Page 61 - 7 July 2012

Cherry Creek Futurity-RG3
Im Rowdy James
by Tracy Gantz
Im Rowdy James has traveled a bit in his young life, though he returned to his native Colorado to become a stakes winner. Foaled in
the state, sold in Oklahoma, and first raced in New Mexico, Im Rowdy James won the June 17 Cherry Creek Futurity-RG3 at Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Colorado.
With the fastest qualifying time of :17.130, Im Rowdy James went off as the 6-5 favor-
ite in the final. He broke
outwardly into Won For The
Road and then ping-ponged
back to his inside before
straightening out under
jockey Flavio Lozano. From
there, Im Rowdy James raced
directly to the wire, winning
by a length in :16.628.
J.R. Gonzalez Sr. trains Im Rowdy James for owner Luis Rogelio Nava. Gonzalez and Nava unveiled him in a trial at Sunland Park, where
he finished sixth. The colt raced fourth in a maiden race at SunRay Park before winning his Cherry Creek trial by a length.
Bill and Marsha Drake bred Im Rowdy James from the winning mare Eyes Especially Rare. They sold the colt at the 2011 Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma through agent Marty Powers. Im Rowdy James brought $8,200 at the sale from Joe Rios.
Eyes Especially Rare has produced three winners from five starters, including 2007 Mile High Futurity-G2 win- ner Hayleys My Name. Im Rowdy James’ second dam, unraced Missy Eye Opener, is a half-sister to stakes winner Last Episode. Last Episode
is the dam of Grade I stakes winner Heza Bold Man and the granddam of Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding Eye Opening Episode.
Thomas Bradbury and Marvin Willhite’s homebred Wanting To Win (One Famous Eagle-Shazooms Doll) finished second for jockey Alejandro Luna and trainer John Hammes. The gelding ran third in his trial.
Won For The Road (Ketel Won-Super Ragtime), second in that same trial, finished third in the final under Manuel Gutierrez. Larry Chavez trains the gelding for owner- breeder Marylynn Fischer.
Completing the field were Kansas Ivory (Ivory James-Centers Takin Cash), Avatar 2010 (Ivory James-Sheza Special Pie), Iza Sugar N Spice (Toast To Dash-Iza Flyin Eye), Wild Bronc (Seperate Cravings-Wildkat Kate), Littlebitofbeduino (Mr Eye Opener-Denim Darling), Shiney Ivory (Ivory James-Shine N Shake), and Oceans Of Bliss (Ocean Runaway- Bits Of Bliss).
Arapahoe Park $73,660 • 330 yards :16.628 • si 99
Corona Cartel
Ivory James
Dashin Follies
IM ROWDY JAMES, ’10-c.
Especially Rare
Eyes Especially Rare
Missy Eye Opener
racing news
Lucille Rowe derby
BaBy I LIke It
by Tracy Gantz
Baby I Like It likes Arapahoe Park, as do several other family members. His dam and his half-brother turned in their best stakes
performances at the Colorado track, and Baby I Like It has scored all four of his lifetime victories there. The latest came in the June 16 Lucille Rowe Derby, which gave Baby I Like It the Arapahoe double of last year’s Cherry Creek Futurity-RG3 and this year’s Derby.
Qualifying the fastest for the Lucille Rowe, a stakes for Colorado-breds, Baby I Like It went off co-favored with Always Furst, the second- fastest qualifier, in the final. Baby I Like It broke well, but Busy Doin Nuthin went to the front and vied with Blue Eyed James. Baby I Like It and jockey Alejandro Luna came on to grab the victory by a head in :17.801 for the 350 yards.
Jose Barron trains Baby I Like It for
Hugo Barron Sierra, who owns and bred the colt. Baby La Jolla, the dam of Baby I Like
It, won the 2007 Dash For Speed Handicap and 2009 West/Southwest Distaff Challenge, both at Arapahoe. Her one other starter to date, Wave Good Bye Baby, placed in the 2011 Rocky Mountain Futurity and 2012 Arapahoe Derby Challenge. Baby La Jolla is a half-sister
to graded stakes winner Oak Canyon and graded stakes- placed Just As You Are.
Robert Gutke’s homebred Busy Doin Nuthin (Ocean Runaway-Ronatac) finished second with Russell Vicchrilli in the irons. Busy Doin Nuthin had also finished second to Baby I Like It in the trial that produced the fastest qualifying time. Farrell Christoffersen trains the gelding, who finished third to Baby I Like It in the
2011 Cherry Creek Futurity.
Always Furst (Dream On Buster-Glow N
Go Tell) ran third for jockey Elliot Bachicha Jr. and trainer Hipolito Michel-Valverde. The gelding, owned by Jose Castro, ran fourth in last year’s Cherry Creek Futurity and had a three-race win streak from maiden claiming to allowance to derby trials dating back to last year going into the Lucille Rowe final.
Rounding out the field were Tuaca N Smoke (Streakin La Jolla-Smokin Corona), Lady La La (Flew Bye A Winner-La Dasha), Blue Eyed James (Ivory James-Miss Blue Eyed Sally), Eyes Rare Speed (Mr Eye Opener-Rarest Daisy), Casanova Streak (Country Chicks Man-Opportunity Streaks), Sixstringsandadream (Dream On Buster-The Calyx Chick), and Ivory Moons (Ivory James- Candy Bar Budget).
Arapahoe Park $51,265 • 350 yards :17.801 • si 87
Corona Cartel
Ivory James
Dashin Follies
BABY I LIKE IT, ’09-c.
Streakin La Jolla
Baby La Jolla
Hooray Baby
SPEEDHORSE, July 6, 2012 61
Coady Photography Coady Photography