Page 116 - June 2015

Heritage Place Futurity-G1
BV MIDNITE EXPRESS
by Tracy Gantz
Karma may have played a huge role in
this year’s Heritage Place Futurity-G1 at Remington Park. Fred and Carolyn Helmuth
lost a heartbreaker last year in the race when their homebred BV Travelin Soldier ran second by just a nose to Lovethewayyoulie.
Luckily, the Helmuths had a yearling colt out of the same mare, Ms Tres Seis. They gelded him—“He didn’t have the mind sense to be a stallion,” said Fred—and named him BV Midnite Express.
He vindicated the couple in this year’s $1,170,000 Grade 1 Heritage Place Futurity on May 30, winning impressively.
“Needless to say, we were very, very excited Saturday night,” said Fred.
BV Midnite Express, trained by Eddie L. (Bubba) Willis, was the second-fastest qualifier on the first night of the trials on May 11, win- ning his heat by 1 1/2 lengths. Fastest-qualifier Regard With Respect went off as the 9-10 favorite in the finals, and BV Midnite Express was sent away as the 7-1 third choice.
“He just blew out of the gate Saturday night, and there was no looking back.” said Fred. “I was scared to death because there were some tough horses in there.”
The start was the key to the race. BV Midnite Express took the lead under jockey Russel Hadley and just kept going. No one else gave him much of a challenge and he led at every call. He scored by 1/2-length in :17.196 for the 350 yards.
“I’ve been waiting for that start ever since we came to Remington with that horse,” said Hadley.
“He’s something special,”
the rider continued. “That’s when good horses come to the top, when the money’s on the line. I knew there were some good horses that could come to run me down, but about 100 yards before the wire, I knew I had it.”
Willis succinctly added, “When he left there, I knew they weren’t going to catch him, plain and simple.”
BV Midnite Express began his career by winning his trial for the Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity-RG2, but he finished sixth in the finals.
“He false broke real bad in the Remington, and he was about half knocked down,” Fred
explained. “Bubba was afraid he was going to be a little tough in the gate after that, but he worked with him. Bubba Willis and his crew are just tremendous. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
The Helmuths bred and race BV Midnite Express in the name of their Bella Vista Farms. Though they live in Illinois, they bred the gelding in Oklahoma.
“John and Sherry Havener were our trainers for many years, and they are now retired,” Fred said. “They took care of our horses at the ranch in Sallisaw, where he was born. They did a great job.”
BV Midnite Express’ story began when the Helmuths purchased Ms Dash Beduino, his second dam.
“My wife bought her at a Heritage Place sale,” said Fred. “Within 10 minutes, we had two dif- ferent offers. She could have made a nice, quick profit on it. I wanted to sell, but she didn’t.”
Listening to his wife was a wise move.
“She was a tremendously-bred mare and the kind of blood that my wife was looking
Remington Park $1,170,000 • 350 yards :17.196 • si 98
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Freighttrain B
Dianetogetcha
BV MIDNITE EXPRESS, ’13-g.
Tres Seis
Ms Tres Seis
Ms Dash Beduino
The winning connections for BV Midnite Express include breeder/owner Bella Vista Farms, trainer Eddie L. Willis & jockey Russel Hadley. For the first time this year, special trophies recognizing the breeders of the Heritage Place Futurity, Derby and Juvenile winners were awarded.
114 SPEEDHORSE, June 2015
RACING NEWS
Dustin Orona Photography