Page 83 - New Mexico Horse Breeder, Fall

the downs at albuquerque
CASINO AT THE DOWNS DERBY (R)
by Michael Cusortelli
Indian Firewater
Indian Charlie
Touched
Harrys At Hanover
Pulpit
Silent Serenade
KRIS WHO
Kris Who, the 3-1 second choice in a field of nine New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds, led
at every call to win the September 1, 1-mile Casino at The Downs Thoroughbred Derby (R) at Albuquerque Downs.
Ridden by Roimes Chirinos, Kris Who established fractions of :23.38, :46.50, and 1:10.50 before reaching the wire in 1:37.78, 3 1/2 lengths in front of Western Warning. Todd Fincher prepped the homebred dark bay or brown gelding for owners Sam E. Stevens and Sammy L. Stevens of Lamesa, Texas.
Kris Who is one of three official black-type stakes winners from three crops sired by Indian Firewater, a Kentucky-bred son of Grade 1 win- ner Indian Charlie. Competing in California and Arizona between 2009-12, Indian Firewater earned $339,242 from 25 starts, and his three wins included a nose victory in the 2011 San Fernando Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Indian Firewater has sired 26 winners and the earners of more than $1.1 million from 42 starters, including 2016 C.O. “Ken” Kendrick Memorial Stakes (R) winner Vocally. The lead- ing freshman sire in New Mexico in ’16, Indian Firewater died due to colic in 2017.
Kris Who is also one of three winners from four starters produced by Harrys At Hanover, a winning New Jersey-bred daughter of the A.P.
Indy stallion Pulpit. Kris Who is a full brother to 2016 New Mexico State Fair Futurity (R) runner-up Indian H Who.
Kris Who’s second dam, the Blare Of Trumpets mare Silent Serenade, won two stakes at Monmouth Park in New Jersey from 2000-02. A New Jersey-bred and 1996 foal, Silent Serenade foaled four winners from five starters, including Readybdancing, a stakes- placed half sister to Harrys At Hanover.
Kris Who traces back to his fourth dam, Sans Arc, a Grade 3-winning daughter of High Echelon who foaled stakes winners Beveled and Quake Lake.
Kris Who has won four of eight starts, and the $45,000 winner’s share of the $75,000 Casino at The Downs Derby purse pushed the gelding’s earnings to $156,969. Kris Who has won four of his six outs at Albuquerque Downs, and his record at the track includes a wire-to- wire, 6 1/2-length victory in last year’s 6-furlong, $187,795 New Mexico State Fair Futurity (R).
Blazing Navarone, the 9-10 favorite, finished third, four lengths behind Kris Who. McGoldie, McClassic, Eye Forty, Storm The Beach, Gabby Who, and Sea Emperor com- pleted the order of finish.
Following a stewards’ inquiry, Storm The Beach was declared a non-starter after it was
determined that he broke through the gate before the start.
Runner-up Western Warning is a dark bay or brown Weather Warning gelding owned by Pierre and Leslie Amestoy of Albuquerque. A $13,000 yearling buy at the 2016 New Mexico-Bred Sale, Western Warning has won one of 12 starts, and the $15,000 runner-up share of the purse increased his bankroll to $73,754.
Blazing Navarone races for George E. Coleman and Henry Dominguez. A bay son of Song Of Navarone, the gelding has earned $238,226 from 11 outs, and his five wins include three stakes victories during the 2017- 18 Sunland Park meet.
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