Page 84 - New Mexico Horse Breeder, Fall

the downs at albuquerque
O.D. MCDONALD HANDICAP (R)
by Michael Cusortelli
Dome
Storm Cat
She’s Tops
Lauren Lynn
Hadif
Soiree
THuNDeR DOMe
Thunder Dome stayed close to the pace and drew off to win the June 30, $70,000 O.D. McDonald Handicap (R) for New Mexico- bred Thoroughbreds.
Ridden by Alfredo Juarez Jr., Thunder Dome covered 7 furlongs in 1:20.81, equaling the track record established by Citizen Geller in the 2016 O.D. McDonald Handicap, and his margin of victory was 2 1/4-lengths from He’s Another Who. Dallas Barton trained the 4-year-old chestnut son of Dome for owners W.H. Carson Sr., M.H. Carson, and Leach Racing LLC.
Thunder Dome was bred by Frank Richardson and W.L. Mooring. The gelding
is one of seven black-type stakes winners sired by Dome, an unraced Kentucky-bred son of Storm Cat. A half brother to two-time Grade
1 winner Dixie Union, Dome has sired the earners of more than $6.09 million from 14 crops, including multiple Thoroughbred stakes winners Glory Be Mine, ZZ Dome, and Etoile de Dome, and 2008 AQHA champion distance horse High On Cat.
Dome is owned by Hardeman LLC, and he stands for a $2,000 fee at W.L. and Dee
Mooring’s Double LL Farms at Bosque, New Mexico.
Thunder Dome is also one of five winners from seven starters foaled by Lauren Lynn, an 18-year-old winning and multiple stakes placed daughter of the Clever Trick stallion Hadif. The gelding is a half brother to If I Had A Bull, the winner of the 2010 Sierra Starlet Handicap (R) at Ruidoso Downs.
Thunder Dome’s second dam, the New Mexico-bred Full Choke mare Soiree, won three stakes in New Mexico from 1996-98, including the ’96 Kachina Stakes at Ruidoso Downs. Soiree was a full sister to three stakes winners: B.G.’s Drone, a three-time stakes winner in New Mexico from 1991-94; Talent Connection, a gelding who won four stakes from 1990-91, including the $50,000 Texas Derby at Bandera Downs in ’91; and Flying Drone, the winner of the 1994 New Mexican Stakes (R) at Santa Fe Downs and Rio Grande Futurity (R) at Ruidoso.
Thunder Dome was coming off of a fifth- place finish as the even-money favorite in the 1-mile, $39,000 Jack Cole Stakes (R) at SunRay
Park on May 7. Raced exclusively in New Mexico, the gelding has won six of 21 starts, including the 2016 Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R) at Ruidoso Downs, and the $42,000 win- ner’s share of the purse from his second stakes victory pushed his bankroll to $332,363.
He’s Another Who was second for owner Tony P. Carnes and the homebred Go For A Stroll finished third for owner R.D. Hubbard. Shining Source, Forger, Red Zenon, Citizen Geller, G M Gage, and Jonesey Who completed the order of finish.
CARLOS SALAZAR STAKeS (R)
Your Eminence
Saint Ballado
Carols Folly
Explosive Dancing
Danzatore
Impish Spy
exPLOSIve SPy
Explosive Spy unleashed a strong stretch rally to win the August 25, $70,000 Carlos Salazar Stakes (R) for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares at Albuquerque Downs.
Trained by Dan Dennison for owner Michael G. Weatherly of Anthony, New Mexico, Explosive Spy covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.46, and her margin of victory was 1 1/4 lengths from stable- mate Mike And Trixie. Frank Reyes rode the homebred 5-year-old daughter of Your Eminence.
Explosive Spy was stretching out in distance off of her come-from-behind two-length victory in the 6-furlong, $50,000 Lincoln Handicap (R) at Ruidoso Downs on July 29. The mare is one of 72 winners from 113 start- ers sired by Your Eminence, an unraced son
of Saint Ballado and a half brother to Grade 1 winners Unbridled Elaine and Glitter Woman.
Your Eminence has sired the earners of more than $3.6 million from eight crops.
Explosive Spy is also one of two win-
ners from five starters produced by Explosive Dancing, a winning daughter of the Northern Dancer stallion Danzatore.
Sent to post as the 3-1 second choice in a field of eight, Explosive Spy returned an $8.40 win mutuel. Mike And Trixie, a 10-1 longshot, completed a $45.80 ($2) exacta payoff.
Explosive Spy has won six of 19 races while racing exclusively in New Mexico, and the $42,000 winner’s share of the Carlos Salazar purse pushed the mare’s bankroll to $191,900, of which $110,090 has been earned this year. She has enjoyed more success this season than last, when she won one of eight outs and earned $43,201.
“She didn’t have any success at this track last year, but this year it’s been different with her,” said Simon Buechler, Explosive Spy’s trainer at Ruidoso. “Last year at Zia Park, she had a bruised foot which seemed to take forever to heal. She’s really coming into herself now.”
A Kiss For Mom finished third, 4 1/4 lengths behind Explosive Spy. M G Ms Golden Girl, To Satisfy You, 7-5 favorite Bryn’s Fancy Pants, Waltzing Attila, and Woodacouldadid completed the order of finish.
Mike And Trixie is a homebred 4-year-old daughter of Fusaichi Zenon (JPN) campaigned
by Michael Weatherly. The gray or roan filly has won three of seven starts, and the $14,000 runner-up share of the Carlos Salazar purse increased her earnings to $59,280.
A Kiss For Mom races for S & G Racing LLC. A dark bay or brown 4-year-old Roll Hennessy Roll filly and a $5,000 claimer dur- ing the 2017-18 Sunland Park meet, A Kiss For Mom has won four of 24 outs, and the $7,000 third-place share of the purse bumped her bankroll to $75,751
82 New Mexico Horse Breeder