Page 110 - December 2015
P. 110
Texas Classic Futurity-G1
TRES FRIENDS
by Tracy Gantz
Any horse good enough to win the Rainbow Futurity-G1 would merit serious consider- ation for the All American Futurity-G1. So the father and son training team of Blane and Trey Wood were deeply disappointed to skip the All American trials with Rainbow Futurity winner Tres Friends, owned by Terry Stennett. But they knew the gelding needed time off, and the rest allowed for another major victory in the $1,151,777 Texas Classic Futuity-G1 on Nov. 14 at Lone Star Park.
“At first we said we were going to rest him until the derbies next year if it was serious,” said Trey Wood.
Tres Friends had some shin and suspensory soreness after his neck victory in the Rainbow Futurity. Wood blistered him and kept him with their stable at Ruidoso Downs.
“We started back on him in early August, in light, light training,” said Wood. “He started coming around really quick.”
After the Ruidoso meet ended, Wood brought Tres Friends back to his home in Brock, Texas, still taking it easy.
“I trained on him at my house and then took him to the track to work him,” Wood said.
Tres Friends did so well that Stennett and Blane and Terry Wood reconsidered waiting until 2016. They brought him back in the
Oct. 24 trials for the Texas Classic Futurity.
“We knew he was going to need the race in the trials, plus he had never run at night,” said Trey.
With regular rider Ricky Ramirez aboard, Tres Friends finished fourth in his trial behind EC Jet One, This Is A Deal, and Lets Get On Board.
“I told Ricky and Dad
after the race that if we could
just get him into the final, we could win it,” said Wood.
The trial was so swift that the first four qualified. Bettors favored EC Jet One over Tres Friends, but this time Tres Friends was ready. He broke like a shot on top, pulling away down the stretch to win by 3/4-length in :19.616 into a headwind.
Lila Kessinger, Brad Williams, and Wayne Barton bred Tres Friends in California. Lila’s husband, Kim, who campaigned the likes of World Champion Whosleavingwho in partnership with Jim Geiler, died the year Tres Friends was conceived. Tres Friends was raised at Burns Ranch in Menifee, California.
Kim Kessinger and Geiler bred Lotta Love For Robyn, the dam of Tres Friends,
and Barton raced her. She finished second in the 2013 Cypress H., third in the 2011 Rainbow Juv. Inv., and fourth in the 2011 All American F. Tres Friends is Lotta Love For Robyn’s first starter. Tritoon, a full sister to Tres Friends, sold for $72,000 at this year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.
First Fancy Racy (Carters Cartel-First Down Racy) finished second for jockey Esgar Ramirez, trainer Judd Kearl, and owner Aldai Transport.
Bob and Jerry Gaston’s homebred Prissy Sin Tacha (Tempting Dash-Miss Sin Tacha) ran third. Joe Badilla Jr. rode the filly for trainer Cindi Keeton.
Completing the field were A Tres Of Paint (Tres Seis-First Painted Sign), Valiant Rogue (Valiant Hero-Azoom Babe), EC Jet One (The Louisiana Cartel-Pretty Girl Perry), This Is A Deal (Dealagame-Lady Lilia), Jess A Sweetie (Apollitical Jess-One Sweet Dash), Ferarri GT (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Ferarri Fast Prize), & Lets Get On Board (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Let Me Upgrade).
Lone Star Park $1,151,777 400 yards :19.616 si 96
Sixarun
Tres Seis
Our Third Delight
TRES FRIENDS, ’13-g.
First Down Dash
Lotta Love For Robyn
Lova Ya Miss Jess
108 SPEEDHORSE, December 2015
Tres Friends & Ricky Ramirez are never headed in the $1,151,777 Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity
RACING NEWS
Dustin Orona Photography
