Page 121 - December 2015

Los Alamitos Juvenile Inv.
THERMONUCLEAR ENERGY
by Michael Compton
Aslow start couldn’t stop Thermonuclear Energy from earning the first stakes win of her career in the $30,000 Los Alamitos Juvenile Invitational on Dec. 13.
Overcoming a slow takeoff, Thermonuclear Energy and jockey Cody Jensen finished full of run late to defeat Fire At Will by a nose at the end of the 400-yard event for 2 year olds. Sent off as the odds- on choice in a field of nine, Thermonuclear Energy stopped the timer in :20.011, good for a speed index of 84. She was saddled by Christopher O’Dell.
A homebred for Parsons Family Limited Partnership, Thermonuclear Energy, who had finished third as the favorite in the Golden State Million Futurity at Los Alamitos on Nov. 1, boosted her bankroll to $141,972.
Foaled in California, Thermonuclear Energy
is produced from the multiple Grade 1-winning
mare Terrific Energy. Winner of the 2009 Charger Bar Handicap and that year’s Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap—both at Los Alamitos— Terrific Energy won six of 13 outs during her racing career and earned $181,919. Her two additional stakes runners are graded winner Terrific Synergy and stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Dynasty Energy.
Runner-up Fire At Will (Favorite Cartel-What Fire), also trained by O’Dell, led by 1/2-length in
the lane before surrendering late to the winner. Tony Guymon was aboard for owner Rosenthal Ranch LLC.
Rancho El Alacran’s El Compa JV (Mr Jess Perry-My Lady First) and jockey Joe Badilla Jr. finished third for trainer Francisco Vallejo.
Air Force Won (Ketel Won-Forced To Win), Rite Regal (Favorite Cartel-A Regal Classic), Rolll Tide (Tempting Dash-Senorita Seis), Favorite Kiss (Favorite Cartel-The Goodbye Kisser), Big Time Wild (Separatist- California Wildfire) & Apollitical Dasher (Apollitical Jess-Brazilian Dasher) completed the order of finish. Timely Delivery scratched.
Corona Chick Handicap
NYMPH
by Michael Compton
Edward Allred’s homebred filly Nymph flashed plenty of promise in the first three starts of her young career, including a stakes-placing to
stablemate Knocking On The Door in the Oct. 10 Autumn Handicap at Los Alamitos. She delivered on that promise on Nov. 14, winning the 400-yard Corona Chick Handicap in just her second stakes appearance for trainer Scott Willoughby.
Ridden by Rodrigo Aceves, Nymph broke on top at the start and never looked back. She pulled clear in the lane and defeated stablemate For Pee Jay by 3/4-length at the finish. Her final time of :20.055 earned a speed index of 83.
The $13,750 winner’s share of the purse nearly doubled Nymph’s earnings to $25,755 .
“Nymph is a really good filly,” said Willoughby. “She almost won her last start, but she had a lot of trouble early on before finishing strongly.”
Foaled in California, Nymph is out of the win- ning mare Elans Last, from the family of 1987 All American Futurity winner Elans Special and 1981 Kindergarten Futurity winner Dash Again. Nymph is a full sister to winner Last Chancer, who placed fourth in the 2013 Kindergarten Futurity-G2.
For Pee Jay (Foose-Chickafirst) offered game pursuit but was second best on this night. Eulices Gomez piloted the filly in her stakes debut.
Chalala Jess (Apollitical Jess-Chalala), the 9-5 race favorite, veered out at the start, lugged in after that and wound up 3rd for owner Alipio Burgos and trainer Felix Gonzalez.
Kotur (Good Reason SA-Make A Run),
Tickle Ur Fancy (Dominyun-Sizzling Lola), Otta Be A Prize (First Prize Stone-Otta Be Special), Misleader (Stel Corona-Fool The Boys), Womanish (TR Dasher-Feminista), & Swiper B Sonic (Hawkinson-YR Brown Lucy) followed. Famous Cartel Lady scratched.
Z. Wayne Griffin Invit. Stakes
ROCK YOU
by Michael Compton
Rock You captured the Z. Wayne Griffin Invitational Stakes at Los Alamitos Nov. 15, but the top four finishers in the $15,000 event all earned
a berth in this year’s Champion of Champions to be contested Dec. 12.
With Jimmy Brooks in the irons for trainer Jaime Gomez, Rock You grabbed the lead away from the gate and was never headed in cruising to a comfortable 3/4-length victory. He stopped the timer in :19.655 and earned a speed index of 93 in the colors of Reliance Ranches LLC.
“He’s a super nice horse,” Gomez said. “Anyone can train a good horse like Rock You, believe me. We’ve tried to keep this horse happy and done some light training with him. He’s just a good horse to be around.”
The Z. Wayne Griffin marked Rock You’s
fifth stakes triumph. Winner of the 2014 Ruidoso Derby-G1 and a back-to-back winner of the Bob Moore Memorial Stakes-G2, Rock You also annexed this year’s All American Gold Cup-G1 at Ruidoso Downs en route to earnings of $776,565.
Bred in California by Steve Burns DVM, Rock You is produced from the 4-time winner and multiple Grade 1-placed mare Babe on the Fly. She is the dam of addi- tional stakes winners Wrap You Up and Carne Vino.
Runner-up Separate Interest (Separatist-A Delightful Legacy) was ridden by Oscar Peinado for trainer Michael Casselman. The 5-year-old horse is owned by Steve Burns, breeder of the winner.
Ed Allred’s Well and Good (Separatist-How Good) finished third under Carlos Huerta for trainer Scott Willoughby.
French Fury (Stoli-Streakin Jessie Gail),
Solid Connection (Mr Jess Perry-Dinastia Toll BRZ), Jiffy James (Jesse James Jr-Ms Klee) & Remarkableyespoweer (Eyesa Special-Remarkable Power) followed.
Los Alamitos • $30,000 400 yards • :20.011 • si 84
Walk Thru Fire
First Down Dash
Sweet Beduino
THERMONUCLEAR ENERGY, ’13-f.
Mr Jess Perry
Terrific Energy
First Down Energy
Los Alamitos • $25,000 400 yards • :20.055 • si 83
Foose NYMPH, ’13-f.
Elans Last
Stel Corona
Summertime Quickie
Separatist
Elans Special
Los Alamitos • $15,000 400 yards • :19.655 • si 93
Foose ROCK YOU, ’11-g.
Babe On the Fly
Stel Corona Summertime Quickie Strawfly Special Six on the Beach
SPEEDHORSE, December 2015 119
RACING NEWS
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos