Page 82 - New Mexico Horse Breeder, Fall

the downs at albuquerque
FOUR CORNERS FUTURITY
by Michael Cusortelli
Jesse James Jr
Mr Jess Perry
Loose Lips
Christinas Crystal
Mr Eye Opener
Dangerously Rapid
CM ROwdY JaMES
CM Rowdy James, a homebred son of Jesse James Jr racing for Nadine Maben of Clovis, New Mexico, and the third-fastest qualifier, broke his maiden in the July 1, $96,590 Four Corners Futurity at Albuquerque Downs.
Ridden by Jaime Parga Leos for trainer Gaston Valenzuela, CM Rowdy James covered 350 yards in :17.579, and his winning margin was a head from Delighful Moon Flash. The $45,397 winner’s share of the purse from his first win in two outs pushed the brown geld- ing’s earnings to $45,997.
CM Rowdy James was bred in New Mexico by the Estate of Currie J. Maben. The gelding’s sire, the Mr Jess Perry stallion Jesse James Jr, earned $167,275 from 21 starts while racing
in California and New Mexico from 2003-06, and his five wins included the ’05 First Down Dash Handicap at Los Alamitos. He also ran second in the 2004 Golden State Derby (G1) and third in that season’s Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1).
A full brother to Grade 1 winner Jesstified and a half to stakes winner Loose Teller, Jesse James Jr has sired the earners of more than $15.1 million from eight crops, topped by champion Astica and multiple graded stakes
winners Osbaldo, Princess Jesse, and Cinco Menudos.
CM Rowdy James’ dam, Christinas Crystal, is a 17-year-old daughter of the Dash For Cash stallion Mr Eye Opener. The gelding made his debut with a second-place finish in one of four Four Corners Futurity trials at SunRay Park on June 1. Sent to post at odds of 15-1, the gelding returned a $32.80 win mutuel in the final.
“He broke slow today, but he came on strong at the end,” said Valenzuela of CM Rowdy James’ effort. “At about the 250-yard mark, I was pretty confident he might win it.
“He broke faster in his trial than he did today, and he was closer to the front all the way in his trial,” he added.
FS Athomesinmystoli ran third, a nose behind runner-up Delighful Moon Flash, and was followed by Miss Ongoin Senator, Corona Louisiana Blu, Little Party Wagon, fastest quali- fier and 9-5 favorite Shes Got Fire, JMF Dasher, Woodys Copy Cat, and Leap Year Teller.
Delighful Moon Flash is a homebred son of champion First Moonflash owned by Melvin Neugebauer of Manzanola, Colorado. The homebred bay gelding has won two of three starts, and the $17,386 runner-up share of the
Four Corners Futurity purse increased his earn- ings to $26,986.
FS Athomesinmystoli races for Richard E. Ford and Fred Sorenson, who also bred the bay daughter of the El Correador (TB) stallion Holmes. The filly has banked $11,445 from three outs.
The Four Corners Futurity was originally scheduled to be run on June 17, closing day of SunRay Park’s 33-day spring meet. However, unsteady track conditions caused by a morning rain storm forced track management to cancel the last seven races on its closing-day program, including the Four Corners Futurity.
80 New Mexico Horse Breeder