Page 44 - 28 September 2012

LQHBA Sale Futurity-RG1
DASHin GAGe
by Tracy Gantz
Originally, owner Douglas Traylor of Katy, Texas, didn’t think he’d get to see Dashin Gage compete in the LQHBA Sale
Futurity-RG1 in person. Traylor had an excel- lent excuse for missing the race—his 2-year- old Just Wanna Corona was running in the All American Futurity-G1.
“I spent about 10 days out there at Ruidoso,” said Traylor. “It was wonderful meeting all those people in the industry, the history of the All American—it was great.”
Just Wanna Corona finished fifth in the All American, while Dashin Gage’s race had to be postponed. Originally scheduled for Sept. 1 at the Fair Grounds, the LQHBA Sale Futurity final was moved to Sept. 8 at Evangeline Downs due to Hurricane Isaac.
Instead of watching the race on televi-
sion from Ruidoso, Traylor was able to travel to Evangeline and see Dashin Gage win the LQHBA Sale Futurity. Kenny Roberts trains Traylor’s horses in Louisiana, and after the vic- tory, the owner joked with his trainer.
“I won a race five days too late,” Traylor said to Roberts.
In reality, Traylor was thrilled to have a horse in the All American and then win a big futurity the following week. With those two starts, Dashin Gage and Just Wanna Corona earned $230,793, well over the $32,500 Traylor paid for the two youngsters as yearlings.
Traylor runs a roofing business in Texas, but he grew up in Southern California, where his father, Owen, raced some Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos and Pomona.
“It’s something I’ve always followed, and it’s always been Quarter Horses,” Doug said. “It was in my blood.”
Traylor has lived in Texas since 1988, and he began buying racehorses about five years ago. He purchased Just Wanna Corona for $22,000 out of the Los Alamitos Equine Sale in California and Dashin Gage for $10,500 from the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association Yearling Sale.
While Just Wanna Corona was ready for the races in April, Traylor gave Dashin Gage a little more time.
“He’s just a big baby,” said Traylor, “and it took him a little while to figure things out. He has slowly progressed.”
Janet VanBebber trained Dashin Gage for his initial outing, and he won a $10,000 maiden-claiming race at Delta Downs. The gelding next ran eighth in an allowance race.
“He was on the far outside, and they just really didn’t give him a chance to stand in the gate before the start,” said Traylor.
It all came together for Dashin Gage in his next race, a $10,000 claiming event that he won by a neck. That victory set him up for the Futurity trials, run at the Fair Grounds, and he finished second to Bare Naked Martini, quali- fying as the fourth fastest.
“He ran a really good race
in the trial,” said Traylor. “The horse that outran him was on the far outside of the track. Dashin Gage takes a little while to get going, and he blew by the horse that was right next to him. I think the winner was just a little too far outside for him to see.”
Stevie Gillum rode Dashin Gage in his claiming win and the trial, and the jockey was back aboard for the final. When the gate opened, Dashin Gage stumbled slightly.
“The little guy quickly righted himself,” said Gillum, “and was in high gear almost immediately.” Dashin Gage responded to Gillum’s left-
handed urging and the challenge of favored Coltins Fast Dash to his outside.
“He kept giving me his all and would not let the other horse by,” said Gillum. “He’s a real fighter.”
Traylor admired his horse’s courage.
“He hooked up with that horse, and it looked like there was no way he was going to let that horse get by him,” the owner said. “He had his mind on business.”
Traylor and Roberts hope to bring Dashin Gage back for the LQHBA Breeders Futurity-RG1 at Evangeline.
Margie Loup bred Dashin Gage in Louisiana from the winning mare Dash Lady Love. A half-sister to three stakes winners, Dash Lady Love has produced two winners from four starters.
Coltins Fast Dash (Heza Fast Dash-Six Streakin Salute) finished second with Raul Ramirez Jr. in the irons. Fructuoso Huitron trains the gelding for owner Jaime Torres. Earlier this year at Delta, Coltins Fast Dash won the Louisiana Laddie Futurity-RG2.
John Hamilton rode Logans Mountain (Panther Mountain-Logans Game) to third for owner Armando Rivera Fernandez and
trainer Heath Taylor. Logans Mountain and Hamilton had partnered for three consecutive victories going into the final, including a win in the Louisiana Juvenile Stakes.
Completing the field were Jettin For A Fortune (Jet Black Patriot-Osceolas Fortune), Bare Naked Martini (Jet Black Patriot-French Martini-TB), Jet Airplane (Jet Black Patriot- Dashing For Fortune), Streakin Ellen (Game Patriot-Streakin Amber), Sixes Slinky Secret (Dashs Slinky-Sixes Secret), and Dashin Forward (Look Forward-Go Dashing Teal). Jet Black Red Neck was scratched.
Evangeline Downs $264,480 • 350 yards :17.340 • si 105 (hand-timed)
Special Task
Oak Tree Special
Easy Lady Oak
DASHIN GAGE, ’10-g.
Dash Thru Traffic
Dash Lady Love
Zevis Lady Love
44 SPEEDHORSE, September 28, 2012
Dashin Gage and jockey Stevie Gillum make a late surge to win the LQHBA Sale Futurity-RG1 by a neck.
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