Runaway Winner
Winners Award
Sweet Miranda
JRC CALLAS FIRST, ‘10-g.
Dirty Coup
Calla Missy Jane
Missy Joyce
Sam Houston Race Park $191,000 • 350 yards :17.405 • si 103
Corona Cartel
The Louisiana Cartel
The Louisiana Girl
TLC DALE, ’13 c.
Okey Dokey Dale
Halies Dale
Bubba Suz
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography Sandra Beck, Coady Photography