Page 126 - November 2016
P. 126
Golden State Million Futurity-G1
LOTTA BLUES MAN
by Tracy Gantz
Assemble the right team, and luck can flow your way, which certainly proved the case with Lucky Seven Ranch. Owners Russell
and Lisa Stooks, trainer Mike Casselman, and jockey Cody Jensen first succeeded this year at Los Alamitos with Sass Me Blue, this time with Lotta Blues Man in the Golden State Million Futurity-G1.
Jensen was riding injured, having recently broken his collarbone. But the Stooks and Casselman stuck with him, and it paid off.
“You get the best jockey,” said Russell in explaining one of the reasons for the victory. “And the poor guy can’t even lift his right arm. He broke his collarbone and has a steel plate in. You get the best jockey and the best trainer.”
Lotta Blues Man had won three of four races going into the Golden State Million Futurity finals, including his trial. His only loss came when he finished third in the Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1.
“We knew he could do it,” said Russell. “He’s a step or two slow out of the gate, but we knew if he got that figured out, he’d be tough to beat. Tonight he figured it out, and he got a good path. That’s the key.”
From post four, Lotta Blues Man broke perfectly and on top, despite AJs Anna Smoke hopping in the air to his immediate inside. Lotta Blues Man took the lead and stayed there, hitting the wire 1/2-length in front while completing the 400 yards in :19.653.
After dismounting in the winner’s circle, Jensen walked back to the jockeys’ room, vis- ibly in pain.
“My shoulder is hurting right now,” Jensen said. “The only time it doesn’t hurt is from the gate to the wire. That’s what matters.”
Casselman praised the jockey, saying, “He’s just phenomenal. It’s almost scary how tough a guy he is. He’s gung-ho and he wants to be the guy on the horse. He does a tremendous job when he is on a horse. He has good sense and so much experience, and it really pays off for us. We’re really glad he helped us out.”
The team had previously collaborated
on 4-year-old Sass Me Blue in the Sept. 25 Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap-G1. With that victory, the filly earned a berth in the Dec. 10 Champion of Champions-G1. Thus, if all goes well, the Stooks, Casselman, and Jensen will have a one-two punch that weekend in the Champion of Champions with Sass Me Blue and with Lotta Blues Man in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity-G1.
Lucky Seven won the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity in 2006 with Blues Girl Too, named Champion 2 Year Old and Champion 2-Year-Old Filly that season. The next year she added the Champion of Champions in track-record time and was named World Champion, Champion 3 Year Old, and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. Blues Girl Too earned a total of $2,032,328.
“She’s living at our ranch in Arizona,” said Russell. “She’s the queen. She’s still gorgeous.”
Lucky Seven bred Lotta Blues Man in California from stakes-placed Lotta Love For Robyn. Owned by Reliance Ranches LLC, the mare has produced one other starter, 2015 Rainbow Futurity-G1 and Texas Classic Futurity-G1 winner Tres Friends.
“We bought an embryo, and we picked Favorite Cartel because he was at Burns Ranch,” said Russell. “Then we brought the baby over
to our ranch and raised it in Arizona. He’s turned out to be quite a gelding.”
Tarzanito (Favorite Cartel- Ancient Empress), ridden
by Eddie Garcia, trained by Francisco Vallejo, and owned by A1A Racing LLC, ran sec- ond. The colt was the 2nd-fast- est qualifier and was coming off three consecutive wins.
Tony Guymon piloted Worth Doing (Walk Thru
Fire-Callan Rocks) to third. Mark Skeen trains the gelding for owner Fawna Knight. Worth Doing finished 2nd in the Ed Burke Million Futurity and the Governor’s Cup Futurity-RG2.
Fastest-qualifier and favorite Cartel Sixes (Corona Cartel-Eye For The Sixes) finished fourth, followed by Renewed (Walk Thru Fire-Make Over), Thats Imperial (Mr Jess Perry-This Boogie Fires), AJs Anna Smoke (Separatist-Annas Babe), and King Candy (One Sweet Jess-Stars R Blue). Seared and Six Zeroes were scratched.
Los Alamitos $982,250 400 yards :19.653 si 94
Favorite Trick-TB
Favorite Cartel
Shenoshercorona
LOTTA BLUES MAN, ’14-g.
First Down Dash
Lotta Love For Robyn
Love Ya Miss Jess
124 SPEEDHORSE, November 2016
Lotta Blues Man & Cody Jensen receive every call on their way to a 1/2-length victory in the Golden State Million Futurity-G1
RACING NEWS
Scott Martinez
