Page 175 - Speedhorse November, 2018

Autumn Handicap
TAC ME UP
by Tracy Gantz
Country Boy 123, the pride of Ajax Downs
in Canada, played a significant role in the $25,000 Autumn Handicap at Los Alamitos on Oct.
13. Because Country Boy 123 participated in the 2016 Challenge Championships at Los Alamitos, his owner-trainer, Dr. Ruth Barbour, got to know trainer Christopher O’Dell. The two have partnered on Autumn Handicap winner Tac Me Up.
When the gate opened in the 350-yard Autumn Handicap, Tac Me Up went right to the front under jockey Eduardo Nicasio. The gelding crossed the wire 1 1/4-lengths in front, stopping the timer in :17.531, posting a 96 speed index.
Barbour campaigns Tac Me Up with Colten and Wendy O’Dell. Tac Me Up broke his maiden and qualified for a couple of futurities, including the Robert Adair Kindergarten-G2 and Governor’s Cup-RG2, but this was his first stakes win.
Garrett Firth bred Tac Me Up out of lightly raced Tacatrina. Tac Me Up is the mare’s first starter. The family traces back to the multiple stakes- winning Thoroughbred In The Curl, Tac Me Up’s fourth dam.
Heza Blues Man (Favorite Cartel-Eyesa Blues Girl) finished 2nd under jockey Jesus Ayala for trainer Paul Jones. Lisa Beauprez, Thomas H. Bradbury, and Thomas Bradbury Jr. own the gelding, who broke his maiden in his first Los Alamitos outing after starting at Remington Park and Ruidoso Downs. Dr. Steve Burns’ homebred Stel A Gambler (Stel Corona-Baccarat Bar) ran 3rd under Jonathan Roman for trainer Mike Casselman. Stel A Gambler is still a maiden, but has finished 2nd twice. Completing the field were BOS Time Machine (Bodacious Dash-One Prompt Chick), Stevieb Flashofcash (First Moonflash-LDS Good Goin Gracie) and Bolt For Gold (Favorite Cartel- Sheza Hot Catch).
Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap
LOVE TO REASON BR
by Tracy Gantz
Love To Reason BR secured her second stakes vic- tory in the $25,000 Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap at Los Alamitos on Oct. 5. Ridden by Jose Nicasio,
Love To Reason BR took command shortly after the start of the 400-yard race, and she won by 3/4-length in :19.985, posting an 87 speed index.
Monty Arrossa trains Love To Reason BR for owner Mario Hurtado. This was the mare’s second stakes victory, following the Sun Downs Distaff Challenge earlier this year. Her record is now 16-4(2)-4-3(2) with $39,595 banked.
Benny Rosset bred Love To Reason BR out of 5-time stakes winner Strength In Numbers, winner of $267,746. The mare has 100% money earners from 12 starters, including stakes winners Lonely In Front BR and Mr Perry Strong and stakes-placed Jagger BR and Piloto Strong. Love To Reason BR is the third stakes winner in the brood.
Arrossa also trains second-place SP Four Square (Favorite Cartel-Fountain Bleu). Cody Jensen rode the gelding for owner Jess Udy. SP Four Square earlier this year won the Wyoming Downs/Renegade Sports Derby and Western States Breeders Derby.
Carlos Huerta piloted Joe Legacy (Brookstone Bay-A Diamond Legacy) to third for owner Greg Torgerson and trainer Jose Hernandez Jr. Joe Legacy won the 2013 Ed Giles Memorial Futurity, 2014 Elko County Fair Derby and John Ward Handicap, and 2015 Laguna Beach Handicap.
Oh La (TR Dasher-Proud Checker) finished fourth, but was disqualified to ninth for interfer- ence. Fifth-place finisher Jess A Cowboy (Dejon- Secret Return) was moved up to fourth, followed by Koris Knud Chick (Teller Cartel-Magical
Knud Chicks), VVR Dazzling Corona (Coronas Velvet-Dazzling Chivata), Corona B Gone (Favorite Cartel-Go Girl Gone), and Poutn On The Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Poutnlori).
Chingaderos Handicap
TWISTED SIFTER
by Tracy Gantz
Twisted Sifter won his seventh race in 2018 with the $15,000 Chingaderos Handicap at Los Alamitos on Oct. 12. That tied him with Country Boy 123 for the most wins this year by a Quarter Horse in North America.
With rainy conditions, unusual for Southern California, Twisted Sifter “slipped a little bit” at the start, according to trainer Roman Figueroa, who
felt that the gelding didn’t get hold of the track. Nevertheless, under Jonathan Roman, Twisted Sifter battled for the lead and won by a neck in :17.536, posting a 96 speed index.
“He’ll begin hooking the older horses pretty soon,” said Figueroa, who trains Twisted Sifter for owner Ronnie Brooks Keller.
Twisted Sifter brought home the $8,250 win- ner’s share of the purse, boosting his cumulative earnings to $54,677. Earlier this year, the geld- ing won the Sgt Pepper Feature Handicap at Los Alamitos.
Corner K Quarter Horses LLC bred Twisted Sifter out of 3-time winner Bye Bye Baby Goodbye. She has produced 100% money earners from 11 starters, including Ruidoso Futurity-G1 winner and top earner Blue Corazon, Black Gold Futurity Championship-RG3 winner Sumokin and Inspite Of Myself, who is stakes placed in Mexico. Twisted Sifter is her third stakes winner.
Dr. Ed Allred’s homebred Better Than Ever (Kiddy Up-Life Changer) finished second. Vinnie Bednar rode the filly for trainer Scott Willoughby. Reliance Ranches LLC’s homebred SC Vapor
Trail (Corona Cartel-Spit Curl Diva) ran third under jockey Jesus Ayala for trainer Mike Robbins. Completing the field were CM Boom Shakalaka (Carters Cartel-Mi Fames A Dandy), Unblemished (Foose-Without Fault), and L Bar D Razle Dazle (Ragazzo-Dash Home Deb).
Los Alamitos • $25,000 400 yards • :19.985 • si 87
Favorite Trick TB
Good Reason SA
LOVE TO REASON BR, ‘13-m.
Strawfly Special
Strength In Numbers
Queen Of Appeals
Strength Of Heart
Los Alamitos • $25,000 350 yards • :17.531 • si 96
Kiddy Up TAC ME UP, ‘16-g.
Tacatrina
Corona Cartel Miss Racy Vike Tac It Like A Man Ocean Express
Los Alamitos • $15,000 350 yards • :17.536 • si 96
FDD Dynasty TWISTED SIFTER, ‘15-g.
First Down Dash
Dinastia Toll BRZ
Takin On The Cash
Bye Bye Baby Goodbye
Oh Dusty Bunny
SPEEDHORSE, November 2018 173
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