Page 178 - October 2015

Iowa Double Gold Futurity
THE FISCAL CLIFF
by Michael Cusortelli
Second-fastest qualifier The Fiscal Cliff ran
his win streak to 4 with a 3/4-length victory
in the $172,229 Iowa Double Gold Futurity at Prairie Meadows on Aug. 29. A homebred colt racing for Tom Lepic, The Fiscal Cliff covered 350 yards in :17.515 on a track labeled “good” and recorded a lifetime-best 95 speed index. Cesar Gomez rode the colt for trainer Kasey Willis.
The Fiscal Cliff was coming off of a 2 1/4-length win in the first of five Iowa Double Gold Futurity trials on Aug. 15.
The Fiscal Cliff is 1 of 3 winners from as many starters out of winner Signs Zoomer, who was a finalist in the
’08 Oklahoma Horsemen’s Assn. Futurity-RG2. The Fiscal Cliff is a full brother to multiple stakes winner Wagon Tales, who ran 3rd in the 2013 All American Futurity-G1.
“I really liked this colt when he was a wean- ling,” said Lepic, an Iowa City realtor who also serves on the AQHA Racing Committee and as President of the Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association. “And when his full brother ran third in the All American that year, we were all pretty excited about his future.
“When Kasey was breaking him, he called me and told me, ‘We have
something special here,’” he added. “Kasey has been high on this colt from the begin- ning. He calls me and tells me how well he’s doing and how much he enjoys training him.”
The Fiscal Cliff began his career with a 2nd in a 300-yard maiden at Remington Park on April 18. He then broke his maiden with a head win in a Heritage Place Futurity-G1 trial at the Oklahoma City track on May 11.
The Fiscal Cliff has won 4 of 5 outs & has banked $121,849. He won the $100,000 Heritage Place Juv. Invit. on May 30. Lepic indicated the colt would be pointed to the 350-yard Jim Bader Futurity trials at Prairie Meadows on Sept. 25.
Woop Dee Doo (Good Reason SA-Jess Racy Eyes) was 2nd under Cristian Esqueda for owner/ trainer Ricardo Martinez. Pasito Blue (Pappasito- Blue Highway) was 3rd under Stormy Smith for William Dale Critton & trainer Connie Barnes. Followed by Candys Little Wagon (Pyc Paint Your Wagon-Jess A Candy Gal), Freighttrain
V (Freighttrain B-LW Lady Val), First Prize Corina (Spit Curl Jess-First Prize Corona), The Charmed Ruler (Favorite Cartel-Features Lucky Charm), Eyesa Candy Chick (Country Chicks Man-Eyesa Candy Maker), R O With Good Reason (Good Reason SA-Running Option), & One Ivory Sign (Ivory James-Stylish Sign).
Prairie Meadows $172,229 • 350 yards :17.515 • si 95
Corona Cartel
Pyc Paint Your Wagon
Dashin Follies
THE FISCAL CLIFF, ’13 c.
Shazoom
Signs Zoomer
Stylish Sign
RACING NEWS
QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity
MY LOUISIANA ROD
by Michael Cusortelli
My Louisiana Rod, a filly owned and trained by Randy Smith of Broughton, Illinois, sprinted to her second career stakes
victory in the $163,590 Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana Stallion Service Auction Futurity at Indiana Grand on Sept. 12.
Ridden by Berkley Packer, My Louisiana Rod went 350 yards in a stakes-record :17.664, with a 1-length winning margin. In addition to banking the $63,800 winner’s share,
she recorded a 98 speed index.
“She ran a great race tonight,” said Packer. “She was rearing some in the gate, but when they said ‘go’ she was gone.”
My Louisiana Rod was bred in Indiana by Gordon Timm of Hastings, Michigan. She is the first starter foaled by Miss Louisiana Blue, who is part of the breeding program of Dan & Jolene Urschel,
176 SPEEDHORSE, October 2015
longtime breeders who raced the sport’s only Triple Crown winner, Special Effort in 1981. Raced exclusively at Indiana Grand, My
Louisiana Rod has won 3 of 5 starts and
has earned $126,883. The filly posted the 2nd-fastest QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity qualifying time when she ran 2nd, a nose behind fastest qualifier She Is Mighty Classy, in the first of four trials on Aug. 29.
My Louisiana Rod’s resume includes a 2 1/4-length victory in the 330-yard $35,440 Speed Sale Stakes on Aug. 1, and
a 2nd-place in the $199,200 Gordon Mobley Futurity for Indiana-sired 2-year-olds on the Fourth of July.
“Winning this race is all about good help,” said Smith. “She was a little antsy in the gate and was rearing up, but she settled and I thought she raced well.”
Smith is enjoying a banner year at Indiana Grand. Through Sept. 12, the trainer had won 33 & bested the season record of 28 he established last year. The track has 2 more all-Quarter Horse programs scheduled for Oct. 10 & Oct. 24.
Smith also prepped runner-up Megatron
Harry (Escondido Beach-Chicks Sweet Donna). Rodney Prescott rode the stakes winner for Sheri Miller. Maranatha Is Coming (Bono Jazz-Smooch And Run), a 38-1 longshot, was 3rd under Oscar Delgado for Owen Stanley Jr. & traienr Matt Frazier. Followed by Pistol Packin Kid (Kool Quick Kid-Highest Math), Sixes A Flyn (Desirio-Triple Six Center), Fast N Famous Eagle (One Famous Eagle- One Fast Kisser), Dashin Ta Win (Doreme Fasolasi Win-Easy Jets Squaw), Shark Eyes (Chilled Corona- Shake It First), Mr Fool Me Twice (Escondido Beach-Foolininthemeadow) & She Is Mighty Classy (Mighty Corona-Clearly Hateful).
Indiana Grand Race Course $163,590 • 350 yards :17.664 • si 98
Streakin La Jolla
La Jollaroid
Miss Dasheroid
MY LOUISIANA ROD, ’13-f.
Jess Louisiana Blue
Miss Louisiana Blue
Sassys Miss Okie
Linscott Photography Coady Photography