Page 51 - Speedhorse February 2018

THE FISCAL CLIFF si 109, $580,335
Champion Aged Stallion
Breeder: Tom Lepic
Owner: Whitmire Ranch (previously Tom Lepic) Trainer: Kasey Willis
Jockeys: Cesar Gomez, Benito Baca &
David Pinon
2017 Record: 9-4(4)-2(1)-2(2), $273,947, AQHA Chal. Champ.-G1, Bob Moore Mem. S.-G2, Canterbury Champ. Chal., Skip Zimmerman Mem., 2nd Eastex S.-G2, 3rd Prairie Meadows Champ. Chal.-G2, Keokuk S.-G3, fnl. Champ. Of Champ.-G1
Horses don’t get much more consistent than The Fiscal Cliff, a feat especially admirable considering that he competed at four different racetracks in four different states during 2017. In nine starts, eight of them stakes, he won four races, with two seconds and two thirds, and he was named Champion Aged Stallion.
But best of all, The Fiscal Cliff turned in his biggest victory at Prairie Meadows, the home track of his owner and breeder, Tom Lepic. President of the Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association, Lepic was able to showcase his 4-year-old colt to friends and family on Challenge Championship night
in the biggest race of the evening, the Bank of America Challenge Championship-G1.
“With all the Iowa people and all the family that came to watch, it was really great,” said Lepic. “It really couldn’t have been any better.”
Even though The Fiscal Cliff is a stallion, he has an easygoing personality.
“He loves people,” said Lepic. “He’s a great horse to be around, with a great temperament.”
Trained throughout the year by Kasey Willis, Iowa-bred The Fiscal Cliff began the season in Oklahoma at Remington Park. Second in the Eastex Stakes-G2, he captured the Bob Moore Memorial Stakes-G2. Moving on to Minnesota and Canterbury Park, The Fiscal Cliff took the change of scenery in stride. He added the Skip Zimmerman Memorial Stakes and Bank of America Canterbury Championship Challenge Stakes before moving on to Prairie Meadows. The Fiscal Cliff started four times at the Iowa track, never finishing worse than third. He saved his best effort for last on Challenge Championship night. The Fiscal Cliff defeated Three Olives N Smoke by a length, with 2016 Challenge Championship winner AJs High third.
“It’s been fun to watch him—he continues to get better and better,” said Lepic. “That doesn’t always happen. He just loves to run.”
The Fiscal Cliff was winning the eighth stakes of his career in the Challenge Championship. Lepic bred him from Signs Zoomer, a mare he purchased from Jill Mixer. He and Mixer earlier partnered on Champion Spit Curl Diva.
AQHA Challenge Championship-G1
Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Dashin Follies
Holland Ease
Corona Chick
Strawfly Special
First Down Dash Easy Henryetta Chicks Beduino Sizzling Lil Special Effort Fly In The Pie First Down Dash Hempes Folly
Dash For Cash Take You On
Keep On Turning Moonsashinnin TB The Signature Sure Is Nice
First Down Dash Sages Pillow Talk
Dash For Cash First Prize Rose Easy Jet
Babys Henryetta Beduino TB
A Classy Chick Sizzle Te
Lilsalady TB
Raise Your Glass TB Go Effortlessly
Pie In The Sky Flying Rockette Dash For Cash First Prize Rose Hempen TB Jets Runaway
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Easy Jet
Azuree
Mr Big Wheel Itchy Lady Moonsplash Shedoodit Noholme II TB Mable Chick Too Beduino TB
It’s A Sure Thing Dash For Cash First Prize Rose Quincy A Go Go Pea Jacket TB
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Gallant Jet Rose bug
Jet Deck
Lena’s Bar TB Lanovay
Baby Steel TB Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat
Chick’s Deck Mayshego TB Azure Te TB
Jet’s Fair Lady Rebs Policy
Here’s To Lil
Raise A Native Champagne Woman Double Devil
Hijo Beauty TB Easy Jet
Miss Jelly Roll Rocket Bar TB
Fly Straw
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Gallant Jet
Rose Bug
Indian Hemp
Serry
Easy Jet
War Folly
Rocket Bar TB Go Galla Go To Market Hide And Seek Jet Deck Lena’s Bar TB Azure Te TB Minette
Easy Jet
Miss Top Liz Ichibon
Miss Lady Jo 3 Boldnesian Tossed
Dancing Coins Long Last
Star Kingdom Oceana
Moolah Bux TB Mable Chick Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat Duplicate Copy Maybe Later Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Gallant Jet Rose Bug
Go Man Go Pamie Jo
Nagea
Blue One
Dashing Folly THE FISCAL CLIFF , ’13, C.
Shazoom
Signs Zoomer
Stylish Sign
Takin On The Cash
Keep On Shining
Vital Sign
Down Pillow
SPEEDHORSE, February 2018 49
Coady Photography